DOI News: Addressing California’s Water Challenges Through Action and Collaboration
From Michael L. Connor, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation; William W. Stelle, Jr., Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region; and Ann Mills, Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, USDA:
“The Obama Administration has been and continues to be committed to a comprehensive suite of actions necessary to promote a sustainable, reliable water supply to serve the people, the economy, and the environment of California. In support of the California Water Action Plan, we are pleased to share a white paper entitled, ‘Federal Investments for the California Bay-Delta Region,’ which describes the wide array of federal activities and programs, across several agencies, that complement the state’s plan and goals for the Bay-Delta and the rest of the state. …
“Just yesterday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $20 million in assistance for California agricultural producers and USDA is also announcing, this week, a coordinated effort to reduce wildfire danger in California and elsewhere. …
“Today [Feb. 5], the Bureau of Reclamation has also announced it has finalized the Central Valley Project 2014 Water Plan that establishes key operational actions and decisions to address the water supply conditions in the country’s largest water storage and delivery system. And to bolster this, Reclamation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other federal agencies will be making substantial investments in California this year.”