[env-trinity] Article Submission: Feinstein's fish-killing drought bill being negotiated in secrecy

[Dan Bacher]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/18/1345836/-Secret-Feinstein-drought-relief-bill-will-eviscerate-fish-protections

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/11/20/18764366.php

Feinstein's fish-killing drought bill being negotiated in secrecy

by Dan Bacher

Congress, the State Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown are all  
notorious for their obsession with secrecy, especially when it comes  
to California water and environmental issues.

In the latest example of Congress' penchant for meeting behind closed  
doors to benefit corporate plutocrats at the expense of the public  
trust, Restore the Delta (RTD) has exposed Senator Dianne Feinstein (D- 
California) for pushing a secret “drought relief” measure to allow  
more water for Westlands' and Kern Water Districts' mega-growers in  
the midst of a severe drought.

"Senator Feinstein is carrying water for industrial growers who have  
planted tens of thousands of acres of almonds and other permanent  
crops in the midst of the past several very dry years,” said Barbara  
Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta, a group  
opposing Governor Jerry Brown’s rush to build Peripheral Tunnels that  
would drain the Delta and doom salmon and other Pacific fisheries.

"Sen. Feinstein is rushing through legislation to aid these growers at  
the expense of the rest of California," said Barrigan-Parrilla. "Right  
now, the head of Westlands Water District is helping write legislation  
for a massive water grab sponsored by Sen. Feinstein. Californians  
should be on red alert."

She noted there is "tremendous confusion" on what is happening with  
the Federal drought legislation because it is being worked on in the  
dark, and "we have received misinformation when calling Senator  
Feinstein’s office."

The bill is still being negotiated and has not passed the Senate.

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contact information for your Senators: (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/17/1345522/-Urgent-Action-Alert-Stop-Salmon-Killing-Drought-Relief-Bill 
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"Our difficulty in communicating what is happening with this bill  
illustrates how our leaders are keeping the people of the Bay-Delta  
estuary in the dark about decisions being made on water exports," said  
Barrigan-Parrilla.

There is no doubt that the exclusion of people most impacted from the  
drought - fishermen, Indian Tribes, family farmers and Northern  
California residents - from any input into drought bill negotiations  
is intentional. There is also no doubt that the drought bills are  
designed to benefit a wealthy few at the expense of fish, water, the  
environment and the people of California.

Zeke Grader, Executive Director of Pacific Coast Federation of  
Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA), said the language of the Senate  
version of the drought bill may be put on a shelf until it can be  
attached to a "must pass" bill in the lame duck session of Congress.

He noted that "they locked out any representation whatsoever from the  
fishing community from the negotiations (and drafting) while the heavy  
hitters from the water community (Tom Birmingham, Westlands Water  
District; Stewart Resnick, Paramount Farms; Metropolitan Water  
District of Southern California; and Kern County Water Agency) are all  
at the table."

There are currently two “drought relief” bills in the Senate that  
threaten sustainable fisheries and family farms in California,  
according to the latest information.

First, the House of Representatives recently passed drought  
legislation that seeks to accelerate massive water transfers from the  
SF Bay Delta to special interests in the arid regions of the South and  
West San Joaquin Valley.

Second, Senator Diane Feinstein is also proposing her own “drought  
relief” bill in the Senate.

Both bills will override environmental protections in order to provide  
“drought relief” for special interests. To add to the secrecy behind  
the bills, the public has not even been given bill numbers of both  
drought measures.

The SF Bay Delta cannot sustain additional water transfers without  
collapsing, especially in the midst of a historic drought, according  
to Barrigan-Parrilla. These federal drought bills will put in place  
provisions that will allow water exporters to override existing  
environmental regulations that protect the SF Bay Delta from excessive  
water transfers.

"If the House and Feinstein drought bill is allowed to pass, it will  
hasten the extinction of our fish and wildlife species and destroy our  
regional economies in farming and fishing, resulting in the loss of  
thousands of jobs and livelihoods," she stated.

The drought legislation will not only hasten the extinction of Central  
Valley Chinook salmon, Delta and longfin smelt, green sturgeon and  
other fish species, but imperils the salmon and steelhead fisheries of  
the Trinity and Klamath rivers.

The legislation that Feinstein is rushing through Congress cynically  
uses the current drought to make changes that undo critical  
protections for our salmon and other fisheries, and the people who  
rely on our river system.

"While it makes sense to take prudent steps to address the drought, it  
is unwise to use the current lack of water to do the bidding of mega- 
growers who want more and more water for permanent crops on unsuitable  
lands," said Barrigan-Parrilla.

"That’s who gets most of the water in our public projects: huge  
industrial farming operations in the Westlands and Kern Water  
Districts. Sen. Feinstein is responding to the urging of these  
growers, many of whom have contributed mightily to her campaigns," she  
added.

“It is disappointing that Senator Feinstein is not standing up for the  
economic engine of the San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary, its water  
quality and native species that serve not only California’s economic  
engine but Oregon and Washington as well,” said Barrigan-Parrilla.  
“Instead of calling for every available bucket of water to be shipped  
immediately to unsustainable industrial agriculture, Sen. Feinstein  
should instead be pursuing water demand reduction actions, plus  
reinforcement of Delta levees, improvement of south Delta fish screens  
and salvage operations, elimination of harmful water transfers through  
the Delta, and numerous fish protections, preclude the need for the  
BDCP twin tunnels.”

The Sacramento Bee, in an editorial on November 19, also criticized  
Feinstein and House Republicans for their secret negotiations on the  
drought bill.

"Sen. Dianne Feinstein and House Republicans have been secretly  
negotiating drought relief legislation that could severely alter  
California water policy.

She should know better.

Any legislation on the topic of water would have far-reaching  
implications, and ought to receive a full public airing before a  
congressional vote.

California’s senior senator is negotiating with Central Valley  
representatives and agencies that rely on water from the Sacramento- 
San Joaquin Delta, and is shutting out House members who represent the  
Delta and Northern California."

Although I often disagree with the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, I  
agree with them on their stance that the drought legislation should  
"receive a full public airing" before any vote.

For more information, go to: http://www.restorethedelta.org
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