DPAC Minutes 2026-06-02

Meeting Minutes
Delta Protection Advisory Committee

Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 5 p.m.
Rio Vista American Legion Post 178
610 Francis Way, Rio Vista, CA 94571

Agenda

1. Call to Order/Flag Salute – DPAC Chair Anna Swenson

Chair Swenson called the meeting to order at 5:37 p.m.

2. Welcome and Roll Call

Commission Clerk Heather McClure called the roll. Present at this time were Chair Anna Swenson; Vice Chair Russ Ryan; members Emily Pappalardo, Jeff Iniguez, Morris Lum, Edward Hard, Erin Chappell, Gia Moreno, and Douglas Hsia; and Ex Officio Member Heather Swinney.

3. Public Comment – An opportunity for members of the public to address the Committee regarding items not on the agenda

Chair Swenson asked for public comments and there were none.

4. Approval of April 7, 2026, Meeting Minutes

There were no questions or comments about the draft minutes.

Motion: Vice Chair Ryan moved approval of the April 7 minutes as drafted, with Member Hsia seconding. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

5. Welcome New Members – DPAC Chair Anna Swenson

Chair Swenson welcomed back members Hard and Iniguez, and introduced Gia Moreno, all of whom were reappointed or appointed by the Delta Protection Commission on May 11.

Moreno introduced herself, noting she was the secretary of the Hood Community Council and on the Pear Fear Committee. She also discussed a Wide Open Walls mural planned for Hood, representing Hood from the time of the Miwok.

6. Delta Protection Commission Activities – Executive Director Amanda Bohl

Executive Director Bohl said the Commission would be holding a short meeting on June 16 at the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy office, and the agenda for that meeting would be coming out the following week.

She said the Delta National Heritage Area Advisory Committee would be holding an evening meeting (5-7 p.m.) in Ryde on June 24.

She announced the Commission would be welcoming two new staff members in July: a new senior environmental planner and a new board clerk.

Information Officer Holly Heyser noted that applications were open for the NHA Advisory Committee as well as the Utilities-Related Infrastructure seat on DPAC. She said links were available in the Delta Happenings newsletter.

7. Election of Chair and Vice Chair for 2026/2027 – Executive Director Amanda Bohl

Executive Director Bohl said the DPAC charter states the chair serves a one-year term and may be elected to additional terms.

Vice Chair Ryan moved to re-elect Swenson as chair, and Member Pappalardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Chair Swenson moved to re-elect Ryan as vice chair, and Pappalardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

8. Bagley-Keene Briefing – Representative from the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Justice

Deputy Attorney General Danae Aitchison briefed the committee on the Bagley-Keene Act that governs meeting requirements for state public bodies. Among other things, it requires:

10-day notice of meetings
Public access to all materials that go in front of the body
Providing opportunity for the public to comment on agenda and non-agenda items.
No conditions on attendance – for example, people cannot be forced to sign in.
All decisions made in public view, prohibiting “serial meetings” in which members form consensus in private conversations.
Public notice for subcommittee meetings of three or more people.
Teleconference meetings held in accordance with complex rules.

The penalty for failure to follow the Act’s requirements is invalidation of any non-compliant decisions.

9. Grant Opportunities and Support for Delta Communities Discussion – Committee

Executive Director Bohl said Commission staff are exploring a small grant program, totaling perhaps $50,000, for the National Heritage Area that would be administered through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy. She said the item would be re-agendized when someone from the Conservancy could attend.

Committee members noted that there are many needs and opportunities in the Delta, floating the idea of a business improvement district in Walnut Grove that could receive grant funds, supporting efforts to increase broadband internet access, and modernizing local schools.

10. Update on Levees Legislation – Executive Director Amanda Bohl

Executive Director Bohl reported that a guest invited to talk about levee funding legislation at the Capitol was unable to attend. The legislation – SB 872 by Sen. Jerry McNerney – would create a fund for both improving Delta levees and addressing subsidence under State Water Project canals. Funding itself is not included in the bill, but this effort is expected to take multiple years.

Vice Chair Ryan noted that the bill has broad support, and that it needs to include a reduction of cost-share requirements. Member Pappalardo added that small reclamation districts with high levee-to-land ratios cannot afford the cost-share.

Member Pappalardo said, if funded at amounts initially proposed ($150 million per year for 20 years) it would be much more money than the Delta had ever seen for levee work.

11. Division of Boating and Waterways Aquatic Invasive Plant Control Update – Section Chief Edward Hard

Member Hard presented an update on the State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways aquatic invasive plant control efforts, which are focused on the economy, public health, and the environment.

Management efforts include herbicides, physical removal, herbicides delivered by drone, and biological removal. Mechanical removal is no longer used because it kills animals that are important parts of the ecosystem.

NASA has provided a dashboard with real-time data on the locations of infestations to allow targeted deployment of control efforts. SONAR is used to scan underwater.

Chair Swenson shared an email people can use to seek help with aquatic invasive plants: ais@parks.ca.gov.

12. Member Announcements and Next Meeting

Member Pappalardo said July 3 is the Delta Leadership Foundation deadline to nominate Delta Champions.

Member Moreno said June 11 there would be a Hood Community Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Courtland Fire Protection District Chief Vince Peters would be talking about fire prevention. She also noted there would be conversation about the community’s conversion from septic to sewer, which is nearing its conclusion.

Member Iniguez shared the news that glassy-winged sharpshooters had been found on grapevines sold at Costco.

Chair Swenson said she had been participating with Elk Grove trash-cleanup volunteers, who are focusing now on the Delta. She said California State Parks has been an amazing partner in the cleanup efforts, helping in Freeport to get rid of illegal food vendors and work with the homeless encampments.

She also noted the next DPAC meeting would be Aug. 4.

13. Adjourn

The Committee adjourned at 7:52 p.m.