Schwarzenegger’s Boondoggle

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office today issued a press release for the $9 billion water bond boondoggle he is trying to ramrod through the California Legislature. For those us of us concerned about the alarming collapse of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem, this is very bad news, since the measure will fund the peripheral canal and the building of two new dams and the expansion of an existing dam.

The measure provides for $5.1 billion in surface storage and identifies three sites for this storage – Sites, Temperance Flat Reservoir and the Los Vaqueros Expansion Project. The Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley and Temperance Flat Reservoir in the San Joaquin Valley are included in the bond, in spite of the fact that the water would cost $1,000 to $2,000 per acre foot. Who is going to buy this water?

Schwarzenegger also disguises his plan to build a peripheral canal with his trademark euphemism – the development of a “new conveyance system.” The Governor cannot be truthful with the press and public and just call it for what it is – a peripheral canal or delta canal.

Of course, to give the proposal an environmental window dressing, the proposal includes some token “restoration” money. “The Governor’s comprehensive plan also includes significant funding toward restoration of the ailing Delta and would lead to the development of a new conveyance system,” the Governor’s office claims.

No mention is made of the dire need to conserve water and retire drainage impaired agricultural land in the San Joaquin Valley in order to restore the Delta ecosystem. In Schwarzenegger’s mind, the Delta is not an ecosystem that provides water supply, but a water supply that happens to include an ecosystem.

“Twenty five million Californians rely on the Delta for clean, safe water. It also irrigates hundreds of thousands of acres of Central Valley farmland and it is the backbone of California’s $32 billion agricultural industry,” according to the Governor’s Office.

As he did this summer at a series of carefully choreography press conferences and events pushing for the peripheral canal and more dams, Schwarzenegger again tries to paint a disastrous future for California water supplies if his water bond is not approved by the legislature.

“Our water crisis has gotten worse with the dry conditions and the recent federal court action that is going to have a devastating impact on the state’s economy and the 25 million Californians who depend on Delta water. We need a comprehensive fix,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “That is why we are introducing two bills to solve California’s water crisis in both the short and long-term. I look forward to working and negotiating with my partners in the Legislature so we can approve a comprehensive upgrade to California’s water infrastructure.”

The San Francisco-Bay Delta Estuary is the most significant estuary on the entire West Coast. State and federal scientists have documented a shocking collapse of four pelagic species – Delta smelt, longfin smelt, juvenile striped bass and threadfin shad – since 2002. The “Pelagic Organism Decline” (POD), as the scientists describe it, has been spurred by massive increases of federal and state water exports amounting to over 1,000,000 acre feet of water in recent years.

As these pelagic species decline, populations of other species dependent on the Delta estuary for spawning and rearing purposes are expected to plummet. These species include winter-run chinook salmon, fall-run chinook salmon, spring-run chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, Sacramento splittail, white sturgeon, green sturgeon and American shad. Valuable commercial species such as Dungeness crab, California halibut, herring and anchovies are also highly dependent upon the estuary for their survival.

The building of the peripheral canal and the proposed increase in water exports from the Delta, if it is allowed to happen, could result in the complete destruction of the Bay-Delta estuary and commercial and recreational fisheries up and down the coast. Recreational angling groups, commercial fishing organizations, Delta farmers, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, conservation groups and Delta residents are mobilizing to defeat Schwarzenegger’s dam and canal proposal. We must stop the Governor from strong-arming this water bond proposal through the Legislature so it appears on the February ballot.

Here’s the press release from the Governor’s Office:

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Contact: Aaron McLear Bill Maile 916-445-4571

Gov. Schwarzenegger Submits Comprehensive $9 Billion Water Infrastructure Proposal for Legislative Special Session

Governor Schwarzenegger announced a $9 billion comprehensive water infrastructure proposal to be introduced in the legislative special session that he called in response to California’s water crisis. The plan invests $600 million from Propositions 50, 84 and 1E to immediately relieve pressure on the Delta from environmental challenges and to respond to a recent federal court ruling that will reduce water deliveries to Southern California. It also includes $5.6 billion in water storage, nearly $2 billion in Delta restoration (in addition to the above-mentioned $600 million), $1 billion in grants for conservation and regional water projects and $500 million for specific water restoration projects. Written in two bills authored by Assembly Republican Leader Michael Villines (R- Fresno) and Senator Dave Cogdill (R – Modesto), the proposal represents a combination of ideas previously detailed in proposals by the Governor and legislative leaders.

“Our water crisis has gotten worse with the dry conditions and the recent federal court action that is going to have a devastating impact on the state’s economy and the 25 million Californians who depend on Delta water. We need a comprehensive fix,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “That is why we are introducing two bills to solve California’s water crisis in both the short and long-term. I look forward to working and negotiating with my partners in the Legislature so we can approve a comprehensive upgrade to California’s water infrastructure.”

Details of the $9 billion comprehensive water infrastructure proposal include:

– $600 million from Propositions 50, 84 and 1E to immediately relieve pressure on the Delta from environmental concerns

– $5.6 billion in above and below ground water storage

– $5.1 billion in surface storage

– $500 million in groundwater storage

– Identifies three locations for surface storage (Sites, Temperance Flat Reservoir and Los Vaqueros Expansion Project.)

– Specific criteria to assure public benefits and environmental benefits

– $1.9 billion for Delta Restoration and water supply reliability

– $1.4 billion for habitat restoration

– $500 million in early actions to address environmental concerns in the Delta

– $500 million in grants for specified watersheds throughout the state, including the San Joaquin River, Klamath River, Los Angeles River and others

In January, building on his Strategic Growth Plan from last year, the Governor introduced a comprehensive plan to invest in additional surface and groundwater storage to meet the needs of population growth and manage the effects of climate change on California’s hydrology and water delivery systems. The plan will help communities protect against flooding, and capture water from storms and snowmelt run-off to supply cities, farmers and business with water during drought conditions.

The Governor’s comprehensive plan also includes significant funding toward restoration of the ailing Delta and would lead to the development of a new conveyance system. Twenty five million Californians rely on the Delta for clean, safe water. It also irrigates hundreds of thousands of acres of Central Valley farmland and it is the backbone of California’s $32 billion agricultural industry.

Last year, the Governor directed the Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force to develop a Delta management plan. The task force will present its findings and recommendations by January 1, 2008 and its Strategic Plan by October 31, 2008. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is also underway, being developed with broad participation from water agencies, environmental organizations and local representatives.

DAN BACHER can be reached at: danielbacher@fishsniffer.com

 

Dan Bacher is an environmental journalist in Sacramento. He can be reached at: Dan Bacher danielbacher@fishsniffer.com.