Good News: State Water Board is finally listening to the scientists
From Save the California Delta Alliance.
Good news. Finally the State Water Board is recognizing the reality that it is decades of over-exporting that is causing the environmental collapse in the Delta and making a common-sense scientifically valid proposal.
Of course, immediately, the farmers say it will take some of the nation’s “most fertile farmland out of production” and harm the Central Valley economy. Those who have been pushing for more water exports and the tunnels haven’t worried about the economies of the Delta communities or the Commercial Salmon Fishermen. Or even about the health of the San Francisco Bay.
If instead, the California Farm Boards could do the right next step and look at the farms that should be retired and retire all those newer corporate-owned orchards on the west side by I-5 where the land is desert and toxic, the problem could be easily balanced.
But big money owns those almond, pistachio, and pomegranate orchards like the Westlands folks and Stewart Resnick. In California, money talks.
The good news, the board votes on this excellent proposal in August. The bad news, the board is made up of five regulators appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown and this scientific recommendation goes against his tunnel plan.
The other bad news, “The proposal could put California on a collision course with the Trump administration, which earlier this year released a plan to “maximize water deliveries” from Northern California to the south state. President Donald Trump has promised to bring more water to San Joaquin Valley farmers, who supported him during the 2016 election.”
Ah, supporters like CA Congressman Devin Nunes and Rep Calvert – the first a big Trump supporter and the second (Calvert) who is trying to stop any lawsuits against the Tunnels.
Fingers crossed that science and logic prevail and the exports finally start to be required to ramp down to the original proposal that is healthy for the Delta and provides water for the state.