[Sosfbay-discuss] Schwarzenegger Signs The Delta's Death Warrant

[Carol Brouillet]

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the "Green Governor," last week signed a five
bill package that will lead to the construction of the peripheral
canal, more dams and the destruction of the California Delta unless
this insane plan is stopped.

Governor's Office Photo: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held a press
conference at the Set Back Levee on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River
Delta in Isleton, California to sign SBX7 1 by Senator Joe Simitian
(D-Palo Alto), the final bill of the package that will lead to the
destruction of the Delta. Of course, the locals weren't invited to
witness the signing of the death warrant for the Delta. From left to
right: California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce President and Chief
Executive Officer Joel Ayala, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and
Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.

Schwarzenegger Signs The Delta's Death Warrant

by Dan Bacher

After an all night session, the California Legislature on November 4
passed a water package including an $11.1 billion bond that provides
a clear path to the construction of the peripheral canal and more
dams. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger then signed the bills that he
described as "an historic legislative package to reform and rebuild
California's water system" during a series of press conferences and
highly choreographed photo opportunities over the past week.

While Schwarzenegger and Darrell Steinberg lauded the package for
being an “historic compromise,” Delta legislators, fishermen and
Indian Tribes slammed the legislation for leading to the destruction
of the Delta, its farms and its fish.

"Water is the lifeblood of everything we do in California," said
Schwarzenegger. "Without clean, reliable water, we cannot build, we
cannot farm, we cannot grow and we cannot prosper. That is why I am
so proud that the legislature, Democrats and Republicans, came
together and tackled one of the most complicated issues in our
state's history. This comprehensive water package is an historic
achievement."

Schwarzenegger praised the efforts of his Democratic collaborator,
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, to push the water policy
and bond package through the legislature. "He has been a tireless
leader, a relentless advocate for the environment and a true
statesman,” said Steinberg.

Steinberg claimed the legislation enacts “landmark improvements to
the environment and investments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
­ the heart of California’s water supply system ­ €“ to ensure the
restoration of the Delta’s fragile ecosystem while enhancing water
reliability for all Californians.”

“Over the last several decades, numerous efforts to comprehensively
address the state’s water problems have consistently failed,”
Steinberg gushed. “But the Senate this week rose to the occasion,
overcoming enormous regional, philosophical, and political obstacles
to forge an historic, bipartisan compromise.”

On October 11, Schwarzenegger issued a proclamation calling for the
legislature to meet in an extraordinary session to address
California's water crisis, in effect strong arming the legislature to
pass the water package that he wanted.

While the Legislature approved the water policy and bond measures,
they killed a bill by Assemblywoman Alsyon Huber that would prohibit
the construction of a peripheral canal around the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta without a full fiscal analysis and a vote of the state
legislature.

“I offered up a simple bill, a common sense approach,” Huber
stated. “Unfortunately, my bill was killed without a hearing.” She
vowed that she will resubmit this bill so it will have a full debate.

“I opposed the water package because it creates a new layer of
bureaucrats who will make decisions on water that will impact the
communities I represent, without allowing us to have a voice, “ she
emphasized. “I opposed the bond, especially because of the billions
in pork for LA. This dead of night pork giveaway is exactly why
voters give us low marks.”

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta,
agreed with Huber’s assessment. “The package lost any semblance of
rational debate and turned into a pork festival with the water bond
ballooning to over $11 billion dollars. With our state already facing
a massive debt and more red ink on the horizon, how can we afford
this?”

The “pork festival” bond measure includes $455 million for drought
relief, $1.4 billion for regional water supply, $2.25 billion for
Delta “sustainability, $3 billion for water storage , $1.7 billion
for watershed conservation, $1 billion for groundwater and $1.25
billion for water recycling and water conservation.

The $1.7 allocated for watershed conservation includes $250 million
for California's portion of funding to remove four dams on the
Klamath, directly linking Klamath Dam removal to building the
peripheral canal and Temperance Flat and Sites reservoirs.

