California drought rises in political prominence
February 05, 2014 | 07:59 PM
California Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer announced today they are preparing legislation to address California’s drought as the House passed a highly controversial bill that it’s authors say would allow more water to flow.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
“Each day I monitor the California drought, and each day brings more concern,” Feinstein said in a news release. “I intend to introduce legislation soon with Sen. Boxer to offer relief for California and other drought-stricken states and to streamline federal projects and operations.
“We have worked with federal and state agencies, rural irrigation districts and urban water districts to draft legislation that will minimize controversy yet still maximize water supplies during this drought period. California is facing a 500-year drought, and the time to act is now.”
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
Boxer added, “While House Republicans are pursuing divisive and discredited policies, we will be proposing solutions that will help bring relief to the communities hardest hit by this unprecedented drought.”
Boxer was a referring to a bill the House passed today called the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, which would let more water be sent southward from federal pumps in the Delta to San Joaquin Valley farms.
The bill was co-sponsored by every California House Republican, the San Jose Mercury News reported, but Democrats said it will not be effective and will roll back federal environmental protections, halt restoration of the San Joaquin River’s flow and salmon habit and pre-empt state water and endangered species laws.
In a letter to the House Natural Resources Committee, California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, called the bill “an unwelcome and divisive intrusion into California’s efforts to manage this severe crisis,” the Mercury News reported.
Brown also wrote that the bill would “reopen old water wounds undermining years of progress toward reaching a collaborative long-term solution to our water needs.”
Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, championed the bill, saying it “restores some water deliveries, ensures a reliable water supply, and saves taxpayer money by ending unnecessary and dubious government projects.”
He added, “Last Congress the House passed legislation to address the devastating impact of severe drought conditions on the agriculture areas of central California. Unfortunately, the concerns of hard-working families and farmers were completely ignored by the Democratic-controlled Senate.”
At the news conference Tuesday after the Senate voted to pass the farm bill, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said she hoped that the bill’s livestock disaster assistance would help the California situation.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said he agreed with Stabenow, but that if it is not enough, then Congress would address the situation further.
Earlier this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said USDA would provide $20 million through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help agricultural operators use water more efficiently, stabilize fallowed cropland, and protect their livelihoods for the future.
Funds will be divided between two specific funding pools: cropland and grazing lands, USDA said in a news release.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
“Each day I monitor the California drought, and each day brings more concern,” Feinstein said in a news release. “I intend to introduce legislation soon with Sen. Boxer to offer relief for California and other drought-stricken states and to streamline federal projects and operations.
“We have worked with federal and state agencies, rural irrigation districts and urban water districts to draft legislation that will minimize controversy yet still maximize water supplies during this drought period. California is facing a 500-year drought, and the time to act is now.”
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
Boxer added, “While House Republicans are pursuing divisive and discredited policies, we will be proposing solutions that will help bring relief to the communities hardest hit by this unprecedented drought.”
Boxer was a referring to a bill the House passed today called the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, which would let more water be sent southward from federal pumps in the Delta to San Joaquin Valley farms.
The bill was co-sponsored by every California House Republican, the San Jose Mercury News reported, but Democrats said it will not be effective and will roll back federal environmental protections, halt restoration of the San Joaquin River’s flow and salmon habit and pre-empt state water and endangered species laws.
In a letter to the House Natural Resources Committee, California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, called the bill “an unwelcome and divisive intrusion into California’s efforts to manage this severe crisis,” the Mercury News reported.
Brown also wrote that the bill would “reopen old water wounds undermining years of progress toward reaching a collaborative long-term solution to our water needs.”
Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, championed the bill, saying it “restores some water deliveries, ensures a reliable water supply, and saves taxpayer money by ending unnecessary and dubious government projects.”
He added, “Last Congress the House passed legislation to address the devastating impact of severe drought conditions on the agriculture areas of central California. Unfortunately, the concerns of hard-working families and farmers were completely ignored by the Democratic-controlled Senate.”
At the news conference Tuesday after the Senate voted to pass the farm bill, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said she hoped that the bill’s livestock disaster assistance would help the California situation.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said he agreed with Stabenow, but that if it is not enough, then Congress would address the situation further.
Earlier this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said USDA would provide $20 million through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help agricultural operators use water more efficiently, stabilize fallowed cropland, and protect their livelihoods for the future.
Funds will be divided between two specific funding pools: cropland and grazing lands, USDA said in a news release.
