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<DIV><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Delta canal
alive again?; Legislative whispers suggest controversial plan might
return<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><B><FONT face=Tahoma
size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Stockton</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:place></st1:City><B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Record –
2/26/08<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">By Hank Shaw,
staff writer</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#053c63
size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #053c63; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black
size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">SACRAMENTO</SPAN></FONT></st1:City></st1:place><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"> - Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger may issue an executive order jump-starting a controversial
plan to build a canal around the Delta, sources familiar with the matter said
Monday.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Doing so
would bypass the Legislature, which is divided over whether such a canal should
be built.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Schwarzenegger
supports the idea of a new way to ship water from the Sacramento River to the
giant pumps near Tracy that supply roughly 25 million Californians with their
drinking water.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Schwarzenegger
spokesman Bill Maile neither confirmed nor denied that an executive order is in
the works.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Opponents,
such as Sen. Michael Machado, D-Linden, say a canal around the Delta would
divert the flow of fresh water away from the area of the estuary near Stockton,
turning it into a fetid backwater.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"I don't
think this is helpful at all," said Machado, who represents the part of the
Delta that would be affected. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"This
executive order is a presumption of a direction without any determination that
it is the right direction to go.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"It could
be a disaster for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San
Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">No
argument from Dante Nomellini, a <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Stockton</st1:place></st1:City> attorney who represents central Delta
farmers.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Nomellini
said Monday he's heard whisperings about an impending executive
order.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"We'll
have to see what it says," he said.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">He calls
the governor's entire Delta Vision process a "sham," saying that state officials
have long known they wanted to build a canal.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">South
Delta farmer and engineer Alex Hildebrand also is closely following
developments.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"They seem
to want to get the thing financed and committed before analyzing the
consequences," Hildebrand said. "If they're bull-headedly going to go ahead with
the plan to build the canal, then we've lost."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Schwarzenegger's
proposed state budget includes $1.4 million to begin the environmental analysis
needed to determine whether to build a peripheral
canal.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">His budget
request would create eight positions with a goal of developing potential routes
for a canal by 2009. A no-build option would be
included.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Maile said
that plan was written under the assumption that the governor and the Legislature
come to a deal on how to proceed with a peripheral
canal.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">If the
governor issues the executive order, it would, among other things, direct eight
existing employees to do the environmental analysis. The money to pay for it
would come from the State Water Project.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">The
argument in support of the move is that the environmental review is so
time-consuming and so complex that the state cannot afford to delay much
longer.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"Nothing
is more important to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place> and its economy than making sure
that we have all the water we need now and far into the future," Schwarzenegger
said during his weekly radio address Saturday. "There is no more time to waste.
We have to plan and build for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>'s future right now ... because
these projects take years to build."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">But
issuing an executive order over the peripheral canal could prove politically
dicey, especially just days after the state's water warriors met behind closed
doors to talk about a negotiated solution.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=articlegraf style="MARGIN: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">"What it
tends to say is that the meeting was a ruse," Machado said. "He's basically
declaring war." #<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><A
href="http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/A_NEWS/802260317">http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/A_NEWS/802260317</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">####<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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