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Indybay Feature

CSPA: Water Bond Is Insidious Threat to Delta and Central Valley Rivers

by Dan Bacher
CSPA Executive Director Bill Jennings observed, “Proposition 1 is a poster-child of why California is in a water crisis; it enriches water speculators but accomplishes little in addressing the drought, solving California’s long-term water needs, reducing reliance on the Delta or protecting our rivers and fisheries.
cspa_14-point_opposition_prop_1.pdf_600_.jpg
Pork-filled gift basket to special interests won’t solve water problems

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) released a 14-Point Statement of Opposition to Proposition 1 on September 2.

After carefully reviewing the provisions of the "Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014," CSPA has concluded that Proposition 1 represents a "grave and insidious threat to core environmental values and principles buttressing protection for fisheries and the environment."

"Among numerous reasons the water bond is bad for California is that Proposition 1 undermines: the public trust doctrine by purchasing water the public already owns, at inflated prices, to protect the public’s rivers and environment; the principle of beneficiary pays by subsidizing projects that benefit special interests and the core principle that projects should be responsible for mitigating their adverse impacts," according to a CSPA news release.

"Furthermore, Proposition 1: paves the way for a new era of big dam building; is a pork-filled barrel of special interest subsidies, including the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the peripheral tunnels; provides little near-term drought relief; eliminates public oversight; crowds out other critically needed investments in roads, schools and public health and safety; is fiscally irresponsible and sabotages efforts to meaningfully address California’s continuing water crisis," the group said.

CSPA Executive Director Bill Jennings observed, “Proposition 1 is a poster-child of why California is in a water crisis; it enriches water speculators but accomplishes little in addressing the drought, solving California’s long-term water needs, reducing reliance on the Delta or protecting our rivers and fisheries. When the pubic focuses a critical eye on Prop. 1, they’ll realize that it’s just another expensive pork-filled gift basket to special interests.”

CSPA joins the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, San Francisco Crab Boat Association, Restore the Delta, Center for Biological Diversity, California Water Impact Network, Food & Water Watch, Southern California Watershed Alliance, South Delta Water Agency, Central Delta Water Agency, Concerned Citizens Coalition of Stockton, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fisherman’s Association and numerous other fishing, environmental, water and civic organizations in opposing Proposition 1.
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Comments (Hide Comments)
by Beeline
I would not put much stock in the "public trust". It's making a lot of noise and getting on the news in southern California that can make a difference. 3/4 of the voters live in southern California and could easily out vote the north if they remain 'dumbed down', propagandized, and water greedy.

As far as inheriting the public trust doctrine from the Romans- they used to say that "where the Roman Legion goes, they leave behind a desert".

Most folks get bored pretty fast by political science but the people should remember that the essence of Fascism is a close relationship between government and the corporate sector. Benito Mussolini pushed for privatization, small government, union breaking, and a massive ideological propaganda campaign against socialism just like the republicans are doing now. What is perhaps more frightening is that the democrats are pretty much going along with it. So calling the president or the governor of California fascist is not just idle character assassination.

If we lose this one then California will truly become a corporate state and democracy will be a mirage like illusion that fades into the shimmer of the heat waves over the land.


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