The five Fresno County supervisors have written Senator Feinstein, asking her to introduce legislation to aid the Central Valley in avoiding the same conditions that the Valley suffered through in 2009 when water allocations were low and 300,000 acres of land was fallowed, unemployment rates were in excess of 40%, and there was an increase in crime as well as an increase in mental health problems. “This situation cannot be allowed to repeat itself,” they say.
With low allocations projected for next year, the Supervisors say that already the agricultural industry is being affected, with farmers deciding not to plant row crops and others struggling to find financing. But this disaster is avoidable:
“If in 2014 the CVP is allowed to operate as it did in 2010 and 2012, which were average water years, farmers could reasonably expect to get a 40% – 45% allocation if we have an average year. The legislation Mr. Costa has introduced would allow this to happen by prescribing operational rules that are nearly identical to operations that occurred in 2010 and 2012. Moreover, if enacted, as currently written, this legislation would enable the Bureau to forecast operations that would allow it to make a higher allocation earlier in the year because it would not face the unknown of how the biological opinions will apply to operations of the CVP Delta pumping plant.”
The Supervisors are requesting Ms. Feinstein introduce legislation similar to Mr. Costa’s H.R. 1927, offering her their support in the face of the inevitable slings and arrows that would likely follow such a move:
“We also are aware that introducing legislation that provides congressional direction concerning application of the Endangered Species Act to the CVP and SWP will be vigorously opposed by environmental organizations as an attach on the Act itself. But we are prepared to support you if you determine that taking on this “heavy lift” is required to avoid that needless human suffering.”
Read the full text of the letter here: Fresno County Supes Feinstein letter
