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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><b><font size=2 color="#111111"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#111111;
font-weight:bold'>Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims Drought, Calls For New Dams</span></font></b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#111111" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#111111'>Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger used his press conference at the on Tuesday at the State
Capitol, where he signed an executive order proclaiming a drought in <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>, as yet
another opportunity to campaign for his plan to build more dams and improve
"conveyance"- a euphemism for the construction of the peripheral
canal.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
<img width=570 height=381 id="_x0000_i1025"
src="cid:C86506D9-D260-4349-878E-23E634DAA72F@local"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
class=apple-style-span><b><font size=1 color="#111111" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#111111;font-weight:bold'>unknown-2.jpg</span></font></b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div style='min-height: 13px'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#111111"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#111111'>Governor
Uses Drought Proclamation As <st1:place w:st="on">Opportunity</st1:place> to
Push for Dams</span></font></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div style='min-height: 15px'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#111111"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#111111'>by
Dan Bacher</span></font></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div style='min-height: 15px'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger issued a drought proclamation and called for "immediate
action" at a press conference at the State Capitol in Sacramento on
Tuesday, using the event to campaign for his plan to build more dams and
"improve conveyance"- a euphemism for the construction of the
peripheral canal - to increase water exports from the California Delta to
agribusiness and southern California.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>For the areas in <st1:place w:st="on">Northern California</st1:place>
that supply most of our water, this March, April and May have been the driest
ever in our recorded history, Governor Schwarzenegger said. As a result, some
local governments are rationing water, developments cant proceed and
agricultural fields are sitting idle." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The final snow survey of 2008 in May by the California Department of
Water Resources (DWR) showed snowpack water content at only 67 percent of
normal and the runoff forecast at only 55 percent of normal.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Before gathered members of the press and the governor's staff including
DWR Director Lester Snow, and Chief of Staff Susan Kennedy, the Governor signed
an Executive Order proclaiming a "statewide drought" and directing
the Department of Water Resources and other entities to take "immediate
action" to address the situation. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The Executive Order does not mandate water rationing, but relies on
voluntary measures, so it is largely symbolic. The order directs the DWR
"to facilitate water transfers to respond to emergency shortages across
the state and work with local water districts and agencies to improve local coordination
and help local water districts and agencies improve water efficiency and
conservation." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The order also directs DWR "to coordinate with other state and
federal agencies and departments to assist water suppliers, identify risks to
water supply and help farmers suffering losses, and expedite existing grant
programs to help local water districts and agencies conserve." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The document also encourages local water districts and agencies to
voluntarily promote water conservation."They are encouraged to work
cooperatively on the regional and state level to take aggressive, immediate
action to reduce water consumption locally and regionally for the remainder of
2008 and prepare for potential worsening water conditions in 2009,"
according to Schwarzenegger. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>After touting voluntary measures as the way to supply water to
Californians in a drought year, Schwarzenegger used the drought declaration to
highlight "the states need for infrastructure improvements to capture
excess water in wet years to use in dry years like this one." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>This drought is an urgent reminder of the immediate need to upgrade <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Californias</st1:place></st1:State> water
infrastructure," Schwarzenegger stated. "There is no more time to
waste because nothing is more vital to protect our economy, our environment and
our quality-of-life. We must work together to ensure that California will have
safe, reliable and clean water not only today but 20, 30 and 40 years from now.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The Governor then renewed his call for more dams and conveyance as
proposed in his $11.9 billion water bond boondoggle for "water management
investments" that he claimed will "address population growth, climate
change, water supply reliability and environmental needs." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The proposal includes $3.5 billion dedicated to the development of
additional storage, including the controversial Sites Dam in the <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType>
and the Temperance Flat Dam on the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San
Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
that a coalition of recreational fishing groups, commercial fishing
organizations, Indian Tribes and environmental groups are opposing. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The Governor said he would prefer to get his infrastructure plan passed
through the Legislature, but did not rule out putting it on the ballot as an
initiative "if that's what it takes." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>"But let me tell you, I prefer to do the same thing as we have done
successfully in 2006, where we sat down and we negotiated and we worked
