A much more tempered response to the introduction of drought legislation by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. I’ll continue to add anything I come across, but here’s what I’ve received, in alphabetical order:
(To have your statement listed here, please email it to me.)
From the California Farm Bureau Federation:
““Senator Feinstein’s legislation addresses a drought that could reach historic proportions,” CFBF President Paul Wenger said. “Drought hits farmers and ranchers first and hardest, so we support a bill that addresses the immediate needs of those facing critical water shortages.”
Wenger noted that the House of Representatives passed a bill last week authored by Central Valley congressional members, and led by Rep. David Valadao, addressing critical water issues made more acute by the drought.
“We hope the House and Senate can work together to craft a bipartisan solution that will both help with immediate water challenges and address the long-term need for additional water storage,” he said.
“If we don’t add aboveground storage, we will lose the ability to replenish storage in our underground aquifers,” Wenger said. “Adding both aboveground and underground storage would bring more flexibility to a California water system stretched beyond its limits by population growth, environmental requirements, climate change and other forces.
“As we work with our representatives in Washington toward solutions, we will continue to discuss how the state government can move forward to develop new storage to benefit our people and our environment,” he said.”
From the California Farm Water Coalition:
The California Farm Water Coalition is encouraged that Senators Feinstein and Boxer have taken a lead role in drafting legislation that could provide a measure of relief to drought-stricken California farms.
“We expect roughly 500,000 acres, or 780 square miles, to be fallowed this year due to California’s water emergency. That’s an area about the size of Los Angeles and San Diego combined.
“Multiple dry years on top of strict federal regulations that limited the amount of water delivered to farms in recent years created a situation that will devastate rural communities, cost thousands of people their jobs and reduce California’s economic activity by an estimate $5 billion. As a result of these water supply shortages consumers could see increased produce prices at the grocery store.
“The drought legislation requires federal agencies to work closely with California State water officials to balance water supply and water quality. It also instructs federal fish agencies to utilize maximum water supplies with Delta pumping where those agencies have discretion under existing biological opinions. The legislation does not roll back any environmental laws or regulations that are in place to protect California’s natural habitat and ecosystems.”
Source: Federal legislation could provide drought relief for California farms
From Secretary John Laird:
“California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird today issued the following statement on U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, U.S. Congressman Jim Costa, U.S. Congressman Tony Cardenas, and U.S. Congressman Sam Farr’s legislation that gives California the tools and funding needed to address our historic drought crisis:
“Senators Feinstein and Boxer, and Congressmen Costa, Cardenas and Farr are proposing common sense solutions to our drought crisis that don’t pit Californians against each other. We thank them for recognizing with this bill the unique challenges we face as Californians.
Legislation that allows for quick but thoughtful decision-making is one of the tools we need to respond in a timely manner to crisis. It’s clear that the senators respect our state laws and regulations, and this bill reinforces actions the state is taking with our federal partners. We look forward to working with them.””
Source: California Natural Resources Secretary Praises Inclusive Feinstein, Boxer Drought Legislation
Northern California and Bay Area Representatives George Miller (CA-11), Mike Thompson (CA-5), Doris Matsui (CA-6), John Garamendi (CA-3), Jerry McNerney (CA-9), and Anna Eshoo (CA-18) today issued the following statement after legislation aimed to help West Coast farmers and communities during drought conditions was introduced in the U.S. Senate:
“While the plan put forward today is a huge improvement from the disingenuous and deeply flawed legislation pushed through the House of Representatives last week by Rep. Valadao, we can still do much better. Particularly troubling in the new Senate bill are aspects that threaten the Northern California environment, economy, and may override protections for critically endangered species like salmon. We appreciate the Senators’ efforts to address the many problems intensified by the drought in California and the West Coast, and we look forward to working with them to change their legislation in such a way to protect the interests of all California stakeholders.”
From Westlands Water District:
“Westlands Water District is encouraged with the introduction by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer of the California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2014, and Westlands supports the passage of the legislation. Notwithstanding the rainfall and snow California has enjoyed over the last week, the State is facing unprecedented drought conditions. Water supply reductions resulting from these extraordinary dry conditions have been exacerbated by the implementation in prior years of regulations imposed under federal law on the operations of the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and the California State Water Project (SWP). The legislation introduced today would provide much needed relief for the public water agencies that receive water from these projects and for the people, farms, and businesses they serve.
The California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2014 provides congressional direction to federal agencies responsible for implementing federal regulations affecting operations of the CVP and the SWP for the duration of the drought emergency declared in January by Governor Jerry Brown. The legislation mandates that these agencies act with a sense of urgency and be as flexible as the law allows in order to minimize water supply reductions resulting from the application of those regulations. In particular, direction to manage reverse flow in Old and Middle Rivers, as prescribed by the 2008 biological opinion issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to minimize water supply reductions for the CVP and the SWP and direction to maintain a one-to-one inflow/export ratio during the period from April 1 through May 31 to enable voluntary water transfers and exchanges, have the potential of generating in excess of 500,000 acre-feet for public water agencies that receive water from the CVP and the SWP.
Through its work with Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer, Westlands knows that they are genuinely interested in working with their colleagues in the House of Representatives to find a legislative solution to the chronic water supply shortages that have devastated the San Joaquin Valley and other regions of the State. The District looks forward to working with them and members of the House of Representatives to find common sense solutions that serve the interests of all Californians.”
