Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Senator Feinstein responds to Resnick story

From the San Francisco Chronicle, Senator Dianne Feinstein responds to the recent story about her ties to Stuart Resnick:

“A story on the front page of The Chronicle on Sunday (“Big donor got help from Feinstein on delta plan,” Dec. 6) questioned my rationale for seeking an independent National Academy of Science review of the biological opinions that govern water pumping for farms in the San Joaquin Valley.

My reason for seeking the study is simple and clear. The Central Valley is in the midst of a devastating economic crisis, caused in part by a drought that has left hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland fallowed. This agricultural crisis, coupled with the collapse of the construction industry, has resulted in unemployment rates as high as 40 percent in some towns.

Some 13 lawsuits have been filed against the two biological opinions that form the basis for restricting water pumping to the Central Valley. These suits could hamper efforts to restore the delta ecosystem and complicate efforts to address California’s water crisis.

Therefore, I believe a review by the Academy of Sciences is entirely appropriate. The Academy of Sciences is the most credible scientific body in the nation. When I met with valley farmers in August, they made it clear that the Academy of Sciences is the only scientific body whose opinion they will respect. … “

Read more of Senator Feinstein’s response by clicking here.

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