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<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=headline1><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN class=headline1><B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">CALFED
overhaul begins</SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">; <SPAN
class=subheadline1><B>Effort strives to clarify water coalition's
goal<o:p></o:p></B></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on"><SPAN class=subheadline1><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Stockton</SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
class=subheadline1><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Record –
12/9/05<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=subheadline1><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">By Hank Shaw, Capitol Bureau
Chief</SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN class=subheadline1><B><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">SACRAMENTO</SPAN></FONT></st1:City></st1:place><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"> -- The California
Bay-Delta Authority on Thursday began the painful process of reforming its
efforts to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.<BR><BR>Let the melee
begin.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><BR>Several state
reports have suggested wholesale streamlining for CALFED, the coalition of
state, local and federal agencies striving to restore the Delta. The goal? To
clarify what CALFED's job is, where to focus taxpayer money and determine who's
responsible if that money is not well-spent.<BR><BR>All this activity has become
more urgent because the Delta is in crisis despite billions of taxpayer dollars
spent to save it.<BR><BR>Populations of the Delta smelt and striped bass have
declined dramatically, water quality continues to decline, and the earthen
levees protecting the entire system are falling into disrepair.<BR><BR>More than
23 million Californians rely on the sprawling waterway for their drinking water.
It is the nursery for much of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>'s commercial fisheries.<BR><BR>What
is emerging is a leaner CALFED run by the state secretary of natural resources
-- currently Mike Chrisman. It would be managed by the state with input from
federal agencies, local governments and major water users. It would be overseen
by the Legislature and some sort of independent commission.<BR><BR>The authority
itself may dissolve as part of the reform, which, unsurprisingly, distressed its
members.<BR><BR>"My instincts were to oppose this, but I wanted to keep an open
mind," authority member Paula Daniels said. "I should've trusted my
instincts."<BR><BR>Added member Marc Holmes of the Bay Institute: "The way to
reform the authority is not to get rid of the authority."<BR><BR>Dozens of
interest groups attended Thursday's five-hour meeting. Many are nervous about
whether the CALFED programs they care about will remain in the revamped plan.
And they are concerned about funding for those programs that survive.<BR><BR>Of
particular concern is the fate of a provision in CALFED to ensure that major
water decisions do not shortchange minorities and the poor.<BR><BR>"The
participants who hammered out this framework behind closed doors are not
interested in environmental justice," said Alisha Deen of the Oakland-based
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water.<BR><BR>Others have begun jockeying
for a slice of what may become a larger CALFED pie. New money could be on the
horizon.<BR><BR>Both the Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are talking
about asking voters to approve a multibillion-dollar bond to repair California's
roads, rails, bridges, levees and waterworks.<BR><BR>What form this bond takes
and whether details can be resolved in time for the June primary election
remains to be seen.<BR><BR>Whatever money CALFED ultimately gets, state Sen.
Michael Machado, D-Linden, wants to ensure it's well-spent.<BR><BR>Machado and
his colleagues have been pounding CALFED all year, and he warned the authority
Thursday that it had better bring them a detailed financing plan or face another
year of "life support" funding.<BR><BR>"There are some big gaps in this in terms
of financing," Machado said of CALFED's proposed finance plan. "It's still based
on 'trust me' going out."<BR><BR>One gap Machado remains concerned about it is
how much the beneficiaries of CALFED will pay to help fund the
effort.<BR><BR>The proposal debated Thursday would have them pay $15 million
over three years. Machado wants a more permanent system developed to link
payments with benefits: If you get more from a clean Delta with a reliable water
supply, you pay more.<BR><BR>The Bay-Delta Authority is expected to meet again
Dec. 20 to vote on the reorganization plans and the financing
proposal.<BR><BR>All of the recommendations and plans must win approval from the
administration and will then become part of Schwarzenegger's budget, which is
due to be released in January. #<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><A
href="http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051209/NEWS01/512090325/1001">http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051209/NEWS01/512090325/1001</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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