The “Marijuana Watershed Protection Act” – Are You Prepare For Its Imminent Reality?

SAN FRANCISCO - June 11, 2015 - PRLog -- As the Medical Marijuana Industry continues to experience growth greater than that of cellular phones, with California being the leading producer, it was only a matter of time before strict guidelines regulating its cultivation would be put into effect. CA Assembly Bill 243 (aka The Watershed Protection Act) cleared its latest hurdle and has been passed by the State Assembly and will now move to the State Senate where similar results are expected before landing on the desk of Jerry Brown for final approval. It is now time to prepare as this Bill will pose the following guidelines at minimum, and strong enforcement by several agencies will be deployed. When combined with the current drought conditions as well as the obvious environmental damage to both plant and animal life due to polluted water runoff into the streams, wells, springs and eventually throughout the entire water system, expect the “when” not an “if”.

There are many that believe assisting the grower, regardless of size, in preparing for a July 2016 enactment may be as simple as a 2,500 year old gardening technique, with a modern science spin that can decrease water requirements, eliminate nitrate and phosphate runoff, lower nutrient inputs, eliminate methane and other gas emissions, reduce labor and lower overall costs while increasing plant health, growth and flower yields. It is a Soil Amendment called Cannachar™ which is made from Softwood Pine, either beetle infested or already dead that is run through a process called Slow Pyrolysis. The wood is slow burned in an oxygen free kiln reducing it to the base element which is Carbon. Often mistaken for charcoal, Biochar based Cannachar is not charcoal and its properties are mounting irrefutable evidence regarding its positive effects when used properly.

So how does it help? Here it is broken down, by the letter of the proposed legislation and how the “right” type of Biochar today, can help you prepare for the regulations upon enactment of the Bill. (Read Entire Bill Here)

1-       All nine of California’s Regional Water Quality Control Boards will be required to develop environmental protections that address wastewater discharges from medical marijuana grows.

·         ec6, Inc.: There is no way to avoid fertilization, Biochar, or Carbon acts as a natural filter locking in Nitrates and Phosphates thereby eliminating their runoff from the grow site and into the water system. In most cases Cannabis Cultivation requires the ground water or standard tap water to be filtered of unwanted chemicals prior to the irrigation of the grow, and with Biochar amended into the soil the runoff, however much or little there may be, will come out cleaner than the water they started with regardless of source.

2-       All medical marijuana cultivators will be required to obtain a permit from their local city or county — or from a state agency to be designated by the governor.

·         ec6, Inc.:  Expect the permit applications to include proof of some type that shows water and environmental regulations are met, and everything is in compliance with the new Bill. By implementing Biochar as a soil amendment as quickly as possible, and allowing it to begin to perform, will allow many of the specified guidelines to be met prior to any permit processes required.

In current summary, when SEC. 4, Section 13276 is added to the Water Code, it will read:

·         13276. Each regional board shall, and the State Water Resources Control Board may, address discharges of waste resulting from medical marijuana cultivation and associated activities, including by adopting a general permit,

establishing waste discharge requirements, or taking action pursuant to Section 13269. In addressing these discharges, each regional board shall include conditions to address items that include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

§  Site development and maintenance, erosion control, and drainage features.

§  Stream crossing installation and maintenance.

§  Riparian and wetland protection and management.

§  Soil disposal.

§  Water storage and use.

§  Irrigation runoff.

§  Fertilizers and soil.

§  Pesticides and herbicides.

§  Petroleum products and other chemicals.

§  Cultivation-related waste.

§  Refuse and human waste.

§  Cleanup, restoration, and mitigation.

With the basic economic rules of supply and demand being applied to the MMJ Industry, the supply has increased exponentially, with the demand curve rising as well but not in relative percentages, it is a non-debatable fact that the use of Biochar as a soil amendment for Marijuana Grows will not only assist in meeting compliance with imminent regulations due to be enacted in July of 2016, but it can also reduce production costs by as much as 35% - 50% allowing financial margins to return to profit and maintain a more stable operation for many growers here in California as well as across the country in other states that have adopted decriminalization or the legalization of Cannabis for either medical or recreational use. www.cannachar.com for free samples.