The Comprehensive Safe Drinking Water, Water Supply Reliability, and Delta Restoration Act (2008)
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The goal of the proposed legislation is to build dams in order to expand water capabilities across the state in order to avoid shortages and meet the water needs of an increasing population.
Specifically, the initiative will:
- Improve delta health by providing funds to protect the delta habitat, native fish and wildlife
- Improve drinking water quality, clean up storm water runoff, and protect coastal waters by providing grants for local agencies to meet environmental standards. Funds will also be made available for programs to capture and clean storm water runoff that ends up in oceans, beaches, lakes, and streams and to protect delicate coastal ecosystems.
- Building two additional surface storage facilities and to expand capacity at an existing facility. Two of the surface reservoirs will be located off stream and the third would be constructed behind an existing dam, thereby avoiding obstructing water flows and fish migrations. The added storage will compensate for the reduced Sierra snow pack and allow water agencies more flexibility to bank and move water when necessary.
- Provide funding for water recycling and efficiency projects, desalination, water efficiency rebate programs, invasive species control, flood management, wildfire impact reduction, and other projects.
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Support
The California Chamber of Commerce and farmers are sponsoring the initiative, though it was originally proposed by Gov. Shwarzenegger and the Republican Legislature.[1]
Other groups supporting the initiative include:
- California Alliance for Jobs
- California Building Industry Association
- California Business Properties Association
- California Business Roundtable
- Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California
- Western Growers Association
Other legislative support comes from State Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto who said, "Water is too important of an issue to put on the back burner until the Legislature can learn to balance a checkbook."[2]
Some California farmers are worried about their crops, which have suffered over the past 5 years of drought. They are predicting more shortages this spring saying:
Agriculture has long had a dog in the California water wars, but no one listens to the people who feed and clothe a nation and world. This year, cities and counties likely will enter the fray because there is a real likelihood cities could run out of water. Already, municipal water suppliers are putting out the word; they are buying water to get through what will most certainly be a water-short spring, summer and fall. Before, there have been willing sellers. If the Delta smelt minnow shuts down the giant pumps moving water through the Delta to 25 million Californians, there may not be any water to sell at any price. Water experts are predicting water deliveries from the Delta will be cut by 30 percent, regardless of how much water is available to move through the Delta from Northern to Southern California.[3]
Opposition
There is a competing initiative called the California Safe Drinking Water Act (2008) that is sponsored by environmentalists and the democratic party. They oppose this initiative because they believe that it will be harmful to the fisheries.
Dr. Peter H. Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute, has stated that he is against the Governor's plans and instead hopes for greater water efficiency will help to meet future supply demands.[4]
Funding of the proposition
A major reason that both parties are hesitant to endorse the measure is the existing $14 billion of debt that the state is currently in. The democratic party has already agreed that the water initiative will have to wait while the state pulls itself back together.[5]
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines of Clovis, who has long pushed for state money for dams, was quoted saying the water projects "cannot be a priority" this year. "We have to get our house in order," he said at a news conference previewing the new legislative year. "We have to get fundamentally financially secure."[6]
Status
The initiative has been submitted to the California Secretary of State for approval.
See also
- California 2008 ballot measures
- California Initiative and Referendum Law
- Campaign finance requirements for California ballot measures
- Petition drive deadlines in 2008
- California signature requirements
External links
References
- ↑ California Chamber of Commerce
- ↑ Despite drenching, a plea to save water, San Diego Union-Tribune, Jan. 8, 2008
- ↑ Severe drought may be only way out of California water crisis, The Farm Press, Jan. 15, 2008
- ↑ Dam It, Not Now: Comments on Governor Schwarzenegger’s Water Bond Proposal, Pacific Institute, Feb. 14, 2006
- ↑ California Senate leader delays action water bond , North County Times, Jan. 7, 2008
- ↑ Budget woes divert water bond, The Sacramento Bee, Jan. 7, 2008
