Environment

Instead of reigniting a pointless water war over the distribution of this precious resource, it is time to work together for commonsense policies that add to our water supply. My amendment advances water storage, conservation, and recycling, so that farmers, fishermen, and small businesses across the entire state have the water they need.

This extreme bill that would create a water war, fail to solve the drought problem, and cause massive economic and ecological upheaval, affecting every water district in the state

“After two years of negotiations over a Farm Bill, trying to sneak a water grab into the bill at the last minute was grossly irresponsible . It could have scuttled the legislation.” Specifically, the proposal would have turned on Delta pumps this year and next year setting the stage to suck the Delta dry. This provision arrived at the 11th hour of negotiations over the Farm Bill, which is expected for a vote this week. Luckily for Northern California farmers, fishers, and small businesses, this last minute attempt was unsuccessful.

Yolo County resident Mary Kimball is the Executive Director of the Center for Land-Based Learning, which works across Northern California to promote the integration of agriculture, nature and society, as well as to motivate the community to respect the natural environment that produces our food.

Congress Members Garamendi (CA-3), George Miller (CA-11), Mike Thompson (CA-5), Doris Matsui (CA-6), Jerry McNerney (CA-9), Jackie Speier (CA-14), and Ami Bera (CA-7) today thanked Governor Jerry Brown for declaring a drought emergency in California. Given the dire nature of the state’s water resources, the Members urge the Governor to prioritize adding to the water supply – including water recycling, conservation, and storage – instead of pushing for a $25 billion water infrastructure project, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), which threatens the Bay Delta ecosystem, farmers, fisheries, local communities, and other stakeholders that depend on a healthy Bay Delta.

“Though flawed, this government appropriations bill increases critical investments in education, infrastructure, and defense, expanding opportunities for my constituents to secure a new job or keep the one they have. However, Congress needs to act on a comprehensive jobs plan."

This project still doesn’t create one gallon of new water, and it still doesn’t add one gallon of desperately needed storage for existing water. The BDCP remains a bad deal for California. It's time to stop the madness and fully consider alternatives, such as the NRDC’s portfolio approach or the ‘Comprehensive Water Plan for All of California’ that I have proposed.

State admits a $3 Billion error in their analysis but continues to ignore comprehensive plans that would actually address California’s water needs. Garamendi has offered an updated version of his "Water Plan for All of California"