Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Schwarzenegger calls for $11 billion water bond to be pulled from November ballot
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 8:16 am
From the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“In a stunning development, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday he would attempt to pull an $11.1 billion water bond off the November ballot and instead ask for voter approval two years from now.
The governor said the delay was needed to concentrate on the budget, but the economic climate and persistent criticism of the bond’s cost were also making the measure a tough sell.
“After reviewing the agenda for this year, I believe our focus should be on the budget — solving the deficit, reforming out-of-control pension costs and fixing our broken budget system,” Schwarzenegger said.
By far the largest water bond in state history, the measure was put on the ballot last fall by the Legislature after months of debate. It includes billions in funding for new dams and water projects the governor promoted as an important part of his legacy.
“The poll numbers were discouraging and the budget cycle promised to be drawn out and ugly,” said Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies and a leading supporter of the measure.
“We have to live with it,” he said. “It is a bitter pill.” … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
From the Fresno Bee:
” … Key lawmakers from both sides of the aisle said they support the move, including Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto.
“Timing is everything, and I’m willing to wait to bolster voter understanding of this critical measure,” Cogdill said in a statement.
But other lawmakers were skeptical. “I fear that we may lose the momentum we were able to build in bringing so many parties together to agree to place the bond on the ballot,” said Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter.
Delaying the ballot measure requires approval from two-thirds of the Legislature. Lawmakers appear to have until Aug. 9, the deadline for sending voter guides to the printer. … “
Read more from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE:
- Schwarzenegger seeks to take water bond off ballot, from the AP via the San Francisco Chronicle
- Schwarzenegger seeks to terminate water bond ballot, from the Desert Sun
- Schwarzenegger wants $11-billion water bond off the November ballot, from the Los Angeles Times
- Schwarzenegger calls for water bond delay until 2012, by Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org
Senator Cogdill issues statement regarding voter approval of water bond
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 8:14 am
From Senator Dave Cogdill:
“Senator Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, today issued the following statement regarding the decision to delay the Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Act until the November 2012 ballot:
“Ensuring California has a safe and reliable water supply is, has, and always will be my top priority. I have dedicated the last four years to achieving this goal and I am committed to getting this bond passed at the ballot box. While I believe we must immediately invest in our water future, timing is everything and I’m willing to wait to bolster voter understanding of this critical measure.
“I’m encouraged by the fact that a recent poll shows that 75 percent of voters believe passing a bond is important. By waiting until 2012, we can give the economy a greater opportunity to rebound and lessen economic concerns about this critical investment.
“When I leave the Legislature later this year, my dedication to rebuilding our aging water infrastructure will not end. I will continue to fight to ensure California’s water needs are met now and for future generations of families, businesses, farmers and ranchers. It’s not just a public safety concern, it’s critical to our overall economy and one of the biggest issues facing our state.”
Delaying bonds have not hampered ultimate success at the ballot box. Though the bond authorizing the construction of a high speed rail was twice delayed, 52 percent of voters ultimately approved the measure in 2008.”
Blog commentary: Prop 18 – Zero chance of fixing CA water woes and a big price tag
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 8:11 amFrom the Westchester Parents blog:
““Voters will be asked to approve a new $11.4 billion water bond that promises to increase develop more reliable water supplies and increase local water supplies. (Los Angeles Times 6/20/2010)”
Time for a Sanity check…
Going back to 1996 there have been 6 voter approved bond measures amounting to $16.6 BILLION that promised to resolve future water shortages. None of them followed through on the campaign promises they made to voters.
So today we find ourselves in one of the most serious shortages since 1987 and perhaps since William Mullolland when he opened the gates of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913.
The six water bonds to-date have not resulted in reliable supplies as promised but instead have contributed to the states fiscal crisis and overdrawn water so severely that courts had to intercede and impose restrictions to stop permanent environmental losses.
All of this suggests that the bonds don’t work and do nothing to address the root cause of the water shortage. … “
Continue reading this blog commentary by clicking here.
California Teachers Association votes to oppose water bond (Proposition 18)
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 8:07 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“The California Teachers Association (CTA) State Council voted at its June meeting to oppose Proposition 18, the water bond that will be on the November ballot, according to an announcement from the No on the Water Bond Committee.
“We can’t afford an $11.14 billion water bond,” said David Sanchez, President of CTA. “With an already outrageous budget deficit, California can’t afford an additional $1 billion every year, taking even more money away from our students, our schools and other essential services.”