Representatives of fishing groups were outraged by the passing and
signing of the bills. "Today is a sad day for the 
San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta 
estuary," said Roger Mammon, board
member of Restore the Delta and the West Delta Chapter of the
California Striped Bass Association after the passage of the
package. “The implications are unbelievable and could possibly lead
to the worst ecological disaster to ever hit the United States."

The passage of the water package could not have taken place without
the back room negotiations that large national environmental groups,
including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental
Defense and the Nature Conservancy, made with Westlands Water
District, Metropolitan Water District, Steinberg and Schwarzenegger
to craft the package.

Laura Harnish and Spreck Rosecrans of Environmental Defense, strong
supporters of the water policy package, said “It is important to
realize that the legislation does not authorize a peripheral canal.”

However, the legislation sets up a Delta Stewardship Council of seven
members, 4 of whom are appointed by the Governor. The Governor
reaffirmed that he wants to build a peripheral canal at a press
conference in Stockton the same day the package was passed, so you
can be sure that he will make the canal’s construction a priority
for the council members he appoints. In addition, the water bond sets
up the infrastructure that will be used in tandem with the canal.

The vast majority of environmental organizations lobbied against the
water package. The water package was opposed by the Sierra Club
California, Planning and Conservation League, Friends of the River,
Butte Environmental Council, Restore the Delta, California
Sportfishing Protection Alliance, the California Water Impact Network
(C-WIN), California Striped Bass Association, Clean Water Action, the
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Winnemem Wintu Tribe,
Center for Biological Diversity, Northern California River Watch, the
Public Trust Alliance and the Environmental Protection Information
Center.

Major unions including the California Teachers Association and SEIU,
the five Delta counties and regional governments throughout the
Sacramento region opposed the legislation also.

During the water package's development, the Planning and Conservation
League (PCL) had insisted that any solution focus on reducing
reliance on an already over-allocated Delta and 
require dedicated in- stream flows through the 
Delta and the San Francisco Bay for
endangered and threatened fish populations.

“The package missed the mark on both fronts,” said Charlotte
Hodde, water policy coordinator for PCL. “Instead of guaranteeing
the flows that species in the Delta need to recover, the package
provides no regulatory assurance that the water will be there. Even
the legislators' own staff analyzed this portion of the bill as
unenforceable. This will only worsen the fishery collapse and may
lead to even more restrictions on water supply exports from the
Delta.”

The plans by Schwarzenegger and Steinberg to build the canal in order
to export more water from the Delta to agribusiness and southern
California will be met by years of lawsuits, protests, direct action
and other resistance by the communities impacted. When the $11
billion water bond goes to a vote by the taxpayers, I predict that it
will be voted down just like the peripheral canal initiative was
defeated in 1982.

“There is no way that when the state is cutting budgets for schools,
fire departments, health care for children and other services that
the voters are going to approve an $11 billion bond that will create
a total ecological nightmare,” said Mark Franco, headman of the
Winnemem Wintu Tribe at the California Tribal Water Summit that began
just hours after the legislation passed. “The children of our tribe
have suffered for seven generations and now our children for seven
generations ahead will be paying for this if this measure is
approved.”

“We will continue to use every means possible to oppose this package
which sets in motion the canal and allows an unelected body to make
key decisions that will impact our Delta Communities, while we are
left on the sidelines,” Barrigan-Parilla concluded. “It’s no
wonder Californians have such a low opinion of their elected
representatives.”

For more information about the battle against the peripheral canal,
go to http://www.restorethedelta.org.




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Arnold Schwarzenegger, the "Green Governor," last 
week signed a five bill package that will lead to 
the construction of the peripheral canal, more 
dams and the destruction of the California Delta 
unless this insane plan is stopped.

