Congressman Garamendi Warns Bill will Reignite Water Wars

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power, met to discuss H.R. 1837, the so-called "San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act." Congressman Garamendi voiced his strong opposition to the legislation during testimony.

"I’m a battle-tested veteran of the California water wars, and I’d frankly prefer to talk about past battles than wade into this hornet’s nest again, but I’ll be damned if I let anybody destroy the Delta," Garamendi said. "This legislation threatens the Delta, jeopardizes drinking water for California cities, and puts the interests of a select well-connected few above the entire state."

"In 1997, we were one signature away from agreeing to an 'all California' water policy solution – until the Westlands Water District walked away at the signing ceremony," said Congressman Garamendi, who served as Deputy U.S. Interior Secretary at the time. "I said they would regret it, and today they admitted it, even as they continue to demand a one-sided water grab that is not in the interests of California."

H.R. 1837 would be disastrous for all Californians. It:

• Jeopardizes drinking water access for California cities;
• Ignores the critical needs of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta;
• Overrides state water rights authority by overturning a century’s recognition of state water law preeminence over federal water law;
• Decimates Central Valley Project Improvement Act protections for water supply, quality and the environment;
• Destroys the consensus San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement that took nearly two decades to achieve;
• Annihilates coordination between the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, the arteries of life for nearly 40 million Californians; and
• Erodes cooperation among stakeholders who have dedicated time, energy and resources to working together.

Letter of opposition from Members of California State Legislature:
"H.R. 1837 undermines judicial agreements, erodes long-standing water law principles, usurps California’s sovereignty, and lays waste to any hope of progress in the Delta."
https://napolitano.house.gov/sites/napolitano.house.gov/files/documents/Letter%20from%20CA%20State%20Legislature.pdf

Letter of opposition from 12 different fishing industries:
"There are no words strong enough to describe the complete devastation this bill would bring to the Central Valley salmon runs and those who depend on them for their livelihoods, recreation and food sources."
https://napolitano.house.gov/sites/napolitano.house.gov/files/documents/Salmon%20Letter_McClintock%20Re%20H%20R%20%201837%20%282%29.pdf

Letter of opposition from Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar:
"This legislation would undo ongoing broad-based collaborative initiatives that have been underway for many years to solve some of California’s most significant water issues."
https://napolitano.house.gov/sites/napolitano.house.gov/files/documents/salazar%20letter%20HR%201837.pdf