Another union, the United Farmworkers Union (UFW), announced its opposition to the water bond in an opinion piece written by UFW president Arturo Rodriguez in the San Francisco Chronicle in February. “The water bond that was recently approved by our lawmakers will give agricultural companies billions more in subsidized water,” Rodriguez … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Pavley bill increasing fines for illegal water diversions opposed by Restore the Delta
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 8:03 amFrom Dan Bacher at AlterNet:
” … SB 565 is sponsored by Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) and co-sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael. While it is supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the bill opposed by Restore the Delta and other groups.
“This bill would increase the Board’s fines for illegal diversions (which have not been updated in nearly 20 years) to keep pace with inflation,” said Barry Nelson of NRDC. “It would provide other enforcement related tools as well. An effective enforcement program would increase the incentives to discourage illegal water diversions.”
He added, “This, of course, would help the troubled Bay-Delta system and other degraded rivers. But it would also benefit legal diverters, who can face water shortages and increased regulatory burdens as a result of illegal pumping.”
However, Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta, said the bill will reduce or eliminate existing due process and property rights protections for California water rights holders. … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher by clicking here.
Healthy watersheds can sustain water supplies, aquatic ecosystems in a changing climate
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:50 am
From Water Online:
“The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station has published a report about the role of forests in the stewardship of water in a changing climate. The report is available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr812.pdf and will be available in print beginning July 9.
Titled Water, Climate Change, and Forests: Watershed Stewardship for a Changing Climate, the publication describes healthy, resilient watersheds as a primary strategy for sustaining ecosystems and the clean, abundant water they provide.
” Water from forested lands supports people, ecosystems, agriculture, industry, and energy production and is immensely valuable and irreplaceable,” said Michael Furniss, a hydrologist with the PNW Research Station and lead author of the publication. “With a changing climate, the need for stewardship of forested watersheds to secure high-quality water supplies and healthy aquatic ecosystems is more important than ever.” … “
Continue reading from Water Online by clicking here.
Photo of forest by Lake Tahoe by Aquafornia.
PLF’s Liberty Blog: Elena Kagan and the delta smelt
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:49 amFrom the Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog:
“Folks are concerned about Elena Kagan’s response (or lack thereof) to Sen. Tom Coburn’s questions about Commerce Clause jurisprudence. And rightly so. (Video of Kagan’s remarks available on the click through).
The government that is regulating a noncommercial fish is the same government that will dictate your nutrition. That is why PLF’s Commerce Clause appeal against the delta smelt regulations is so important — not only for those who have been devastated by the regulatory drought, but for all those who believe that our federal government has limited powers. … “
Kagan’s remarks and more commentary at the Liberty Blog by clicking here.
World’s Water Supply: Here are the the haves and have nots: A new report shows which countries have the most precarious and stable water supplies
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:43 amFrom AlterNet:
“British-based risk consultancy Maplecroft has released a new report showing which countries have the most precarious and stable water supplies. The report is intended to help guide investors, underscoring just how serious water supply is getting when it comes to the world economy. From farming to manufacturing, investors in various industries are starting to seriously weigh where they put their money based on how secure water supplies are or will be, and companies with interests in areas with unstable water supplies are having to put water efficiency in a place of priority. Though it focuses on areas of risk, the report also reveals whole new areas in water where investors may want to pile in funds.
Reuters reports, “African nations led by Somalia, Mauritania and Sudan have the most precarious water supplies in the world while Iceland has the best, according to a survey on Thursday that aims to alert companies to investment risks… A “water security risk index” of 165 nations found African and Asian nations had the most vulnerable supplies, judged by factors including access to drinking water, per capita demand and dependence on rivers that first flow through other nations.” … “
Continue reading from AlterNet by clicking here.
Siskiyou County: Lawsuit alleges county failure to monitor groundwater
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:32 amFrom the Siskiyou Daily News:
“A lawsuit recently filed in the California Superior Court in Sacramento County seeks to have the court compel the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and Siskiyou County to fix alleged groundwater regulation failures in the Scott Valley watershed.
The petition, filed by the Environmental Law Foundation and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations Institute for Fisheries Resources, states that the petition has been filed “to challenge the pattern and practice of the [SWRCB] and [Siskiyou County] of failing to manage groundwater resources interconnected with the Scott River in a manner consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine of California (‘PTD’).
“The failures of the SWRCB and the County injure the Scott River as well as the fish and wildlife therein, which are protected public trust (‘PT’) resources.” … “
Continue reading from the Siskiyou Daily News by clicking here.
