Fee Study
In 2020, the Merced Irrigation-Urban Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MIUGSA) developed a fee structure to fund the regulatory activities of the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA).
Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), GSAs have the authority to collect fees to fund the costs of its regulatory activities including preparation, adoption, and amendment of a groundwater sustainability plan, and investigations, inspections, compliance assistance, enforcement, and program administration, including a prudent reserve. The goal of SGMA is to ensure groundwater sustainability and accessibility for future generations.
MIUGSA contracted a firm that has experience establishing fee structure options for GSAs. The fee structure adopted at the July 28, 2020 Board Meeting aims to meet the following goals:
Establish a fair fee structure that the GSA governing board can adopt.
Secure a fee structure adopted with maximum buy-in from interested parties and community-at-large.
Establish a fee structure that will allow the GSA to effectively manage the Merced Groundwater Basin in accordance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