Governor's Office Photo: Governor Arnold 
Schwarzenegger held a press conference at the Set 
Back Levee on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River 
Delta in Isleton, California to sign SBX7 1 by 
Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), the final 
bill of the package that will lead to the 
destruction of the Delta. Of course, the locals 
weren't invited to witness the signing of the 
death warrant for the Delta. From left to right: 
California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce 
President and Chief Executive Officer Joel Ayala, 
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.



<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2009/11/16/111209podium.jpg>640_111209podium.jpg
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2009/11/16/111209podium.jpg>original 
image ( 700x467)

Schwarzenegger Signs The Delta's Death Warrant

by Dan Bacher

After an all night session, the California 
Legislature on November 4 passed a water package 
including an $11.1 billion bond that provides a 
clear path to the construction of the peripheral 
canal and more dams. Governor Arnold 
Schwarzenegger then signed the bills that he 
described as "an historic legislative package to 
reform and rebuild California's water system" 
during a series of press conferences and highly 
choreographed photo opportunities over the past week.

While Schwarzenegger and Darrell Steinberg lauded 
the package for being an “historic compromise,” 
Delta legislators, fishermen and Indian Tribes 
slammed the legislation for leading to the 
destruction of the Delta, its farms and its fish.

"Water is the lifeblood of everything we do in 
California," said Schwarzenegger. "Without clean, 
reliable water, we cannot build, we cannot farm, 
we cannot grow and we cannot prosper. That is why 
I am so proud that the legislature, Democrats and 
Republicans, came together and tackled one of the 
most complicated issues in our state's history. 
This comprehensive water package is an historic achievement."

Schwarzenegger praised the efforts of his 
Democratic collaborator, Senate President Pro Tem 
Darrell Steinberg, to push the water policy and 
bond package through the legislature. "He has 
been a tireless leader, a relentless advocate for 
the environment and a true statesman,” said Steinberg.

Steinberg claimed the legislation enacts 
“landmark improvements to the environment and 
investments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta – 
the heart of California’s water supply system – 
to ensure the restoration of the Delta’s fragile 
ecosystem while enhancing water reliability for all Californians.”

“Over the last several decades, numerous efforts 
to comprehensively address the state’s water 
problems have consistently failed,” Steinberg 
gushed. “But the Senate this week rose to the 
occasion, overcoming enormous regional, 
philosophical, and political obstacles to forge 
an historic, bipartisan compromise.”

On October 11, Schwarzenegger issued a 
proclamation calling for the legislature to meet 
in an extraordinary session to address 
California's water crisis, in effect strong 
arming the legislature to pass the water package that he wanted.

While the Legislature approved the water policy 
and bond measures, they killed a bill by 
Assemblywoman Alsyon Huber that would prohibit 
the construction of a peripheral canal around the 
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta without a full 
fiscal analysis and a vote of the state legislature.

“I offered up a simple bill, a common sense 
approach,” Huber stated. “Unfortunately, my bill 
was killed without a hearing.” She vowed that she 
will resubmit this bill so it will have a full debate.

“I opposed the water package because it creates a 
new layer of bureaucrats who will make decisions 
on water that will impact the communities I 
represent, without allowing us to have a voice, “ 
she emphasized. “I opposed the bond, especially 
because of the billions in pork for LA. This dead 
of night pork giveaway is exactly why voters give us low marks.”

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of 
Restore the Delta, agreed with Huber’s 
assessment. “The package lost any semblance of 
rational debate and turned into a pork festival 
with the water bond ballooning to over $11 
billion dollars. With our state already facing a 
massive debt and more red ink on the horizon, how can we afford this?”

The “pork festival” bond measure includes $455 
million for drought relief, $1.4 billion for 
regional water supply, $2.25 billion for Delta 
“sustainability, $3 billion for water storage , 
$1.7 billion for watershed conservation, $1 
billion for groundwater and $1.25 billion for 
water recycling and water conservation.

The $1.7 allocated for watershed conservation 
includes $250 million for California's portion of 
funding to remove four dams on the Klamath, 
directly linking Klamath Dam removal to building 
the peripheral canal and Temperance Flat and Sites reservoirs.