MLPA: A more holistic approach to protecting our ocean resources, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:30 amFrom the Eureka Times-Standard, this commentary by Virginia Strom-Martin, former Assemblywoman (District 1) and Sonoma coast resident:
“As a fifth generation resident, I share a deep connection with my North Coast neighbors. As local citizens, we treasure the breathtaking natural beauty that surrounds us and draw renewed inspiration from the rich history that has woven together this unique community.
I’m not alone when I say the North Coast is truly unique — it is unlike any other region along California’s vast coastline. This is why I have been a lifelong advocate for the community, first as an educator seeking to improve our school system to successfully prepare our next generation of local and national leaders and later as a California State Assembly member, where my interest in maintaining a vibrant ocean economy led me to chair the Joint Legislative Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture.
A more holistic, long-term perspective is required to improve our community livelihood. This is equally true with respect to protecting our ocean resources. Last year I was appointed to the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force to help ensure that local community involvement and knowledge is utilized in the creation of the north coast portion of a statewide network of marine protected areas (MPAs). The MLPA North Coast Study Region encompasses state waters from the California-Oregon border to Alder Creek near Point Arena in Mendocino County.
As the most open and transparent process I have ever been involved in, the MLPA Initiative continues to impress me. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
California ocean protection process scapegoats Native cultures: Marine Life Protected Areas would allow for deep water drilling yet would ban tribal gathering
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:23 amFrom IndyBay.org, this press release from the Coastal Justice Coalition:
“Eureka, CA – Members of local American Indian Tribes interrupted the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative’s Science Advisory Team meeting today demanding that they not be blamed for the decline in ocean fisheries.
“We gathered and harvested the ocean’s bounty for thousand of years in a sustainable manner. For California to blame Tribes for it’s reckless mis-management of our fisheries for the last century is simply appalling,” said Frankie Joe Myers, a Yurok ceremonial leader and member of the Coastal Justice Coalition.
The Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI) is a public and privately funded partnership between the State of California and a hand-full of big money, private foundations, primarily the Resources Legacy Fund, to implement the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), which was signed into law in 1999.
The MLPA is designed to protect ocean resources, but Tribal spokesmen say that it’s an attempt by the Schwarzenegger Administration to greenwash his legacy. … “
Continue reading this press release at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
RELATED: The Eureka Times-Standard covers the attendance of the tribe and their concerns – click here.
SacBee editorial: Partial reprieve for river greenery
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:15 am
From the Sacramento Bee:
“For once, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers got it right. But it hasn’t gone far enough in reconsidering draconian rules that could lead to many, many trees being unnecessarily chopped down in the cause of levee safety.
The corps announced Friday that it has given the Natomas levee project an exemption to its grass-only policy for levees. It is the first such waiver nationwide, it allows the urgently needed $640 million project to move forward and it will spare thousands of trees along 40 miles of the Natomas levees.
The exemption, however, likely won’t set much of a precedent elsewhere in California. Instead of enlarging existing levees, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) is building bigger “piggyback” levees next to the current ones. In essence, the new Natomas levees are being built so wide – 20 feet wide – that, in the corps’ eyes, the trees on existing levees are outside its jurisdiction. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Photo of levee trees in Sacramento by flickr photographer Orin Zebest.
South Lake Tahoe: Agreement will ensure the start of cleanup of former landfill
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:07 amFrom PR Newswire:
“A settlement with El Dorado County, Calif., will ensure the beginning of the cleanup, at an estimated cost of approximately $7 million, of the Meyers Landfill Site, located outside of the city of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., the Justice Department and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service announced today.
The agreement, lodged in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, resolves certain federal claims against El Dorado County for clean up of the Meyers Landfill site. In addition, the agreement resolves certain counter-claims made by the county against the United States for cleanup of the site.
Under the settlement, El Dorado County will be responsible for consolidating the waste mass at the site and placing it under an impervious cap. The cap and associated drainage features around the cap will prevent the infiltration of precipitation and snowmelt into the landfill waste mass thus eliminating or significantly reducing additional groundwater contamination. A landfill gas venting and monitoring system will also be installed.
The U.S. Forest Service is continuing to investigate groundwater contamination related to the site. Several years of study will be required after the landfill cap is constructed to determine the effect on the groundwater, and what remedy may be required to address any remaining groundwater contamination. … “
Continue reading from PR Newswire by clicking here.
Inyo water projects move ahead
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 7:03 am
From Sierra Wave:
“In the old days, as LADWP churned Owens Valley water south to fill up LA swimming pools, Diaz Lake in Lone Pine used diaz_laketo drop dangerously low with local fears that LA might let it dry up. In one of the past agreements, DWP did give in to water delivery for Diaz, but Inyo has to “pay DWP back” with pumped water. That deal and some other projects recently moved ahead.
