<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:garamond, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_78916" dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/water-and-drought/article115013113.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79319">http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/water-and-drought/article115013113.html#storylink=cpy</a><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_78916" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79119">November 15, 2016 4:26 PM</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79120"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79121">Election over, Westlands Water District may get win with controversial drainage plan</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79124"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79125"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79126">By Michael Doyle </span><a ymailto="mailto:mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com" href="mailto:mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79127">mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79128"><mailto:</span><a ymailto="mailto:mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com" href="mailto:mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79129">mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79130">></span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79131"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79132"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79133"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79134">WASHINGTON</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79135"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79136"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79137">The politically resurgent Westlands Water District is set to win House committee approval Wednesday of a big irrigation drainage plan that is opposed by Northern California’s Democrats.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79138"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79139"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79140">Years in the making<</span><a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article35488728.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79141">http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article35488728.html</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79142">>, the plan forgives a roughly $375 million debt owed by the nation’s largest irrigation district. The Rhode Island-sized district also locks in favorable terms on future water contracts and will retire some land. In return, the deal relieves the federal government of the multibillion-dollar obligation to construct irrigation drainage facilities for the San Joaquin Valley’s west side.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79143"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79144"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79145">“In order to move forward with the settlement agreed to by both Westlands and the U.S. Department of Justice last year, this bill has to be passed by Congress,” Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, said Tuesday. “Doing so will be a positive step in resolving a long-standing drainage dispute and will ultimately save taxpayers billions of dollars.”</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79146"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79156"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79157">The expected approval of Valadao’s irrigation drainage bill by the House Natural Resources Committee will come on mostly party lines, and could foreshadow other Westlands’ victories. It will not, however, be the final step.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79158"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79159"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79160">“It’s such an enormous giveaway to powerful interests,” Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, said Tuesday. “A settlement is fine, but not a settlement that gives away the store to Westlands.”</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79161"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79162"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79163">The incoming Trump administration has appointed a Westlands lobbyist, David Bernhardt, to head the Interior Department transition team that will make recommendations on policies and personnel.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79164"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79165"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79166">One of Bernhardt’s stated priorities has been “potential legislation regarding settlement of litigation” – which means the Valadao bill – according to lobbying registration records filed by Bernhardt’s firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Westlands paid the firm $245,000 last year, records show.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79167"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79168"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79169">Another Westlands ally, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, has been appointed to the executive committee of Trump’s overall transition team. Nunes and Valadao also are leading a separate effort <</span><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article79390527.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79170">http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article79390527.html</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79171">> to secure a sweeping California water bill that steers more irrigation deliveries to farmers, authorizes new reservoirs and ends an ambitious San Joaquin River restoration program.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79172"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79173"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79174">The irrigation drainage bill almost certainly will pass the GOP-controlled House during the lame-duck congressional session expected to run into December. Its ultimate fate will likely be in the Senate’s hands<</span><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article71950277.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79175">http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article71950277.html</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79176">>, where both of California’s Democratic senators have remained noncommittal about a deal first unveiled in court in September 2015. Valadao introduced his bill last January.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79177"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79178"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79179">On Tuesday, 10 months after Valadao’s bill became public, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer said in a statement that “the most important thing is ensuring toxic drainage is properly treated and protecting taxpayer” and that she urged people to keep working toward that goal.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79180"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79181"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79182">“This process has been going on for more than 20 years and needs to be solved,” Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Tuesday. “Both Westlands and the Interior Department know this, which is why they reached an agreement. I will watch what bill comes out of the House and review it carefully.”</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79183"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79184"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79185">The irrigation drainage deal was negotiated with the Obama administration, under pressure from a federal court ruling that imposed an unpalatable alternative of providing the irrigation drainage. The drainage was promised beginning with the 1960 legislation authorizing the Central Valley Project’s San Luis Unit, but only about 82 of the planned 188 miles were built before the drain terminated prematurely at Kesterson Reservoir in Merced County.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79186"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79187"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79188">Without drainage, otherwise fertile soil becomes poisoned by a build-up of salty water. The accumulation of selenium-tainted groundwater at Kesterson killed and deformed thousands of birds in the mid-1980s.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79189"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79190"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79191">The bill shoulders the 600,000-acre Westlands district with responsibility for its own drainage. Westlands also agreed to retire at least 100,000 acres of farmland, about one-third of which already has been taken out of production.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79192"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79193"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79194">Separate legislation, authored<</span><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article79605357.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79195">http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article79605357.html</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79196">> by Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, includes the smaller San Luis, Panoche and Pacheco water districts located north of Westlands in western Merced and Fresno counties in the irrigation drainage settlement. The three northerly districts serve a total of about 102,000 acres in western Merced and Fresno counties.</span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79197"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79198"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79199">Michael Doyle: 202-383-6153<tel:202-383-6153>, @MichaelDoyle10<</span><a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelDoyle10" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79200">https://twitter.com/MichaelDoyle10</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79201">></span><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79210"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79211"><br style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79212"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79213">more here: </span><a href="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/water-and-drought/article115013113.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79214" class="">http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/water-and-drought/article115013113.html#storylink=cpy</a><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79271"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79303"><br></div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_78924"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479239163671_79372"><br></div></div></div></body></html>