together and out came $37 billion of infrastructure. And now we are rebuilding
our roads and we are building extra classrooms, expanding our universities,
building career-tech educational facilities and also fixing our levees,"
he said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>He emphasized, " And I don't see water as a political issue. I
think that there are Democrats that want to drink safe and reliable water and
there are Republicans that want to drink safe and reliable water and they want
to have a guarantee that they'll have water 20, 30 years from now. So I think
it shouldn't be a party issue, it should be a people's issue and it should be
an issue that is facing farmers and business people. Ordinary people, everybody
is suffering when we have no water. So this is why I think Democrats and
Republicans must get together and solve this problem once and for all." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Traci Sheehan Van Thull, Executive Director of the Planning and
Conservation League, criticized Schwarzenegger for using "outdated
strategies" to deal with the water crisis. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>"Governor Schwarzenegger's drought proclamation offers up a
challenge - and an opportunity - for all Californians to conserve water and to
work together to find new solutions to solve our water problems," she
said. "Unfortunately the Governor's executive order relies heavily on
outdated strategies that have created the very problems we now seek to
solve." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>She encouraged the Governor to embrace measures that will allow <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State> to grow
without increasing demand on already over-allocated water sources. "We
need strong policies that can decrease water demand, provide climate-resilient
water supplies, and truly provide relief for the communities, fisherman,
businesses and ecosystems that are suffering from lack of reliable water,"
noted Sheehan. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>"More and more residents and businesses are facing severe water
rationing in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>,
while water demands and communities continue to grow. While the Governor's
proclamation references the need to provide water for our growth, his executive
order relies heavily on the same sources of water that are now in
decline," she said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>She urged the passage of measures such as Assembly Member Krekorian's
Water Efficiency Security Act, co-sponsored by the Planning and Conservation
League, that would help prevent rationing by ensuring growing <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State> communities have the water they
need without further increasing water demand on over-burdened water resources.
However, this measure failed to gain traction in the State Assembly. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>"Ensuring that new growth in <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>
will not lead to increased rationing and exacerbate the pending water crisis is
a critical step to solving <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>'s
water crisis," Sheehan said. "<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I found it revealing that Schwarzenegger failed to mention the impact
of the salmon fisheries disaster now ravaging <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>
and <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>
coastal and inland communities, the result of abysmal water management by the
state and federal governments, in his press conference, press releases and the
executive order. While agribusiness, industry and municipalities face water
shortages this year, Central Valley fall run chinook salmon and California
Delta fish species have faced a "man made" drought, in spite of some
good water years, since 2002. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The Sacramento River fall run chinook population has declined from over
800,000 fish in 2002 to less than 60,000 this year, prompting the complete
closure of salmon fishing off the Oregon and California coast for the first
time in history, along with the closure of Central Valley rivers to the take of
salmon except for one small stretch of the Sacramento River in November and
December.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Some of the largest annual water export levels in history occurred in
2003 (6.3 million acre feet), 2004 (6.1 MAF), 2005 (6.5 MAF and 2006 (6.3 MAF).
Exports averaged 4.6 MAF annually between 1990 and 1999 and increased to an
average of 6 MAF between 2000 and 2007, a rise of almost 30 percent, according
to the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance. For the fish, this massive
diversion of water from the Delta amounts to a manufactured drought, engineered
by the same state and federal governments that are supposedly are entrusted
with protecting fish and other natural resources. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The sudden and unprecedented decline of <st1:place w:st="on">Sacramento
River</st1:place> fall chinook salmon parallels the collapse of delta smelt,
longfin smelt, juvenile shad and threadfin shad. These Delta
"pelagic" - open water - species have declined because of three
reasons (1) increases in water exports, (2) toxic chemicals and (3) invasive
species, according to a team of state and federal scientists. More recently,
studies point to high levels of ammonia in Sacramento River water as a factor
in the collapse of salmon and other <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>
fish species.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>There is no doubt we are in a drought. However, we need to use this
crisis as an opportunity to mandate increased water conservation and to
consider retiring drainage impaired land on the West side of the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Sheehan's characterization of
the Governor's water plans as "outdated strategies" is absolutely
correct. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Rather than relying on outdated strategies such as new dams and
"improving" conveyance - building the peripheral canal- we need to
adopt new strategies based around water conservation, sustainable agriculture
and developing new sources of water such as desalination, provided it is done
in an environmentally friendly and energy efficient manner.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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