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Brown's Water Plan Includes Peripheral Canal
"Now that both candidates are for the peripheral canal, Restore the Delta will recommend that our supporters vote for the candidate whom they think is least capable of actually implementing his or her ideas," said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta.
Brown's Water Plan Includes Peripheral Canal
by Dan Bacher
Jerry Brown, the Democratic candidate for California Governor, on Wednesday released a water plan that includes a peripheral canal/tunnel around the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and new storage facilities.
In his "Water Plan For The 21st Century" posted on his website (http://www.jerrybrown.org/water-plan-21st-century), Brown endorsed the construction of a peripheral canal to facilitate the export of water to agribusiness and southern California.
Brown says he supports "conveyance and storage investments, such as a peripheral canal or tunnel, that provide a net benefit in ecosystem and water quality conditions and where the beneficiaries pay for the benefits they receive."
In several places in his plan, Brown has echoed the co-equal goals of '"ecosystem restoration" and "water supplies" that the Schwarzenegger administration has constantly pushed in his press conferences, photo opportunities and news releases. These are the same co-equal goals that many fishery and Delta advocates believe led to the failure of the joint state and federal CalFed program initiated in 1994.
"As Governor, I will: Ensure that the newly-formed Delta Stewardship Council completes a Delta Plan that achieves the co-equal goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and creating a more reliable water supply for California," Brown stated.
A broad coalition of environmental organizations, fishing groups, consumer groups, Indian Tribes, family farmers and Delta residents opposes the construction of a peripheral canal because of its enormous environmental and financial costs. Canal opponents fear that canal's construction will lead to the extinction of collapsing populations of Central Valley steelhead, Sacramento River Chinook salmon, Delta smelt, longfin smelt, Sacramento splittail, green sturgeon and other species. The construction of the canal would cost an estimated $23 billion to $53.8 billion, according to an analysis last year by Steven Kasower, economist.
Restore the Delta, a coalition of family farmers, environmentalists, fishermen and Delta residents opposed to the construction of the canal, reacted to Brown's endorsement of the canal on Wednesday by not endorsing either Brown or Republican candidate Meg Whitman for Governor.
"Now that both candidates are for the peripheral canal, Restore the Delta will recommend that our supporters vote for the candidate whom they think is least capable of actually implementing his or her ideas," said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta.
While backing the canal and new water storage, Brown also supports some solutions to California's water problems that many conservationists, environmental justice advocates and fishermen support. These include:
• Appointing State and Regional Water Board members who thoughtfully enforce state and federal water quality laws
• Strengthening programs that regulate discharge of wastewater into California's rivers, lakes and streams
• Continuing to implement Integrated Regional Water Management Plans that adopt pollution control measures and support pollution control programs
• Supporting programs designed to prevent groundwater contamination
• Securing federal support from the US Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance to low-income communities, especially in rural areas, to upgrade water treatment facilities and protect water quality
In contrast with Brown who only recently came out in support of the canal, Meg Whitman has strongly supported a peripheral canal and new dams throughout her campaign. “I was a proponent of the water bond that was just kicked to 2012 and I think that was wrong," she stated. "I was a supporter of that bond…. It had all the elements, it had, above and below ground storage, it had an outline for the peripheral canal.”
Whitman has also completely sided with corporate agribusiness – and against working men and women in the fishing industry devastated by the Central Valley salmon population collapse – in supporting increased Delta pumping. On May 26, 2010, she praised Federal Court Judge Oliver Wanger's decision to temporarily lift the Delta pumping restrictions protecting endangered salmon Central Valley populations.
"I am encouraged by the Federal Court's decision earlier this week that ruled to temporarily lift the pumping restrictions in order to increase water deliveries to the Central Valley," said Whitman in a statement. "This is just a start. We need a comprehensive solution and strong leadership to really fix California's water crisis."