Environmental documents have come together on several projects. … “
Continue reading from Sierra Wave by clicking here.
Eastern Sierra: Conway Ranch flush with trout and waterways
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 6:57 am
From Sierra Wave:
“Tim Alpers and John Frederickson are determined trout men. Alpers pioneered his family’s famous trout and Frederickson runs Crowley Lake and June Lake Marina. They partnered with Steve Brown to create Inland Aquaculture Group who leases the Conway Ranch Property seven miles north of Lee Vining and raises trout for Mono County and for the public. They have launched another season of fishing and promoting the Eastern Sierra.
Cleland Hoff talked to Alpers at the ranch last week. He told her Conway Ranch has quite a rich history as one of the first homesteaded ranches in the area. Alpers said that today Conway Ranch is “Trout Central” for Mono County. … “
Continue reading from Sierra Wave by clicking here.
Photo of the Upper Owens River by Aquafornia.
Santa Clarita: The sewage-rate hike’s salty effect on business: Restaurant owners would be hardest hit because they discharge large amounts of water
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 6:43 amFrom the Santa Clarita Signal:
“Hiking Santa Clarita Valley business owners’ fees to pay for a salt-ridding machine is not the way to encourage new business to locate here, some owners say.
Over the next month, officials with the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District will be holding “information meetings” to explain a proposed four-year rate hike for anyone with a sewer hookup.
The district plans to build a $210 million salt-ridding reverse osmosis plant to treat waste water discharged into the Santa Clara River. The goal is to hold chloride in the waste water to 117 milligrams per liter or less to protect crops downstream. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
Glendale City Council wary of utility hike: Increase of about $2.35 a month could discourage consumers from trying to save water, officials say
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 6:39 amFrom the Glendale News Press:
“Glendale Water & Power officials faced a skeptical audience Tuesday as they presented the City Council with a proposed water rate increase aimed at recouping lost revenue.
Utility officials have proposed a 3.8% net rate increase that would translate into about $2.35 more per month. The utility’s budget has been pared to the “barebones,” and the increase is needed to maintain financial stability, they said.
The proposal comes a year after the City Council voted to restrict outdoor watering to three days per week, which led to an 18% drop in water and a $6 million loss in revenue. … “
Continue reading from the Glendale News-Press by clicking here.
Power and water don’t mix, says editorial: L.A. should separate water and power into two departments
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 6:19 am
From the Los Angeles Times, this editorial:
“A recent audit of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power by City Controller Wendy Gruel criticized the agency for its lack of transparency. The DWP, she concluded, has “lost the trust of the public.”
And why shouldn’t the public have lost trust? Long before the DWP’s recent fight with the mayor and City Council over rate hikes, the agency had ceased to inspire confidence. The utility burned through nine general managers in 10 years, during which time maintaining the status quo was a much higher priority than moving the City forward. No wonder DWP’s popularity currently resides somewhere between the DMV and BP.
Even though the DWP is finally beginning to embrace the mayor’s ambitious and commendable goals of weaning the city from the use of coal and dramatically increasing its renewable energy portfolio to 40% by 2020, it has dragged its heels on other issues — particularly where water is concerned. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Photo of DWP building by flickr photographer Construction Deal Mktg.
Malibu completes $1M stormwater treatment project
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 5:52 am
From Los Angeles’ Channel 2:
“Officials in Malibu Monday announced the completion of a stormwater treatment project that will keep polluted water from pouring into the ocean.
The $1 million Paradise Cove Clean Ocean Project uses three filtration systems to remove trash, sediment and bacteria from up to one million gallons of stormwater and runoff a day, according to the city.
“For generations, this fabled cove has been making memories for all who come here,” Malibu Mayor Jefferson Wagner said. … “
Continue reading from Channel 2 News by clicking here.
Photo of Paradise Cove, Malibu, by flickr photographer Kent Kanouse (Snap Man).
Students discover new figures on L.A. water waste
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 5:50 amFrom the Santa Monica Daily Press:
“In the fight to restore the Los Angeles River and end wasteful water practices, Venice activists have enlisted the mathematical minds of local students.
Using complex algebraic equations, Parisa Jung’s seventh grade math class at John Adams Middle School tackled extra credit questions posed by non profits L.A. River Expeditions and the Electric Lodge that illuminated the staggering amount of water wasted annually because of the current state of the river.
