[env-trinity] SF Chronicle Editorial- California Republicans'brazen water grab

[Deirdre Des Jardins]

The bill raises an interesting legal question in that it is 
fundamentally at odds with California's constitution, which mandates 
that all uses of water be "reasonable and beneficial."

This is the basis of the permits for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to 
operate facilities in the state.   It is not at all clear that the 
federal government can take away this fundamental oversight by the state 
over waters within its boundaries.

Since the bill also takes away the ability of the State Water Resources 
Control board to mandate balancing flows, it is likely that it would 
just result in a suspension of the permits for the Delta-Mendota and 
Friant water users, which would then wend its way through the courts.

On 2/16/2012 11:37 AM, sandydenn at pulsarco.com wrote:
> Not ALL northern California water interests are "on board" with this 
> legislation.  I really resent when writers will lump folks together 
> just to make their own point.  There are those in Northern California 
> who might lump all environmental or fishing groups into one mind set, 
> but then there are those who approach things from what I consider a 
> more "mature" position and realize that individual groups should be 
> assesed individually, some are realistic and open to conversation, 
> some are not. Issues should be addressed the same manner.  It would be 
> great if some of these editorial writers would afford the same 
> courtesy.   But thanks for sharing, it just convinces me that there 
> needs to be a lot more real world education done, and less academic 
> idealism promoted!
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Tom Stokely <mailto:tstokely at att.net>
>     *To:* env-trinity at velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us
>     <mailto:env-trinity at velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us>
>     *Sent:* Thursday, February 16, 2012 11:11 AM
>     *Subject:* [env-trinity] SF Chronicle Editorial- California
>     Republicans'brazen water grab
>
>
>       California Republicans' brazen water grab
>
>
>     Thursday, February 16, 2012
>
>     House Republicans are poised to pass legislation that would usurp
>     California's ability to manage its own water supply, harm the San
>     Francisco Bay Estuary ecosystem and drive California's salmon to
>     extinction.
>
>     Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Alpaugh (Tulare County), wrote the bill to
>     reverse the way water is allocated in California. It essentially
>     ensures water supplies for farmers by taking it from the state's
>     native salmon, trout and other fisheries.
>
>     Beyond that, it:
>
>     -- Undermines water conservation efforts.
>
>     -- Dries up a 40-mile stretch of the San Joaquin River - the
>     state's second largest - by ending the restoration project that
>     saw salmon returning two years ago for the first time in more than
>     60 years.
>
>     -- Ends the Bay Delta Conservation Plan process but does nothing
>     to address the problems of water supply and quality the plan seeks
>     to address.
>
>     In short, it promotes the agribusiness interests of Nunes'
>     district over other interests and upends the collaborative efforts
>     to distribute California's limited water supply fairly.
>
>     Northern California water interests had objected to an earlier
>     version because it required them to make up the water for the fish
>     that Nunes' would deliver to San Joaquin Valley farms. The new
>     version exempts them from providing water for fish, so they are on
>     board.
>
>     Democrat Rep. Jerry McNerney, who represents both San Joaquin
>     Valley farmers and the delta, says this: "To steal water from one
>     community to benefit another is unconscionable."
>
>     We agree. The House should reject this brazen water grab.
>
>     http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/16/EDTP1N811L.DTL
>
>
>     This article appeared on page *A - 13* of the San Francisco Chronicle
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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