Many political insiders are puzzled why Brown is supporting the construction of a peripheral canal because this controversial project was overwhelmingly defeated by California voters in 1982. In fact, the peripheral canal is so unpopular with voters that the Governor and Legislative leadership recently postponed the vote on the $11.14 billion water bond to November 2012 to prevent the bond from being crushed by the voters this November. The bond creates the infrastructure to be used in tandem with a peripheral canal/tunnel.
Mark Franco, headman of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, describes the absurdity of building the peripheral canal to "save" the Delta better than anybody.
“The peripheral canal is a big, stupid idea that doesn’t make any sense from a tribal environmental perspective,” says Franco. “Building a canal to save the Delta is like a doctor inserting an arterial bypass from your shoulder to your hand– it will cause your elbow to die just like taking water out of the Delta through a peripheral canal will cause the Delta to die.”
While Brown calls describes his proposal as a "Water Plan For The 21st Century," the plan includes a peripheral canal and new dams that are in fact Nineteenth Century solutions to Twenty-First Century water problems.
Below is Brown's water plan:
Water Plan For The 21st Century
California's water is threatened as never before. Climate change, invasive species, toxic chemicals, dumping and just plain inefficiency threaten California's water supplies. The Bay-Delta ecosystem, which provides water for 25 million Californians and hundreds of thousands of acres of farm land, is collapsing. Groundwater is being pumped at unsustainable rates. And our water infrastructure - dams, levees, canals - is old and vulnerable to earth quakes, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion.
Ensuring safe and sufficient water supplies for the 21st century requires significant investments in our water infrastructure and natural ecosystems. After five decades of divisive wrangling, the time has arrived for the governor to provide real leadership and solve our longstanding water problems. The goal must be to maintain and enhance water supplies for all Californians and take action to restore the Bay-Delta and meet California's true water needs.
MY RECORD ON WATER:
As Governor:
Awarded $2 billion in clean water grants, improving drinking water quality and creating 48,000 jobs statewide
Won federal protection for five wild and scenic rivers in California
Signed legislation authorizing construction of a Peripheral Canal and other water facilities - all requiring strong environmental protection
Used funding from the Energy and Resources Fund to reforest private timberlands, restock lakes and rivers, preserve wetlands, and promote soil and water conservation
Created a state Office of Water Recycling with the goal of tripling water recycling; and created the first Office of Water Conservation
As Attorney General:
Recovered $19.5 million from Shell Oil for underground gas tank violations that threatened groundwater and drinking water supplies
Worked with District Attorneys statewide to bring multiple actions against companies for illegal disposal of toxic wastes and groundwater contamination
MY PLAN:
To protect water quality and supplies, I will:
1. Ensure Safe Drinking Water for All Californians
While we have made significant strides in water treatment, toxic chemicals and other pollutants continue to threaten the drinking water of millions of Californians. As Governor, I will strive to make California's drinking water safe by:
Improving and protecting the Delta ecosystem and water supply
Appointing State and Regional Water Board members who thoughtfully enforce state and federal water quality laws
Strengthening programs that regulate discharge of wastewater into California's rivers, lakes and streams
Continuing to implement Integrated Regional Water Management Plans that adopt pollution control measures and support pollution control programs
Supporting programs designed to prevent groundwater contamination
Securing federal support from the US Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance to low-income communities, especially in rural areas, to upgrade water treatment facilities and protect water quality
2. Recognize the critical role of water in California Agriculture
Irrigated agriculture is the backbone of our agriculture economy. Reduced water supplies due to protection of endangered species, declining groundwater levels, changes in reservoir operation due to climate change, and other factors threaten the irrigation supply. Farmers need water supply reliability. As Governor I will:
Use the State Water Project, within the limits of existing contracts, to facilitate water transfers that improve agricultural viability
Create a permanent Office of Agricultural Water Supply Improvement to facilitate water sales and transfers benefiting agriculture
Encourage state and federal programs which help farmers make more of their water supplies
Seek partnerships between agricultural, environmental and urban water users which better utilize water supplies to serve multiple uses, such as providing incentives to farmers and agricultural districts to implement agricultural practices that benefit the environment while improving crop productivity
Support research at the University of California which helps farmers improve the efficiency of water use, improve the efficiency of groundwater pumping facilities to lower water cost, develop new varieties of crops which maintain or improve productivity while using less water, and find ways of making economic use of agricultural wastewater supplies
Implement state programs to assist farmers and irrigation districts to improve irrigation efficiency
Support programs to maintain California agriculture's global competitiveness
3. Increase Water Supplies by Expanding Water Efficiency and Recycling
