Schwarzenegger to move ahead on peripheral canal study

From the Sacramento Bee:

Despite stalled negotiations with Democrats on a comprehensive water plan, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger intends to move forward on studies of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, including a controversial canal, as well as call for a 20 percent per capita reduction in statewide water use, according to a letter he sent Thursday to Senate Democrats.

Department of Water Re- sources Director Lester Snow compared the water conservation proposal to a 2006 law that requires the state to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020.

The Republican governor’s four-page letter came after leading Democrats alleged Wednesday that he was working “unilaterally” to pursue a canal that would move water around the Delta, a sensitive ecosystem that provides water to 25 million California residents and 2 million acres of farmland.

In a copy of the letter obtained by The Bee, Schwarzenegger wrote that he intends to direct DWR to begin federal and state environmental reviews on at least four Delta canal alternatives. Those include no new Delta transfer system, a two-part system with a canal and pumps, a stand-alone canal and substantial improvements to the existing pumps. The studies could take two to three years and cost more than $100 million, paid for by water users under existing contracts, Snow said.

When the news broke earlier this week, senators were reportedly angry, and three of them sent a letter to the Governor, telling him to back off. However, at least one of those senators seems to be moderately okay with this:

Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, said he was satisfied the governor answered questions posed in the letter he sent with Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, and Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. Machado said he was particularly concerned beforehand that the governor sought to pursue only one Delta option that involved a canal and water pumps, but he believes all options need to be considered.

“I’m glad he’s finally being open with that, but I’m going to reserve my praise until I see what actions will be taken that improve the Delta,” Machado said.

Get the whole story from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.

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