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The bill raises an interesting legal question in that it is
fundamentally at odds with California's constitution, which mandates
that all uses of water be "reasonable and beneficial."<br>
<br>
This is the basis of the permits for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
to operate facilities in the state. It is not at all clear that
the federal government can take away this fundamental oversight by
the state over waters within its boundaries.<br>
<br>
Since the bill also takes away the ability of the State Water
Resources Control board to mandate balancing flows, it is likely
that it would just result in a suspension of the permits for the
Delta-Mendota and Friant water users, which would then wend its way
through the courts.<br>
<br>
On 2/16/2012 11:37 AM, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:sandydenn@pulsarco.com">sandydenn@pulsarco.com</a> wrote:
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Not ALL northern California water
interests are "on board" with this legislation. I really
resent when writers will lump folks together just to make
their own point. There are those in Northern California who
might lump all environmental or fishing groups into one mind
set, but then there are those who approach things from what I
consider a more "mature" position and realize that individual
groups should be assesed individually, some are realistic and
open to conversation, some are not. Issues should be addressed
the same manner. It would be great if some of these editorial
writers would afford the same courtesy. But thanks for
sharing, it just convinces me that there needs to be a lot
more real world education done, and less academic idealism
promoted! </font></div>
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<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color:
black"><b>From:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
title="tstokely@att.net" href="mailto:tstokely@att.net">Tom
Stokely</a> </div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
title="env-trinity@velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us"
href="mailto:env-trinity@velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us">env-trinity@velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us</a>
</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February
16, 2012 11:11 AM</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> [env-trinity] SF
Chronicle Editorial- California Republicans'brazen water grab</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px"
class="Apple-style-span">
<h1 style="MARGIN: 11px 0px 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 1.44em">California
Republicans' brazen water grab</h1>
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Helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 0.86em"><br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
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<p style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 3px; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 0.86em" class="date">Thursday,
February 16, 2012</p>
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<span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.44em; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, 'Times
New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 1.2em" id="articlebody">
<p>House Republicans are poised to pass legislation that
would usurp California's ability to manage its own water
supply, harm the San Francisco Bay Estuary ecosystem and
drive California's salmon to extinction.</p>
<p>Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Alpaugh (Tulare County), wrote the
bill to reverse the way water is allocated in California.
It essentially ensures water supplies for farmers by
taking it from the state's native salmon, trout and other
fisheries.</p>
<p>Beyond that, it:</p>
<p>-- Undermines water conservation efforts.</p>
<p>-- Dries up a 40-mile stretch of the San Joaquin River -
the state's second largest - by ending the restoration
project that saw salmon returning two years ago for the
first time in more than 60 years.</p>
<p>-- Ends the Bay Delta Conservation Plan process but does
nothing to address the problems of water supply and
quality the plan seeks to address.</p>
<p>In short, it promotes the agribusiness interests of
Nunes' district over other interests and upends the
collaborative efforts to distribute California's limited
water supply fairly.</p>
<p>Northern California water interests had objected to an
earlier version because it required them to make up the
water for the fish that Nunes' would deliver to San
Joaquin Valley farms. The new version exempts them from
providing water for fish, so they are on board.</p>
<p>Democrat Rep. Jerry McNerney, who represents both San
Joaquin Valley farmers and the delta, says this: "To steal
water from one community to benefit another is
unconscionable."</p>
<p>We agree. The House should reject this brazen water grab.</p>
</span>
<p style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(85,85,85); FONT-SIZE:
0.86em" id="url"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/16/EDTP1N811L.DTL">http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/16/EDTP1N811L.DTL</a> </p>
<p style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(85,85,85); FONT-SIZE:
0.86em" id="pageno">This article appeared on page <strong>A
- 13</strong> of the San Francisco Chronicle</p>
</span>
<p> </p>
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