Increasing the efficiency of water use - cutting waste and increasing recycling - is the most cost-effective, lowest impact way to expand water supplies. For instance, water efficiency standards for clothes washers set by the California Energy Commission save enough water to meet the annual water needs of the City of San Diego. Reducing water waste also saves energy since water pumping, heating, and treatment are major consumers of electricity (20% of the state's electricity goes to moving, cleaning and disposing of water). California currently has over 250 water recycling plants, but we must expand this capacity significantly to meet the state's goal of recycling over one million acre-feet of water annually. By using this water for irrigation and industrial purposes, the state's urban water supply will be increased by 20%. As Governor, I will:
Fully implement Senate Bill 7x7 which calls for improved water efficiency by both urban and agricultural users
Support incentives for increased water efficiency and recycling
Direct the California Energy Commission in coordination with the Department of Water Resources to adopt water efficiency standards for appliances that reduce both water and energy consumption and to adopt public education programs similar to "Flex our Power" to increase water efficiency
Increase capture of urban storm-water through cisterns, groundwater infiltration and other retention facilities
Consolidate and facilitate the permitting of recycled and reclaimed water projects
4. Restore and Maintain Groundwater Supplies
Groundwater provides an average of 30% of the water used in California and as much as 40% in drought years. Some communities rely entirely on groundwater for their water supply. Groundwater is also an increasingly important component of water storage in California. In the past 15 years, California has added groundwater storage capacity equivalent to 1.5 times the capacity of Lake Shasta, the State's largest reservoir. Yet groundwater faces serious threats from pollution and overdraft (the extraction of groundwater at an unsustainable rate), both of which must be addressed to maintain safe, adequate groundwater supplies. As Governor, I will:
Support development and implementation of Integrated Regional Water Management Plans that address surface and groundwater supplies and quality, as well as associated ecosystem and habitat needs and benefits
Direct the Department of Water Resources to assist those responsible for groundwater monitoring and reporting of groundwater levels
Foster programs that improve groundwater management by local agencies and lead to more sustainable groundwater use
5. Protect and Restore the Delta
In addition to providing water for 25 million Californians, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is home to many small communities. It also provides important farmland, recreational opportunities and habitat for fisheries, endangered species and other wildlife. The Delta ecosystem faces numerous threats from water diversions, unreliable levees, invasive species, polluted runoff from agriculture and urban areas, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion and more. California must implement a science-based plan to ensure safe and adequate water supplies while addressing the severe challenges facing the Delta. As Governor, I will:
Ensure that the newly-formed Delta Stewardship Council completes a Delta Plan that achieves the co-equal goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and creating a more reliable water supply for California
Prioritize levee repairs to protect existing communities and water supplies
Require the Delta Stewardship Council and Department of Water Resources to integrate sea level rise and other climate change impacts into the Delta Plan
Ensure that the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan is a multi-objective, integrated flood management plan that protects existing urban areas, and considers protection, restoration, and use of floodplains and wetlands for ecosystem restoration and groundwater recharge
Complete scientific, economic and environmental review of alternative conveyance facilities recommended by the Bay Delta Conservation Plan
6. Invest in California's Water Infrastructure including water storage facilities
California desperately needs investment in its water infrastructure, but given the State's financial condition, we must ensure that investments are cost-effective and funded by the appropriate sources. The beneficiaries - or users - of water infrastructure projects should pay their share of the costs of those projects. The state should invest in infrastructure improvements providing benefits to the general public or the environment. The projects must be cost-effective and make long-term sense. As Governor, I will:
Support infrastructure investments, including water storage projects, that achieve the multiple goals of increasing water supply reliability, protecting the environment and other public benefits, such as wetlands protection and restoration, and flood protection
Support conveyance and storage investments, such as a peripheral canal or tunnel, that provide a net benefit in ecosystem and water quality conditions and where the beneficiaries pay for the benefits they receive
7. Incorporate Climate Change into All Aspects of Water Planning and Management
Climate change will exacerbate all of the challenges water already faces in California. The Department of Water Resources projects that the snowpack will decline by 25-40% by 2050, reducing water storage and the water supply for millions of Californians. As snowstorms become rainstorms, the danger of flooding will increase. Higher temperatures and stronger winds will increase demand. Rising sea level will result in increased seawater intrusion threatening groundwater supplies. Both floods and droughts are likely to be more severe and erosion is likely to accelerate. Higher river flows may threaten the safety of some of our more than 1000 dams.
