A group of Republican state lawmakers and Northern California water agencies are pushing for an end to statewide drought restrictions given the wet winter.
The State Water Resources Control Board is meeting Wednesday to vote on extending emergency regulations.
State Senator Jim Nielsen is from Tehama County. He says the board indicates it wants to extend enforcement authority indefinitely by making drought preparations a "way of life".
"And that's alright with me, but I expect that enforcement authorities to come through the legislature and as long as this is an emergency call of the governor, these agencies can precede with going through, in many cases, the office of administrative law even," says Nielsen.
Without approval by the board, the current statewide emergency regulations will expire at the end of this month.
Water Board staff recommends extending the regulations until an assessment of the water supply is done in April or May.
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