With nary a word, the Senate on Thursday night passed a
California drought-relief bill that sets up serious
negotiations with the House over water storage, river
protection, irrigation deliveries and more.
“The Colorado
River System Conservation Program, as the fund is known, will be
seeded with $2 million each from the Southern Nevada Water
Authority, Central Arizona Water Conservation District, the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Denver
Water.
“California water agencies plan to sell the first $200 million in
bonds toward a $25 billion project to bolster supplies for about
25 million people as the worst drought in a century threatens
farms and cities.”
“Hundreds of thousands of farm acres in California won’t be
growing crops for lack of water. This means higher prices for
produce and that will affect food banks throughout the state.”
“Like many fieldworkers in Mendota, a rural community 35 miles
west of Fresno dubbed the Cantaloupe Center of the World, [Jose
Pineda] Rivas finds his seasonal job of more than two decades at
risk of disappearing because of the statewide drought.”
“A prolonged period of below-average rainfall has put the entire
state of California under some level of drought, ranging in
severity from moderate to exceptional, for the first time in 15
years.”
From the San Jose Mercury News, in a commentary by U.S. Sen.
Dianne Feinstein:
“In a Tuesday editorial, the Mercury News suggests the Emergency
Drought Relief Act is a product of lobbying by large agricultural
corporations. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
From the PPIC Viewpoints blog, in a post by Caitrin Chappelle and
Ellen Hanak:
“As the legislature considers the final size and shape of this
new bond, it is worth reviewing how bond funds have been used in
the past and the areas that most need bond support in the
future.”
“Less outdoor watering, limiting vehicle washing and using
recycled water whenever practical is being urged by a San Diego
City Council panel in response to the region’s ongoing drought.”
“As with all things water-related, it depends where you live and
where your water comes from. A “we get it first” presumption does
not necessarily apply.”
From the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
Planting Seeds blog:
“As extreme drought continues to grip much of the state, the
California Department of Social Services has announced that
food banks in 24 drought-affected counties will be receiving
shipments of food assistance. …
“The $687
million emergency drought legislation, signed by Governor
Edmund G. Brown Jr.
“California Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s willingness to do Big Ag’s
bidding at the expense of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta
is increasingly alarming. Last week she released a revised
drought bill that has environmentalists up and down the state
fuming — with good reason.”