Integrating climate change into California's water planning and management is critical to accurately forecasting water needs and supplies and protecting increasingly threatened infrastructure and natural resources. As Governor, I will:
Further develop and implement the California Climate Adaptation Strategy to protect water supply, agriculture and sensitive ecosystems
Focus resources on protection and restoration of wetlands and riparian habitat that protect water quality and provide buffers against flooding and sea level rise
Develop water management plans that address the shrinking snow pack and growing frequency of droughts
by Dan Bacher
Jerry Brown, the Democratic candidate for California Governor, on Wednesday released a water plan that includes a peripheral canal/tunnel around the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and new storage facilities.
In his "Water Plan For The 21st Century" posted on his website (http://www.jerrybrown.org/water-plan-21st-century), Brown endorsed the construction of a peripheral canal to facilitate the export of water to agribusiness and southern California.
Brown says he supports "conveyance and storage investments, such as a peripheral canal or tunnel, that provide a net benefit in ecosystem and water quality conditions and where the beneficiaries pay for the benefits they receive."
In several places in his plan, Brown has echoed the co-equal goals of '"ecosystem restoration" and "water supplies" that the Schwarzenegger administration has constantly pushed in his press conferences, photo opportunities and news releases. These are the same co-equal goals that many fishery and Delta advocates believe led to the failure of the joint state and federal CalFed program initiated in 1994.
"As Governor, I will: Ensure that the newly-formed Delta Stewardship Council completes a Delta Plan that achieves the co-equal goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and creating a more reliable water supply for California," Brown stated.
A broad coalition of environmental organizations, fishing groups, consumer groups, Indian Tribes, family farmers and Delta residents opposes the construction of a peripheral canal because of its enormous environmental and financial costs. Canal opponents fear that canal's construction will lead to the extinction of collapsing populations of Central Valley steelhead, Sacramento River Chinook salmon, Delta smelt, longfin smelt, Sacramento splittail, green sturgeon and other species. The construction of the canal would cost an estimated $23 billion to $53.8 billion, according to an analysis last year by Steven Kasower, economist.
Restore the Delta, a coalition of family farmers, environmentalists, fishermen and Delta residents opposed to the construction of the canal, reacted to Brown's endorsement of the canal on Wednesday by not endorsing either Brown or Republican candidate Meg Whitman for Governor.
"Now that both candidates are for the peripheral canal, Restore the Delta will recommend that our supporters vote for the candidate whom they think is least capable of actually implementing his or her ideas," said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign director of Restore the Delta.
While backing the canal and new water storage, Brown also supports some solutions to California's water problems that many conservationists, environmental justice advocates and fishermen support. These include:
• Appointing State and Regional Water Board members who thoughtfully enforce state and federal water quality laws
• Strengthening programs that regulate discharge of wastewater into California's rivers, lakes and streams
• Continuing to implement Integrated Regional Water Management Plans that adopt pollution control measures and support pollution control programs
• Supporting programs designed to prevent groundwater contamination
• Securing federal support from the US Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance to low-income communities, especially in rural areas, to upgrade water treatment facilities and protect water quality
In contrast with Brown who only recently came out in support of the canal, Meg Whitman has strongly supported a peripheral canal and new dams throughout her campaign. “I was a proponent of the water bond that was just kicked to 2012 and I think that was wrong," she stated. "I was a supporter of that bond…. It had all the elements, it had, above and below ground storage, it had an outline for the peripheral canal.”