The river, which was once the sole water supplier for the city of Los Angeles, is now a concrete channel funneling massive amounts of water to the ocean instead of allowing the water to seep naturally back into the earth, replenishing underground aquifers. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Monica Daily Press by clicking here.
Lake Havasu: Plan shopped to clean contaminated water
Posted by: Maven on June 30, 2010 at 5:48 amFrom Today’s News-Herald (Lake Havasu):
“The California Department of Toxic Substances Control is asking for public comments on a plan to remediate groundwater contamination near Pacific Gas & Electric’s Topock Compressor Station.
The plan they are considering would use injection wells to help convert the primary contaminant, hexavalent chromium, into a form of chromium that is less toxic and less soluble in water. The plan would also have injection wells pumping water into the ground to drive the contaminants to extraction wells.
The DTSC held a public meeting on the plan June 22 at the Parker Community/Senior Center.
The Topock Compressor Station is located 12 miles southeast of Needles, Calif., and approximately 500 yards west of the Colorado River. It began operations in 1951, compressing natural gas for distribution to PG&E’s customers in central and northern California. … “
Continue reading from Today’s News-Herald by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Hearing set for today on Delta water changes (SB 565)
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:45 am
From the Central Valley Business Times:
“A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday by the California state Assembly’s Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife on a bill that would give the State Water Resources Control Board new penalty and investigative powers.
The powers are contained in a proposal by Southern California state Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills.
The bill, SB 565, is co-authored by Senate President Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. The bill’s Assembly co-author is Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, who chairs the committee scheduled to review the bill Tuesday afternoon.
Ms. Pavley’s bill is criticized as “reducing or eliminating existing due process and property rights protections for California water rights holders” by Restore the Delta, which describes itself as a grassroots campaign committed to improving the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … “
Continue reading from the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.
The California Channel is scheduled to webcast this meeting at 1:30 pm. Click here for the California Channel.
Photo of Yolo Bypass by flickr photographer Bruce (bioflyer). Check out more great aerial shots of the California Delta and more by clicking here.
Barry Nelson: What do the Gulf of Mexico, the American economy and the Bay-Delta have in common?
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:43 amFrom Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“The obvious answer, of course, is that all three are a mess. But they have something else in common. The decline of all three has been made possible, in significant part, by ineffective regulatory agencies. In the case of the Bay-Delta, one such agency is the State Water Resources Control Board, which has long suffered from political pressure, insufficient staff and inadequate enforcement tools. Last year, the legislature gave the board 25 new staff for their water rights program. But a more ambitious proposal to strengthen their underlying enforcement authority died in the closing hours of the legislative session, as the legislature finalized the water policy reform package. All involved saw that effort as unfinished business. That effort is back as SB 565 (Pavley), and it faces a key test on Tuesday.
This bill would increase the Board’s fines for illegal diversions (which have not been updated in nearly 20 years) to keep pace with inflation. It would provide other enforcement related tools as well. An effective enforcement program would increase the incentives to discourage illegal water diversions. This, of course, would help the troubled Bay-Delta system and other degraded rivers. But it would also benefit legal diverters, who can face water shortages and increased regulatory burdens as a result of illegal pumping. Not surprisingly, environmental and fishing groups support it. So do some urban water agencies. But some agricultural and urban water interests have launched a campaign to kill the bill. … “
Continue reading this post from Barry Nelson by clicking here.
Thomas W. Birmingham commentary: How far have we come in resolving the water crisis?
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:41 amFrom the Fresno Bee, this commentary by Thomas Birmingham of Westlands Water District:
“In the past few weeks, the Westlands Water District and other public water agencies, with the support of Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the Valley congressional delegation, have made progress toward improving the rules that have crippled the operation of California’s water system and driven west-side communities toward an economic catastrophe. How much have these reforms really accomplished and will they prevent more water shortages in the future?
In 2010, for the second year in a row, farmers on the west side faced a zero water allocation due to federal environmental restrictions. The prospects for the 25 million urban water users who depend on water pumped through the Delta were not much brighter.
But when Sen. Feinstein in February proposed that the federal rules should allow at least 40% of the state’s normal supplies, she ran into intense criticism from environmentalists and many editorial writers around the state.
Sen. Feinstein acted to prevent a repetition of the severe cutbacks in water deliveries that in 2009 had thrown tens of thousands of people out of work, imposed rationing in many urban areas and fallowed hundreds of thousands of acres of farmlands. … “
Continue reading Thomas Birmingham’s commentary by clicking here.
Restore the Delta on YouTube: Fly over the Delta
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:30 amFrom Restore the Delta:
Bay Delta blog: Should the public trust doctrine be extended to groundwater?
