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San Joaquin River maneuvering continues as Congress nears end

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 1, 2008 at 7:29 am

From the McClatchy Newspapers:

Political maneuvering over the San Joaquin River’s future continues even as Congress grinds to a halt. In a last-minute bid, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has rewritten a river restoration bill so that it might avoid budgetary obstacles. Feinstein says stripping out money could ease passage of the environmentally ambitious bill.

“The only viable option is to make the bill (budget) neutral, then pursue legislation in the next Congress to fully restore the original funding provisions,” Feinstein advised the Friant Water Users Authority late Friday. Feinstein added that “this will give us momentum going forward,” as environmentalists and Friant-area farmers try to complete a lawsuit settlement. Water would be flowing and salmon swimming again below Friant Dam by 2013 under the settlement.

But Feinstein’s move caught even some of her Capitol Hill allies by surprise, and the odds still appear heavily stacked against success. “I don’t think that will fly,” said Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno.

Read more from McClatchy Newspapers by clicking here.

October 1, 2008 · Filed Under San Joaquin River Restoration, San Joaquin Valley

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