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Schwarzenegger Looking to New Republican Leader As Canal Partner

by Dan Bacher
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is hoping the new Republican Leader of the California Assembly, Sam Blakeslee, will become a "partner" in his proposal to build a peripheral canal and more dams.

Photo: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger participated in a moderated Q&A at eBay in San Jose on May 7 as part of SolarTech, an initiative by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and the California Solar Energy Industries Association’s (CALSEIA) inaugural Solar Summit. While he constantly touts his "green" credentials, Schwarzenegger has presided over the collapse of Central Valley Chinook salmon, delta smelt, longfin smelt, green sturgeon and other fisheries. Photo from the Governor's Office.
the_solar_governor.jpeg
Schwarzenegger Looking to New Republican Leader As Canal Partner

by Dan Bacher

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, after the election of Assemblymember Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) to replace Assemblymember Mike Villines (R-Clovis) as Republican Leader of the California Assembly yesterday, issued a wildly contradictory statement attempting to enlist Blakeslee's support as a "partner" in the Governor's mad scheme to build a peripheral canal and more dams.

“As a fiscal hawk who works tirelessly to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent appropriately, Assemblymember Blakeslee will be a great partner in this leadership role," said Schwarzenegger. "I look forward to working with him to tackle the important issues facing our state right now including the budget, water infrastructure and improving our state’s business climate."

If Blakeslee is a "fiscal hawk" working "tirelessly to ensure that taxpayers dollars are spent appropriately," how can Schwarzenegger possibly, in the same paragraph, say he is looking forward to working with him on enormously expensive and environmentally destructive "water infrastructure" including a peripheral canal and more dams?

Schwarzenegger's canal/water bond proposal is expected to cost the taxpayers anywhere from $12 billion to $24 billion at a time when California doesn't have enough money to pay its teachers, firefighters and game wardens. It will not only cost the taxpayers dearly, but is expected to pound the final nail into the coffin of collapsing Central Valley Chinook salmon, delta smelt, longfin smelt, green sturgeon, striped bass and other Bay-Delta estuary fish populations.

Whether Blakeslee will embrace the Governor's canal and dams proposal remains to be seen. Blakeslee and other legislators in June 2008 inserted special provisions into the state budget to prevent an end-run around the Legislature and voters to build a peripheral canal, according to an article in the San Diego Union Tribune by Michael Gardner on June 16, 2008.

The Legislative Counsel concluded that the Department of Water Resources "has the authority, without further legislative or voter approval, to build a conveyance facility, commonly referred to as the peripheral canal."

"I am concerned that an issue of this statewide importance could be made unilaterally by an agency without the deliberation it deserves," said Blakeslee, who requested the opinion from the Counsel.

As Schwarzenegger was promoting the building of "water infrastructure," residents in the Clarksburg area of the North Delta are reporting that Department of Water Resources engineers and surveyors are drilling core samples and doing other on-site work in planning possible routes for the peripheral canal, according to Jerry Neuburger, webmaster for the California Sporfishing Protection Alliance. About half of the farmers are resisting the move to build a peripheral canal by refusing access to DWR staff.

"While about 50% of the farmers refused access to the state for exploratory purposes, those granting access report that a number of processes are taking place which, if the canal is approved, would pave the way for its construction," said Neuburger. "At a time when the state's budget is deep in the red and the governor is cutting state programs drastically, it seems reckless that the DWR is conducting these surveys without any assurances whatever that the project will take place. The expenditure of these funds is taking place at the same time that the governor is threatening to drastically cut funding for CalFire even as wildfires rage in Santa Barbara"

Neuburger emphasized that there is currently no funding for such a canal, no bills are pending in the legislature nor are there any measures on the May special election ballot that would would pay for its construction.

"Not a single shred of voter or legislative approved funding is in place, even for the exploratory work being done for free by Lester Snow and the Department of Water Resources to satisfy the governor's goal of building a canal as lasting part of his legacy," said Neuburger.

Neuburger quipped that "if one dug deep enough into DWR's budget one would possibly also find a contract for a bronze plaque to be ready by the end of 2010. The wording on the plaque might read; 'The Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Peripheral Canal, dedicated to the man who 'saved' all Californians from the drought, built under the supervision of California Secretary for Natural Resources, Mike Chrisman, Lester Snow, Director of the Department of Water Resources.'"

"This effort in achieving immortality by this triumvirate is no surprise when you consider that the governor, an actor, came from the land of Disneyland where faith in make-believe is required to enter the Happy Kingdom," concluded Neuburger.

Neuburger's contention that the Governor's fanatical zeal for building a canal originates from his desire to immortalize himself is backed by numerous others, including talk show host Christine Craft of KGO Radio 810 AM. Craft believes that his plan to build the canal was inspired after he saw the photos of Governor Pat Brown overseeing the building of the California Aqueduct, that now bears his name, and the California Water Project in the Museum of California History after he was inaugurated. Schwarzenegger probably figured that he could become immortal by constructing a monument to his gigantic ego, the peripheral canal, Craft notes.

Schwarzenegger cynically uses every opportunity he can to promote his peripheral canal "water infrastructure" proposal, also supported by Senator Diane Feinstein and the Nature Conservancy. In his speech at the "March for Water" rally organized by corporate agribusiness at San Luis Reservoir on April 17, Schwarzenegger said, “I am determined to getting a comprehensive solution done once and for all that will update our water infrastructure, increase our water storage and restore our Delta.”

Whether it is Schwarznegger's desire to build a monument to his ego, pressure by corporate agribusiness or a combination of both that has spurred his obsession for building a peripheral canal, it is crucial for all of those who care about the Delta and California's future to stand up for the Delta, Central Valley salmon and the taxpayers by opposing Schwarzenegger's canal/dams proposal. For more information, go to http://www.calsport.org.

Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter Speak Out for Big Ag

Meanwhile, Fox News, in its "usual fair and balanced" reporting methods, has taken up the cause of Central Valley agribusiness and the "economic hardship" that is a result of reductions in water pumping from the Delta, according to Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta. And to boot, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity are speaking out on behalf of San Joaquin Valley corporate agribusiness. Coulter was featured on Fox News last night, while tonight Sean Hannity is hosting a segment entitled "fish or famine," again bringing up the false conflict between "fish and jobs."

"Restore the Delta is wondering when Fox News will get around to interviewing Delta family farmers, commercial salmon fishermen, and the thousands of employees tied to the recreation industry in the Delta?" Barrigan-Parrilla asked. "Or better yet, will Fox News in its attempts to be fair and balanced interview Dr. Jeffrey Michael from University of the Pacific to find out how agricultural jobs have actually increased over the last few years in the southern part of the Central Valley? Or will they do some investigative work to learn about the real economic value of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the relationship between our multi-billion dollar economy and water quality?"

"At least Delta locals, who are often referred to as 'unreasonable' because we haven't rolled out the welcome wagon for those interested in building the peripheral canal, have the good sense to speak for ourselves and to pick representatives from all political views who embody intellectual and social integrity to represent our interests," she concluded.

For more information, go to http://www.restorethedelta.org.

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