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:24 am
From the Bay Delta blog:
“It’s no secret that California has serious problems when it comes to groundwater management. Aquifers throughout the state are pumped into a state of overdraft, and yet the State is not equipped with sufficient authority to regulate pumping and facilitate recharge. As demonstrated by the controversy that ensued over the 2009 legislative package, attempts to centralize management of groundwater resources become diluted and are whittled down into imperfect compromises. Given this limited success in boosting State oversight of groundwater, I’ve always thought that the public trust doctrine seemed like a promising avenue toward regulation of at least some groundwater. The courts might be able to pull off what the Legislature has been unable to do, but a test case was needed.
So I was intrigued to see that Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) and the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) have filed a lawsuit against the State Water Resources Control Board and Siskiyou County, based on that exact idea of using the public trust doctrine to regulate groundwater. Surface flows in the Scott River basin, which are hydrologically interconnected to the groundwater resource, have been depleted as more groundwater has been pumped. But the Scott River is also designated as critical habitat for the coho salmon, which receives protection under both the federal and state endangered species acts. The coho is in bad shape; according to Fish and Game, just eighty-one individual fish returned to the Scott in 2009. … “
Continue reading from the Bay Delta blog by clicking here.
Secretary of State Debra Bowen assigns numbers to ballot measures certified for November 2 general election, invites ballot arguments
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:21 amThis, from Debra Bowen, Secretary of State, tweeted by Proposition 18 itself:
“Secretary of State Debra Bowen today announced the proposition numbers for the 10 measures set to appear on the November 2, 2010, Statewide General Election ballot and invited interested Californians to submit arguments to be included in the Secretary’s Official Voter Information Guide. The guide, also known as the ballot pamphlet, is mailed to every voting household in California.
The 10 propositions on the November 2 ballot are listed below, along with the Legislative Counsel’s digest or the Attorney General’s title and summary.
Proposition 18 SBx7 2. Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010. (Chapter 3, 2009). (1) Under existing law, various measures have been approved by the voters to provide funds for water supply and protection facilities and programs. This bill would enact the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11,140,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. The bill would provide for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 2, 2010, statewide general election. (2) This bill would take effect only if SB 1 of the 2009-10 7th Extraordinary Session is enacted and becomes effective. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. … “
You can find out the numbers of all of your other favorite ballot propositions by clicking here.
Peter Hanlon commentary: Desalination nation
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:18 amFrom Peter Hanlon at the Huffington Post, this commentary:
“As a native Bostonian now living in New York, I became a little obsessed with the May 1 break in a massive water pipeline that serves many of the communities surrounding my old home . I called my family for important updates – Are you boiling your water? Are any coffee shops still open? – and rued the incredibly poor timing of a just days-old ban on the sale of bottled water in a suburban Boston town.
But as the emergency wore on, I thought that, as inconvenient as the break was, the nearly 2 million people affected by it all knew that the annoyances were temporary. Drinking water was still relatively plentiful in Massachusetts and a little bit of engineering would repair the pipeline and bring life back to normal in a matter of days.
Meanwhile, in less water-blessed parts of the United States, some people are hoping that a lot of engineering can keep life-altering water shortages at bay.
Enter desalination, or the process of removing salt from water to create a seemingly endless supply of drinking water.
There’s no question that the idea of a drought-proof supply of drinking water is a tantalizing one, especially in water-challenged areas. But, as most of us learn pretty early in life, nothing comes for free. … “
Continue reading Peter Hanlon’s commentary from the Huffington Post by clicking here.
Toxic mercury is more at home in seawater, study finds
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:15 amFrom the Green Inc. blog:
“It has long been known that mercury levels in seafood can prove poisonous to humans. Methylmercury, an especially toxic form of mercury, can lead to kidney dysfunction and neurological disorders.
Pregnant women in particular are told to be careful because dietary exposure to methylmercury can lead to birth defects in infants.
Now a new study suggests that humans need to be more wary of saltwater fish like tuna, mackerel and sharks than of freshwater fish. Although seawater has lower concentrations of mercury than freshwater, mercury in seawater is more likely to stay in its toxic form, researchers report in a recent issue of Nature Geoscience. … “
Continue reading from the Green Inc. blog by clicking here.
Resources take lead at Western governors meeting
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:12 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“The fight over natural resources is taking center stage at a meeting of governors from the West—led off by straight talk about the water that been the source of bitter battles that predate many of the states themselves. A growing population combined with long, unsettled arguments over water rights will only create more problems—and the sooner those problems are dealt with, the better, the governors were told.
