[env-trinity] Central Valley Business Times 01-22-09

[Byron Leydecker]

Panel to debate controversial water issues

FRESNO 

January 22, 2009 11:00am 

.  Set for Feb. 4 at Fresno State 

.  U.S District Judge Oliver Wanger to moderate 

A public debate on water policy in California and the Central Valley will be
moderated by U.S District Judge Oliver Wanger at 7 p.m. Feb. 4, at
California State University, Fresno. 

Agricultural and environmental advocates will face off on the issues. 

The debate, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the
Satellite Student Union (2485 E. San Ramon Ave. at Maple Avenue). It is
sponsored by Fresno State's Political Science Student Association and the
Political Science Department. 

As the presiding judge for the Eastern District of California, Mr. Wanger
has ruled over most of the major water cases recently in the Valley,
including the controversy over preserving Delta smelt in the San
Joaquin-Sacramento Delta. 

Mr. Wanger will provide brief opening remarks, says Thomas Holyoke, a
political science professor who is coordinating the event. 

Mr. Holyoke says the debate will focus on Valley East Side, West Side and
Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta issues. 

"The single most important public policy problem confronting California's
Central Valley today is the availability of water," Mr. Holyoke says. "The
declining snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, the falling groundwater table and
decisions to restore Chinook salmon in the San Joaquin River and smelt in
the Delta will most likely mean considerably less water in the future for
Valley agriculture." 

He says the issue also is forcing state and local policymakers to develop a
broad new policy to strike a balance between supporting the agriculture
economy and ensuring the quality of water and the environment that depends
on it. 

The forum will also provide an opportunity for the public to express its
concerns, Mr. Holyoke says. 

Valley agricultural community participants are: 

. Thomas Birmingham, general manager and general counsel of the Westlands
Water District 

. Kole Upton, former chairman of Friant Water Users Authority 

. Jim Beck, general manager of Kern County Water Agency 

Representing environmental concerns are: 

. Lloyd Carter, board member of the California Water Impact Network and
Revive the San Joaquin and president of California Save Our Streams Council 

. Michael Jackson, board member of California Water Impact Network and
former counsel to California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and Regional
Council of Rural Counties 

. Bill Jennings, chairman of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance


Free parking will be available in Lot P at Barstow and Maple avenues and in
Lot J off of Woodrow Avenue. 

 

 

Byron Leydecker, JcT

Chair, Friends of Trinity River

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810 land

415 519 4810 cell

 <mailto:bwl3 at comcast.net> bwl3 at comcast.net

 <mailto:bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org> bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org
(secondary)

 <http://fotr.org/> http://www.fotr.org 

 

 

 

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