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Schwarzenegger and Feinstein Meet Behind Closed Doors Over the Fate of the Delta

by Dan Bacher
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senator Dianne Feinstein met with legislators and "stakeholders" on Thursday in the hope of finding a legislative solution to California's water problems, according to Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta, in her "Delta Flows" e-newsletter.

The good news is that the Governor and Feinstein, at least for the time being, are apparently not going to support the Chamber of Commerce water bond that would build new dams and support the construction of a peripheral canal. The massive opposition of a broad-based coalition of fishermen, environmentalists, California Indian tribes and Delta residents to an earlier water bond supported by Schwarzengger has undoubtedly had a big impact.

The bad news is that the meeting was held behind closed doors without public scrutiny. I have a real problem with closed door meetings like this because the people most impacted by the legislator's decision are invariably left out of the process. To me, transparency is the number one requirement of democratic process.

Schwarzenegger yesterday issued the following vague and surprisingly short statement "after he hosted a meeting with Senator Feinstein, legislative leaders and key stakeholders to discuss rebuilding California's water infrastructure," according to the Governor's office.

"I would like to thank Senator Feinstein and all of the participants of today's meeting where we discussed the critical water issues facing California. Despite our current budget emergency, we still must address the severe water shortages that we are facing with court-ordered reductions in deliveries to Southern California, the Bay Area and the Central Valley. It is critical that we stay focused on rebuilding our water infrastructure - the economy, the environment, hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and 25 million Californians depend on us finding a solution. The longer we wait the worse and more complicated the problem will get. I encourage our state leaders to keep up their momentum and work toward a consensus on a proposal to put before voters as soon as possible."

My big question is who were the "key stakeholders" invited to this closed door meeting? Were any recreational anglers, commercial fishermen or California Indian tribal leaders, the people most impacted by the proposed peripheral canal, more dams and increased water exports, invited? I suspect that they weren't, but why doesn't the Governor's office list the "stakeholders" who were represented there?

What type of deal will be made between the Governor, Feinstein, key legislators and "key stakeholders?" Will the health of the California Delta, now in a state of ecological collapse, be sacrificed for increased water exports to corporate water contractors? Will a deal be made to build Temperance, Sites or other new dams in exchange for the state and federal governments agreeing to remove other dams, such as PacifiCorp'sdams on the Klamath River? I sure hope not!

And even more importantly, what will Feinstein, Schwarzenegger and the California Legislature do to address the current, unprecedented crisis in California fisheries? Will the state and federal governments finally do what they should have done already - reduce, rather than increase water exports from the Delta, to protect delta smelt, longfin smelt, juvenile striped bass, threadfin shad, and fall, winter and spring run chinook salmon?

Delta smelt, longfin smelt, juvenile striped bass, and other pelagic (open water) species declined to record low population levels in 2006 and 2007, due to record increases in water exports from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Meanwhile, the state and federal governments continue to blame "ocean conditions" for the unprecedented collapse of Central Valley chinook salmon runs, while refusing to look at the key role that massive water exports have played in the dramatic decline.

People concerned about the future of California fisheries and the future of the California as an estuary should keep extra vigilant and make sure that yet another bad deal for fish and the environment isn't made behind closed doors!

Here is Barrigan-Parrilla's commentary on the meeting between Schwarzenegger and Feinstein:
schwarzenegger_feinstein.jpg
Delta Flows – Weekly Highlights from Restore the Delta for the Week of February 18, 2008

“There are no tricks in plain and simple faith.”
---Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare

Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Feinstein Opt for a Legislative Solution for Meeting State Water Needs

Restore the Delta staff members have been riding the water bond roller coaster, with all its hills, valleys, and hairpin turns, since the last quarter of 2007. Today, we arrive at a possible point of faith and hope.

Yesterday, after hosting a meeting of numerous parties involved in planning for California’s water supply, Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Feinstein both gave comments supporting a legislative solution to creating infrastructure for California’s water needs, rather than endorsing the Chamber of Commerce’s water bond initiatives.

Restore the Delta supporters have done and excellent job writing and phoning Governor Schwarzenegger and Diane Feinstein to express our opposition to the Chamber of Commerce Water Bond Proposals. These bond proposals contained language to build or promote alternative conveyance that would bring further harm to the Delta and failed to aggressively promote water conservation and recycling programs which will need to become the underpinning for our way of life in California. We thank each and every one of you for your efforts. You are what Restore the Delta is all about.

Simultaneously, Senator Michael Machado (D-Linden) has done an outstanding job protecting and promoting Delta interests and bringing important local Delta leaders such as Tom Zuckerman, John Herrick, and Alex Hildebrand into further conversation with Senator Feinstein.

As of this moment, we do not know the Chamber of Commerce’s plans regarding their water bond initiatives, and we know that we must remain vigilant in making Delta interests a priority for California throughout this year’s legislative session. But we remain hopeful that a proposal can be crafted that will protect Delta fisheries, agriculture, and recreation, while providing for the water needs of our neighbors throughout California.

Again, thank you to our supporters who always come through for the California Delta.
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asesino
Sat, Feb 23, 2008 5:33PM
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