“It is a crisis,” University of Arizona law professor and author Robert Glennon said at the opening of the Western Governor’s Association annual meeting. “We need the moral courage and the political will to act.”
In many states, water claims in entire watersheds remain in limbo without the funding to sort out exactly who owns what, Glennon said.
Then there are the treaty claims by many Native American tribes that can stretch back 150 years. Some of the claims are still the focus of unresolved settlements that ultimately could require the taxpayers to cough up cash to buy the water rights. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Secretary Salazar announces $6,839,497.50 of Economic Recovery Funds for Battle Creek salmon
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:01 amFrom the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of the Interior, this press release:
“Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a $6,839,497.50 contract under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 for Phase 1B of the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project to construct a tailrace connector and penstock bypass at the Inskip Powerhouse, part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Battle Creek Hydroelectric Project. The contract includes building a small bypass at Coleman Diversion Dam on the South Fork of Battle Creek. The project is in Shasta and Tehama counties near Manton, Calif.
The contract was awarded to RTA Construction of Redding, Calif. The restoration project will restore Chinook salmon and steelhead habitat along 48 miles of Battle Creek and its tributaries while maintaining continued production of hydroelectric power. Habitat restoration and enhancement will enable safe passage, growth and recovery of Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, and Central Valley steelhead. All of the fish are listed as threatened or endangered. Construction is expected to begin in September.
“We look forward to the implementation of this phase of the major restoration effort,” said Secretary Salazar. “The project demonstrates that through cooperation, federal and state agencies, private industry and nonprofit organizations can restore fish species, while allowing continued production of renewable energy.”
The Battle Creek Restoration Project is a cooperative effort among the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Game, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, The Nature Conservancy, Battle Creek Watershed Conservancy, and other agencies.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 year gave $3 billion to the Department of the Interior.
The ARRA funds represent an important component of President Obama’s plan to jumpstart the economy, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under ARRA, Interior is making an investment in conserving America’s timeless treasures – our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage – while helping American families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.
“With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come,” Secretary Salazar said.
Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the department’s economic recovery projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery. Secretary Salazar has appointed a senior advisor for economic recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force to work closely with Interior’s Inspector General and ensure the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility and transparency set by the president.”
Photo of Mono Lake by Aquafornia.
Another Placer County dam fight? Bear River eyed by South Sutter Water District for new reservoir
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 7:00 amFrom the Auburn Journal:
“A dam on the Bear River that would inundate hundreds of acres of seemingly protected foothills oak woodland is finding no support from the Nevada Irrigation District or Placer Land Trust.
A Sutter County water agency has started a low-key study that’s raising Placer County eyebrows. It follows past failed efforts to build a dam on the river and inundate parts of both Nevada and Placer counties.
Jeff Darlington, Placer Land Trust executive director, said the dam would flood about a third of the 912-acre Garden Bar Reserve his organization secured a conservation easement on two years ago.
On the Nevada County side, the Nevada County Land Trust has conservation interests on 2,100 acres of land that will be directly affected by a Bear River dam.
The Nevada County trust outlined what it had learned about the plan at a meeting last week of the Nevada Irrigation District Board. That included a list of urban water agencies that the trust says have raised $1 million to pay for initial work on what is being called the Garden Bar Dam. … “
Continue reading from the Auburn Journal by clicking here.
Monterey: Desal plan gets hot reception at hearing; Many raise concerns on oversight, expense
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:58 amFrom the Monterey County Herald:
“Heavy criticism greeted the proposed seawater desalination project at its first public vetting on the Peninsula on Monday night.
Many of those who spoke during a public hearing at Monterey City Hall expressed a range of concerns and suggested changes for the desal plant project under review by the California Public Utilities Commission, which conducted Monday’s session.
Even many of those who said they were in favor of the desalination project concept said they wanted a different approach.
Speakers questioned project oversight and governance, with many suggesting a Joint Powers Authority.
They weighed in on the type of wells the plant would use, arguing that slant wells would be more effective and immune to lawsuits.
Others complained about the lack of public input into the deal between California American Water, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency and Marina Coast Water District that laid the groundwork for the proposal. … “
Continue reading from the Monterey County Herald by clicking here.
Water rates may go up for more than 460,000 Californians
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:55 amFrom the Central Valley Business Times:
“Water rates could be going up for more than 460,000 Californians, including thousands in the Central Valley, under an agreement reached between California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) of San Jose and the California Public Utilities Commission’s Division of Ratepayer Advocates.
