[env-trinity] Article Submission: Bay Delta Conservation Plan Release Delayed to Dec. 13

[Dan Bacher]

http://www.fishsniffer.com/blogs/details/bay-delta-conservation-plan- 
document-release-delayed-to-dec.-13/

Photo: Governor Jerry Brown drinks the same water and air as other  
Californians, yet he is dedicated to building the environmentally  
devastating peripheral tunnels and promoting fracking in California.  
Photo of protest against the BlueGreen Alliance giving the "Right  
Stuff" award to Governor Brown by Dan Bacher.



bacher1.jpg

Bay Delta Conservation Plan Release Delayed to Dec. 13

by Dan Bacher

It's official now - Bay Delta Conservation Plan officials announced  
on Monday, October 28 that the release of the peripheral tunnel plan  
documents has been postponed until December 13, 2013.

The announcement takes place as state officials are amping up their  
campaign to convince the public of the "need" to build the twin  
tunnels by spending taxpayer dollars on high powered public relations  
firms and setting up Astroturf organizations.

According to the announcement, "As a joint effort of state and  
federal agencies preparing the BDCP, the recent shutdown of the  
federal government and associated staff furloughs have delayed the  
development, review, and ultimately the release of the Public Draft  
Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and Environmental Impact Report/ 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS). The Public Draft BDCP and  
EIR/EIS are now scheduled for release on December 13, 2013 for 120  
days of formal review."

During the formal public review period running from December 13, 2013  
to April 14, 2014, the public, agencies, and other interested parties  
will be able to access copies of the document online, in repositories  
throughout the state, and request copies for review.

"The State and Federal lead agencies also will hold a series of  
public meetings during January and February 2014 to provide  
information about the project and accept formal comments. Formal  
written comments on the Public Review Draft BDCP and EIR/EIS will be  
accepted during the official comment period and all significant  
environmental issues raised in comments received during the public  
review period will be addressed in the Final EIR/EIS. Details on how  
to provide comments will be available in December," according to BDCP  
officials.

The end of the announcement claims, "No final decisions have been  
made regarding going forward with the BDCP or in selecting an  
alternative; those decisions will only occur after completion of the  
EIR/EIS processes."

Actually, this is a false statement since BDCP officials, since the  
beginning of the process, have decided that a peripheral canal or  
tunnels is the "solution" to achieving the "coequal goals" of "water  
supply reliability" and "ecosystem restoration," instead of  
evaluating other alternatives, including the Environmental Water  
Caucus Reduced Exports Plan.

On the same day the delay was announced, Restore the Delta called  
upon the State of California to cease funding multiple public  
relations firms around the state to sell the Governor Jerry Brown's  
peripheral tunnels to export massive quantities of Delta water to  
corporate agribusiness interests.

“It is outrageous that taxpayers are paying for a statewide  
propaganda campaign for these unnecessary tunnels," said Barbara  
Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta. "These  
front groups have not disclosed that funding when pumping the  
tunnels. It’s unacceptable, especially since the State has said it  
has not yet chosen a preferred alternative."

She asked, “How many firms and groups are being paid to pump this  
project? Has the Southern California Water Committee disclosed that  
the State is paying it to promote this project?”

The State has not disclosed its contracts with "community groups,"  
including the Southern California Water Committee, nor disclosed that  
PR firms, including Katz & Associates (San Diego) and Milagro  
Strategy Group (LA), are being paid to push the tunnels, according to  
Barrigan-Parrilla.

The Metropolitan Water District (MWD) reported to its BDCP committee  
on October 22 that they are working with a statewide network of State- 
paid Public Relations firms to sell the tunnels.

“The governor stacked the Resources Agency, and Department of Water  
Resources with dozens of flacks. Now they’re spending our tax funds  
to spread disinformation throughout the state through paid front  
groups and PR firms," she said.

The tunnel plan is a badly-conceived Nineteenth Century "solution" to  
Twenty-First Century problems that will cost Californians an  
estimated $54.1 billion.

The construction of Governor Jerry Brown's peripheral tunnels would  
hasten the extinction of Sacramento River Chinook salmon, Central  
Valley steelhead, Delta and longfin smelt and green sturgeon, as well  
as imperil salmon and steelhead populations on the Trinity and  
Klamath rivers. It will take vast quantities of fertile Delta  
farmland out of agricultural production, under the guise of "habitat  
restoration," to facilitate the diversion of massive quantities of  
water to irrigate corporate mega-farms on toxic, drainage impaired  
land on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley.

The report on the statewide propaganda campaign and the named firms  
can be viewed here (minute 34): http://mwdh2o.granicus.com/ 
MediaPlayer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=3325

For more information about Restore the Delta, go to http:// 
www.restorethedelta.org

For more information about the BDCP and the Environmental Review  
process, please visit: http://www.BayDeltaConservationPlan.com
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