Whitman has also completely sided with corporate agribusiness – and against working men and women in the fishing industry devastated by the Central Valley salmon population collapse – in supporting increased Delta pumping. On May 26, 2010, she praised Federal Court Judge Oliver Wanger's decision to temporarily lift the Delta pumping restrictions protecting endangered salmon Central Valley populations.
"I am encouraged by the Federal Court's decision earlier this week that ruled to temporarily lift the pumping restrictions in order to increase water deliveries to the Central Valley," said Whitman in a statement. "This is just a start. We need a comprehensive solution and strong leadership to really fix California's water crisis."
Many political insiders are puzzled why Brown is supporting the construction of a peripheral canal because this controversial project was overwhelmingly defeated by California voters in 1982. In fact, the peripheral canal is so unpopular with voters that the Governor and Legislative leadership recently postponed the vote on the $11.14 billion water bond to November 2012 to prevent the bond from being crushed by the voters this November. The bond creates the infrastructure to be used in tandem with a peripheral canal/tunnel.
Mark Franco, headman of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, describes the absurdity of building the peripheral canal to "save" the Delta better than anybody.
“The peripheral canal is a big, stupid idea that doesn’t make any sense from a tribal environmental perspective,” says Franco. “Building a canal to save the Delta is like a doctor inserting an arterial bypass from your shoulder to your hand– it will cause your elbow to die just like taking water out of the Delta through a peripheral canal will cause the Delta to die.”
While Brown calls describes his proposal as a "Water Plan For The 21st Century," the plan includes a peripheral canal and new dams that are in fact Nineteenth Century solutions to Twenty-First Century water problems.
Below is Brown's water plan:
Water Plan For The 21st Century
California's water is threatened as never before. Climate change, invasive species, toxic chemicals, dumping and just plain inefficiency threaten California's water supplies. The Bay-Delta ecosystem, which provides water for 25 million Californians and hundreds of thousands of acres of farm land, is collapsing. Groundwater is being pumped at unsustainable rates. And our water infrastructure - dams, levees, canals - is old and vulnerable to earth quakes, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion.
Ensuring safe and sufficient water supplies for the 21st century requires significant investments in our water infrastructure and natural ecosystems. After five decades of divisive wrangling, the time has arrived for the governor to provide real leadership and solve our longstanding water problems. The goal must be to maintain and enhance water supplies for all Californians and take action to restore the Bay-Delta and meet California's true water needs.