Representatives of fishing groups were outraged 
by the passing and signing of the bills. "Today 
is a sad day for the San Francisco 
Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta estuary," said 
Roger Mammon, board member of Restore the Delta 
and the West Delta Chapter of the California 
Striped Bass Association after the passage of the 
package. “The implications are unbelievable and 
could possibly lead to the worst ecological 
disaster to ever hit the United States."

The passage of the water package could not have 
taken place without the back room negotiations 
that large national environmental groups, 
including the Natural Resources Defense Council, 
Environmental Defense and the Nature Conservancy, 
made with Westlands Water District, Metropolitan 
Water District, Steinberg and Schwarzenegger to craft the package.

Laura Harnish and Spreck Rosecrans of 
Environmental Defense, strong supporters of the 
water policy package, said “It is important to 
realize that the legislation does not authorize a peripheral canal.”

However, the legislation sets up a Delta 
Stewardship Council of seven members, 4 of whom 
are appointed by the Governor. The Governor 
reaffirmed that he wants to build a peripheral 
canal at a press conference in Stockton the same 
day the package was passed, so you can be sure 
that he will make the canal’s construction a 
priority for the council members he appoints. In 
addition, the water bond sets up the 
infrastructure that will be used in tandem with the canal.

The vast majority of environmental organizations 
lobbied against the water package. The water 
package was opposed by the Sierra Club 
California, Planning and Conservation League, 
Friends of the River, Butte Environmental 
Council, Restore the Delta, California 
Sportfishing Protection Alliance, the California 
Water Impact Network (C-WIN), California Striped 
Bass Association, Clean Water Action, the 
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, 
Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Center for Biological 
Diversity, Northern California River Watch, the 
Public Trust Alliance and the Environmental Protection Information Center.

Major unions including the California Teachers 
Association and SEIU, the five Delta counties and 
regional governments throughout the Sacramento 
region opposed the legislation also.

During the water package's development, the 
Planning and Conservation League (PCL) had 
insisted that any solution focus on reducing 
reliance on an already over-allocated Delta and 
require dedicated in-stream flows through the 
Delta and the San Francisco Bay for endangered 
and threatened fish populations.

“The package missed the mark on both fronts,” 
said Charlotte Hodde, water policy coordinator 
for PCL. “Instead of guaranteeing the flows that 
species in the Delta need to recover, the package 
provides no regulatory assurance that the water 
will be there. Even the legislators' own staff 
analyzed this portion of the bill as 
unenforceable. This will only worsen the fishery 
collapse and may lead to even more restrictions 
on water supply exports from the Delta.”

The plans by Schwarzenegger and Steinberg to 
build the canal in order to export more water 
from the Delta to agribusiness and southern 
California will be met by years of lawsuits, 
protests, direct action and other resistance by 
the communities impacted. When the $11 billion 
water bond goes to a vote by the taxpayers, I 
predict that it will be voted down just like the 
peripheral canal initiative was defeated in 1982.

“There is no way that when the state is cutting 
budgets for schools, fire departments, health 
care for children and other services that the 
voters are going to approve an $11 billion bond 
that will create a total ecological nightmare,” 
said Mark Franco, headman of the Winnemem Wintu 
Tribe at the California Tribal Water Summit that 
began just hours after the legislation passed. 
“The children of our tribe have suffered for 
seven generations and now our children for seven 
generations ahead will be paying for this if this measure is approved.”

“We will continue to use every means possible to 
oppose this package which sets in motion the 
canal and allows an unelected body to make key 
decisions that will impact our Delta Communities, 
while we are left on the sidelines,” 
Barrigan-Parilla concluded. “It’s no wonder 
Californians have such a low opinion of their elected representatives.”

For more information about the battle against the 
peripheral canal, go to 
<http://www.restorethedelta.org/>http://www.restorethedelta.org.


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