[env-trinity] Fw: NY Times Article and Responses from the Water User Community

[Tom Stokely]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dan Keppen 
To: 'Dan Keppen' 
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 12:11 PM
Subject: NY Times Article and Responses from the Water User Community


Last Friday, as the Family Farm Alliance annual conference was wrapping up, several people came into the meeting room, waving copies of the March 3 edition of the New York Times. On the front cover, just below the crease, ran a story by Timothy Egan that assessed Jason Peltier's role at the U.S. Interior Department ("For Thirsty Farmers, Old Friends at Interior Dep't"). Several speakers at the conference expressed anger and dismay at this article, including Peltier's boss at Interior, Mark Limbaugh, who sounded support for Peltier, whose role in the Bush administration was attacked earlier that day in the New York Times article.

 

"Jason is doing excellent work for me, professionally and to high standards," said Limbaugh. "The article in the New York Times is a hatchet job and really bothers me." 

 

Peltier is the former manager of the Central Valley Project Water Association (CALIFORNIA).

 

The Times offered predictable arguments that Bush Administration cronies are co-opting the democratic process. It is ironic, but not surprising, that John Leshy, a Clinton appointee at Interior, is quoted in the article. While Egan wrings his hands over Peltier's links with the water user community, no mention is made of Leshy's ties to some of the most vocal anti-farming groups in the country, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, where he worked for five years, prior to his appointment at Interior. Further, no mention is made of Leshy's former role as Special Counsel to Rep. George Miller (CALIFORNIA), who is also critical of Peltier's role in the Times article. 

 

I've attached the original NY Times article to this message. Three relevant and well-written responses from the water user community are pasted below, authored by former Interior Assistant Secretary Bennett Raley (COLORADO), Family Farm Alliance president Patrick O'Toole (WYOMING), and Mike Wade, of the California Farm Water Coalition. 

 

Dan Keppen

 

                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

To: letters at nytimes.com

Cc: murphyd at nytimes.com

Subject: March 3rd Page 1 story re "Thirsty Farmers"

 

The opening salvo and basic premise of Timothy Egan's March 3rd article, "For Thirsty Farmers, Old Friends at Interior Dept."  is utterly false.  Egan asserts that Deputy Assistant Secretary Peltier influenced Interior's decisions on the renewal of long-term contracts for water in California.  

 

I will testify under oath that this allegation is untrue.  

 

I was the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at Interior from 2001-2004.  I was responsible for supervising the development and analysis of the alternatives for term, price, and renewal of these contracts, and was personally responsible for obtaining Departmental approval of the controversial contract provisions. I am absolutely certain that Mr. Peltier did not influence or make these decisions, in part because we both thought that was the ethical thing to do.  

 

Reasonable people can debate the policy implications of these decisions, but these debates are only hindered by Mr. Egan's reckless disrespect for the truth. 

 

Bennett Raley

1120 Lincoln St., Suite 1600

Denver, CO 80203

 

                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

March 6, 2006

 

 

New York Times

229 West 43rd Street

New York, New York 10036-3959

 

To the Editor:

 

Timothy Egan ("For Thirsty Farmers, Old Friends at Interior Dep't", Mar. 3) misses the point.  He criticizes Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Jason Peltier for reviewing an environmental restoration fund.  Egan implies that Peltier, formerly employed by the affected water users association, will not make an honest assessment.  He ignores the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, requiring multi-million dollar annual payments for fish AND providing for review and possible payment reductions.

 

Such appointees are often drawn from related industries.  Egan acknowledges that environmental lobbyists often fill such posts.  He quotes Clinton appointee John Leshy, but doesn't mention Leshy's ties to vocal anti-farming groups with a dubious history of rural depopulation.

 

Anti-farming sentiment is the real point.  Farmers are not "thirsty."  They grow food and fiber for America.  This water is under pressure for urban growth and perceived environmental needs.  Food, like oil, is a domestic security concern.  Personal attacks on those who share these concerns are not warranted.

 

Sincerely,

 

Patrick O'Toole

President, Family Farm Alliance

Savery, Wyoming

 

                                                                                          

California Farm Water Coalition

717 K Street, Suite 417

Sacramento, CA  95814

 

New York Times

March 3, 2006

 

Editor,

 

Critics of California farm water will use any excuse to cast a shadow on an industry that provids the food and fiber demanded by a consuming public.  The recent story---For Thirsty Farmers, Old Friends at Interior Dept.-is a classic example.  Critics use the California water experience of Jason Peltier as a reason why he should not be involved in deciding that state's water issues while serving at the Interior Department.  Yet, it is this same experience that qualifies Peltier to do the job.  

 

Why won't critics accept the word of Peltier's superiors at Interior that his involvement provides valuable background; yet, final decisions are made elsewhere.  Why won't critics accept the fact that officials who determine conflicts of interest and ethics violations have given Peltier a clean slate.

 

Why?  I'll tell you why.these critics don't care about the truth.  

 

Mike Wade, Executive Director

717 K Street, Suite 417

Sacramento, Ca  95814

(916) 441-7723

mwade at farmwater.org

 
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