The settlement recommends rate increases that would add $35.3 million to gross revenues, as well as an additional $7 million of rate relief that may be obtained after completion of certain capital projects. … “
Continue reading from the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.
Glendale: Water rate increase in the works; Council members aren’t happy with the idea amid conservation efforts
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:50 amFrom the Glendale News Press:
“Officials today are scheduled to discuss raising water rates to make up for lost revenue, even as some have expressed concern that the move could discourage customers from continuing to conserve.
Glendale Water & Power officials last month said compliance with mandatory water conservation measures citywide had resulted in an 18% drop in water usage, but at the same time, managers say the cutbacks have dealt a $6-million blow to the utility’s bottom line.
The utility has also grappled with a spike in the cost of imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. … “
Continue reading from the Glendale News Press by clicking here.
Breakwater revamp a stormy subject for Long Beach Peninsula residents: Potential environmental benefits of reconfiguration weighed against keeping homes safe from encroaching seas
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:46 am
From the Long Beach Press Telegram:
“Dorothy “Dottie” Ricketts lives in a cozy cottage on 64th Place on the Peninsula — a home that once had been anchored on 69th Place and Seaside Walk.
That was before a 1939 storm ushered in giant waves that invaded Peninsula-Belmont Shore beachfront residences, toppling or flooding many and crunching large sections of a boardwalk and seawall.
More than 70 years later, Peninsula homeowners fret over a possible repeat of the stormy scenario if the Long Beach breakwater is reconfigured.
A push to have the breakwater revamped picked up traction this past week after the Army Corps of Engineers gave its blessing for a thorough feasibility study researching possible changes. The City Council then approved paying the city’s $4 million share of the $8 million study over a four-year period. The Corps would pay the other half.
Environmentalists have been advocating a reconfiguration of the breakwater to improve shoreline wave action and recreation opportunities, increase tourism, and reduce water pollution in the breakwater area, formally known as East San Pedro Bay. … “
Continue reading this article from the Long Beach Press Telegram by clicking here.
Photo of Long Beach breakwater by USGS via Wikimedia Commons.
Beacon Beach is left in the lurch as state vetoes sea wall
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:37 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“California State Parks won’t allow the city of Encinitas to use a sea wall to stabilize a shaky bluff that city officials fear could collapse and take with it a blufftop parking lot and trail leading down to Beacon’s Beach, a popular surfing spot.
Ronie Clark, the state park agency’s southern division chief, said the 100-foot bluff is “an active landslide” but noted that the state’s park policy prohibits sea walls.
Clark suggested fencing off the beach, saying the authors of the state’s general plan for parks “felt it was inappropriate to encourage visitor use on an active landslide.”
City officials said they oppose closing off public access, but they are concerned about the safety and the city’s liability if the bluff collapses and destroys roads, sewer lines and private homes — and possibly kills someone. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Olivenhain water district to end water restrictions July 1
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:34 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“Restrictions on water use for customers of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District are lifted effective July 1 now that the district has ended its Level 2 drought alert.
The water district board voted unanimously at its June 23 meeting to end a yearlong ban on hosing down paved surfaces such as driveways and irrigating a maximum of three days a week, among other restrictions. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
La Niña expected to bring dry weather to San Diego
Posted by: Maven on June 29, 2010 at 6:33 amFrom KPBS:
“Climatologists say San Diego and the entire southwestern United States can expect dry conditions this fall and winter because El Niño has ended and La Niña is setting in.
El Niños and La Niñas are weather cycles detected from sea-surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean. El Niños usually bring wetter than normal winters to San Diego. La Niñas typically bring drier, and warmer conditions.
Last year, El Niño was credited with bringing San Diego near-normal rainfall. But that followed some of the driest years on record. … “
Continue reading from KPBS by clicking here.
Monday’s top of the scroll: Delta dwellers mull cashing in on heritage; Federal designation could generate funds, notoriety
Posted by: Maven on June 28, 2010 at 7:31 am
From the Stockton Record:
“The Delta could become the first “national heritage area” in California, releasing a small stream of federal dollars to build trails, preserve Gold Rush-era buildings and attract tourists to farms and wetlands.
But will residents of the estuary embrace yet another government initiative – however harmless it might sound?
The Delta Protection Commission is trying to determine if a designation is even worth pursuing, and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has drafted legislation for public review.
While national heritage areas fall under the auspices of the National Park Service – and use its trademark arrowhead symbol – they involve no federal regulation of land use and require no local restrictions. … “
Continue reading from the Stockton Record by clicking here.
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Photo of the Delta by the Department of Water Resources.
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