Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment
June 19, 2009
1. Top Items–
Valley lawmakers narrowly lose House vote on irrigation water
In Fresno
Sacramento
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Valley lawmakers narrowly lose House vote on irrigation water
reporter
Legislatively, the Valley lawmakers failed. By a 208-218 vote Thursday afternoon, the House rejected an amendment by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, that would have blocked a federal decision steering more irrigation water into fish habitat protection.
Still, Nunes and his allies insist they put a useful spotlight on a region they believe has been ignored too long.
"It's OK to value fish, that's OK," Nunes said during House debate, "but understand you're starving families while you value fish."
The vote Thursday was closer than some expected, with 37 Democrats joining most Republicans in supporting Nunes. Democratic Reps. Jim Costa of
The amendment offered to a $65 billion spending bill would have prohibited federal funds from paying for a set of rules issued June 4 called a "biological opinion." The National Marine Fisheries Service rules in question cut Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water diversions by up to 7% to protect endangered Chinook salmon and steelhead.
The federal agency ordered the reduction in pumping, which amounts to about 330,000 acre-feet a year, after concluding that current operations were killing too many fish. The agency also directed that more water be stored behind Shasta Dam, among other changes.
The agency was compelled to complete its 844-page biological opinion by U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger, who was appointed to the bench by former President George H.W. Bush. Wanger determined last year that the agency's previous plan failed to adequately protect fish.
"I appreciate the frustration of my friends who live in the Valley, who are undergoing very serious economic times," said Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, "but to throw out this biological opinion makes nothing better.'
Rod McInnis, Southwest regional director of the fisheries service, added when the biological opinion was issued that "what is at stake here is not just the survival of species but the health of entire ecosystems and the economies that depend on them."
The
"This isn't a solution to the problem," Nunes said, "but it's all we can do."
The Nunes amendment was one of several dozen offered to the appropriations bill funding the commerce and justice departments and other agencies.
The Senate and House will still have to reconcile differing versions of the bill. #
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1481813.html
In Fresno
Sacramento
By Steve Wiegand
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took his balanced-budget stump speech to
Before an audience heavy with union carpenters and local politicians at
But the audience was far more interested in discussing the Central Valley's water problems.
After lengthy comments from Fresno City Councilwoman Cynthia Sterling about local street problems, Schwarzenegger called on a man whom the Fresno Bee identified as Tom Salmon of Oakhurst.
"If you allow water to flow, you allow dams and canals to be built," Salmon said to enthusiastic applause, "you will raise revenue and you won't need to make cuts."
But, he continued, since the governor had "refused to address the most important issue … you have lost control of your state government."
"I hope you didn't refer to me as saying that I haven't addressed the issue," Schwarzenegger replied, "because I think it's very important that everyone know that I've been fighting for water for the last four years … but I know that maybe you didn't mean that."
"I did mean it," Salmon shot back.
"OK, so you did mean it," Schwarzenegger replied. The governor then called Victor Lopez, the mayor of the nearby town of Orange Cove, to the stage to bolster his water credentials.
"There is going to be victory" on the water issue, Lopez exclaimed heatedly, "because we have the best governor that any state in this whole nation has ever had!"
The governor acknowledged that water victory would have to wait on a balanced-budget victory.
"We will get a water deal as soon as the budget is done," he said. "But there will never be a water deal until you get a budget, because you have to pay for it. … It will be on the top of our list … it has been on the top of the list for the last three years."
A carpenter told the governor that a way to put people to work was "to build more dams." And a Porterville City Council member suggested that Schwarzenegger lead a countersuit against environmental groups that have filed suits in federal courts that have delayed some water storage and conveyance projects.
"I have been urging the federal courts to turn on the pumps," Schwarzenegger said, "because I think it's ridiculous that we pay more attention and feel sorry for the smelt and the fish and the (other) species than for the people of California."
The governor then excused himself so he could meet with local mayors. "About water," he deadpanned. #
http://www.sacbee.com/politics/story/1959554.html?mi_rss=State%2520Politics
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