[env-trinity] C-WIN Media Release on HR 5781 (Valadao)

[Tom Stokely]

November 3, 2014
 
https://www.c-win.org/content/c-win-media-release-valadao-bill-hr-5781-california-drought-relief-act.html

  

For Immediate Release
 
House “Drought
Relief” Guts Environmental Protections, Does Not Mitigate Drought –Legislation
Would Drain State Reservoirs for the Benefit of Corporate Farms
 
HR 5781, a bill introduced Tuesday in the House of
Representatives by Congressman David Valadao (R- Hanford), purports to solve
California’s drought-induced water shortages. It will do nothing of the sort.
 
HR 5781 is a wish list dictated by San Joaquin corporate
farmers to the politicians they hold in thrall. It mandates water deliveries to
all Central Valley Project and State Water Project contractors – regardless of
the water available in storage. This assures “dead pools” in our reservoirs if
the drought continues, meaning there will be no water available when urban
ratepayers and industry need it most for basic survival.
 
Further, the bill provides for a 30-day federal review of all
projects and operations that “would
provide additional water supplies.” This could ultimately result in the
fast-track approval of ruinously expensive, environmentally destructive and
ultimately inefficient schemes, including new dams. 
 
Finally, the bill allows for expedited water transfers,
putting the ecological stability of our North State rivers and the reserves of
our aquifers at risk.
 
“This bill will actually perpetuate our drought emergency by
giving away all the water in storage to Big Ag,” said Tom Stokely, water policy
analyst for the California Water Impact Network. “It will drain Trinity Lake,
depleting the last cold water reserve available for Klamath and Trinity River
salmon and steelhead. We’ll see fish kills that make the great die-off of 2002
look minor by comparison. No matter how you cut it, this bill is an utter
disaster. We’re calling on Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to oppose this
legislation in the Senate. They need to step up and protect California’s water
supplies, urban ratepayers, environment, family farms and fisheries.”  
 
#
 
Contact:  
Tom Stokely
530-926-9727
tstokely at att.net
 
The California Water Impact Network promotes the just and
environmentally sustainable use of California's water, including instream uses,
through research, planning, public education, and litigation.www.c-win.org
 
 
Tom Stokely
Water Policy Analyst/Media Contact
California Water Impact Network
V/FAX 530-926-9727
Cell 530-524-0315
tstokely at att.net
http://www.c-win.org
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