MY RECORD ON WATER:
As Governor:
Awarded $2 billion in clean water grants, improving drinking water quality and creating 48,000 jobs statewide
Won federal protection for five wild and scenic rivers in California
Signed legislation authorizing construction of a Peripheral Canal and other water facilities - all requiring strong environmental protection
Used funding from the Energy and Resources Fund to reforest private timberlands, restock lakes and rivers, preserve wetlands, and promote soil and water conservation
Created a state Office of Water Recycling with the goal of tripling water recycling; and created the first Office of Water Conservation
As Attorney General:
Recovered $19.5 million from Shell Oil for underground gas tank violations that threatened groundwater and drinking water supplies
Worked with District Attorneys statewide to bring multiple actions against companies for illegal disposal of toxic wastes and groundwater contamination
MY PLAN:
To protect water quality and supplies, I will:
1. Ensure Safe Drinking Water for All Californians
While we have made significant strides in water treatment, toxic chemicals and other pollutants continue to threaten the drinking water of millions of Californians. As Governor, I will strive to make California's drinking water safe by:
Improving and protecting the Delta ecosystem and water supply
Appointing State and Regional Water Board members who thoughtfully enforce state and federal water quality laws
Strengthening programs that regulate discharge of wastewater into California's rivers, lakes and streams
Continuing to implement Integrated Regional Water Management Plans that adopt pollution control measures and support pollution control programs
Supporting programs designed to prevent groundwater contamination
Securing federal support from the US Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance to low-income communities, especially in rural areas, to upgrade water treatment facilities and protect water quality
2. Recognize the critical role of water in California Agriculture
Irrigated agriculture is the backbone of our agriculture economy. Reduced water supplies due to protection of endangered species, declining groundwater levels, changes in reservoir operation due to climate change, and other factors threaten the irrigation supply. Farmers need water supply reliability. As Governor I will:
Use the State Water Project, within the limits of existing contracts, to facilitate water transfers that improve agricultural viability
Create a permanent Office of Agricultural Water Supply Improvement to facilitate water sales and transfers benefiting agriculture
Encourage state and federal programs which help farmers make more of their water supplies
Seek partnerships between agricultural, environmental and urban water users which better utilize water supplies to serve multiple uses, such as providing incentives to farmers and agricultural districts to implement agricultural practices that benefit the environment while improving crop productivity
Support research at the University of California which helps farmers improve the efficiency of water use, improve the efficiency of groundwater pumping facilities to lower water cost, develop new varieties of crops which maintain or improve productivity while using less water, and find ways of making economic use of agricultural wastewater supplies
Implement state programs to assist farmers and irrigation districts to improve irrigation efficiency
Support programs to maintain California agriculture's global competitiveness
3. Increase Water Supplies by Expanding Water Efficiency and Recycling
Increasing the efficiency of water use - cutting waste and increasing recycling - is the most cost-effective, lowest impact way to expand water supplies. For instance, water efficiency standards for clothes washers set by the California Energy Commission save enough water to meet the annual water needs of the City of San Diego. Reducing water waste also saves energy since water pumping, heating, and treatment are major consumers of electricity (20% of the state's electricity goes to moving, cleaning and disposing of water). California currently has over 250 water recycling plants, but we must expand this capacity significantly to meet the state's goal of recycling over one million acre-feet of water annually. By using this water for irrigation and industrial purposes, the state's urban water supply will be increased by 20%. As Governor, I will:
Fully implement Senate Bill 7x7 which calls for improved water efficiency by both urban and agricultural users
Support incentives for increased water efficiency and recycling
Direct the California Energy Commission in coordination with the Department of Water Resources to adopt water efficiency standards for appliances that reduce both water and energy consumption and to adopt public education programs similar to "Flex our Power" to increase water efficiency
Increase capture of urban storm-water through cisterns, groundwater infiltration and other retention facilities
Consolidate and facilitate the permitting of recycled and reclaimed water projects
4. Restore and Maintain Groundwater Supplies
Groundwater provides an average of 30% of the water used in California and as much as 40% in drought years. Some communities rely entirely on groundwater for their water supply. Groundwater is also an increasingly important component of water storage in California. In the past 15 years, California has added groundwater storage capacity equivalent to 1.5 times the capacity of Lake Shasta, the State's largest reservoir. Yet groundwater faces serious threats from pollution and overdraft (the extraction of groundwater at an unsustainable rate), both of which must be addressed to maintain safe, adequate groundwater supplies. As Governor, I will:
Support development and implementation of Integrated Regional Water Management Plans that address surface and groundwater supplies and quality, as well as associated ecosystem and habitat needs and benefits
Direct the Department of Water Resources to assist those responsible for groundwater monitoring and reporting of groundwater levels
Foster programs that improve groundwater management by local agencies and lead to more sustainable groundwater use
5. Protect and Restore the Delta
In addition to providing water for 25 million Californians, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is home to many small communities. It also provides important farmland, recreational opportunities and habitat for fisheries, endangered species and other wildlife. The Delta ecosystem faces numerous threats from water diversions, unreliable levees, invasive species, polluted runoff from agriculture and urban areas, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion and more. California must implement a science-based plan to ensure safe and adequate water supplies while addressing the severe challenges facing the Delta. As Governor, I will:
Ensure that the newly-formed Delta Stewardship Council completes a Delta Plan that achieves the co-equal goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and creating a more reliable water supply for California
Prioritize levee repairs to protect existing communities and water supplies
Require the Delta Stewardship Council and Department of Water Resources to integrate sea level rise and other climate change impacts into the Delta Plan
Ensure that the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan is a multi-objective, integrated flood management plan that protects existing urban areas, and considers protection, restoration, and use of floodplains and wetlands for ecosystem restoration and groundwater recharge
Complete scientific, economic and environmental review of alternative conveyance facilities recommended by the Bay Delta Conservation Plan
6. Invest in California's Water Infrastructure including water storage facilities
California desperately needs investment in its water infrastructure, but given the State's financial condition, we must ensure that investments are cost-effective and funded by the appropriate sources. The beneficiaries - or users - of water infrastructure projects should pay their share of the costs of those projects. The state should invest in infrastructure improvements providing benefits to the general public or the environment. The projects must be cost-effective and make long-term sense. As Governor, I will:
Support infrastructure investments, including water storage projects, that achieve the multiple goals of increasing water supply reliability, protecting the environment and other public benefits, such as wetlands protection and restoration, and flood protection
Support conveyance and storage investments, such as a peripheral canal or tunnel, that provide a net benefit in ecosystem and water quality conditions and where the beneficiaries pay for the benefits they receive
7. Incorporate Climate Change into All Aspects of Water Planning and Management
Climate change will exacerbate all of the challenges water already faces in California. The Department of Water Resources projects that the snowpack will decline by 25-40% by 2050, reducing water storage and the water supply for millions of Californians. As snowstorms become rainstorms, the danger of flooding will increase. Higher temperatures and stronger winds will increase demand. Rising sea level will result in increased seawater intrusion threatening groundwater supplies. Both floods and droughts are likely to be more severe and erosion is likely to accelerate. Higher river flows may threaten the safety of some of our more than 1000 dams.
Integrating climate change into California's water planning and management is critical to accurately forecasting water needs and supplies and protecting increasingly threatened infrastructure and natural resources. As Governor, I will:
Further develop and implement the California Climate Adaptation Strategy to protect water supply, agriculture and sensitive ecosystems
Focus resources on protection and restoration of wetlands and riparian habitat that protect water quality and provide buffers against flooding and sea level rise
Develop water management plans that address the shrinking snow pack and growing frequency of droughts
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Jerry Brown stinks as much as Meg Whitman. He has promised the same austerity and is viciously reactionary, just like Meg Whitman. STOP THE INSULTING INSANITY OF VOTING FOR THE EVIL DEMOCRATS. RESTORE YOUR HUMAN DIGNITY BY VOTING YOUR CONSCIENCE. Things can ONLY GET BETTER IF YOU VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE. Vote Peace & Freedom or Green, both of which oppose the peripheral canal and support taxing the rich, those who make over $200,000 a year, to pay for our needed social services.
See
http://peaceandfreedom.org/2010/
and
http://www.cagreens.org/
and
http://www.sfgreenparty.org/
See
http://peaceandfreedom.org/2010/
and
http://www.cagreens.org/
and
http://www.sfgreenparty.org/
This is from the website of Laura Wells, the Green Party candidate for CA Governor;
"Water Policy – Key Themes
•Better public understanding of the Myths and Facts
•More representative planning processes are needed
•Public benefit must trump water profiteering
Background
California has gone through three years of drought, and there is no assurance that the problems will end anytime soon. Massive media campaigns are mounted as each segment of our state anxiously attempts to secure more water for itself in any way possible, spreading blame recklessly, claiming all of the benefits for their own local use, and creating imaginary problems that Californians are asked to solve with our pocketbooks.
We need to separate facts from fiction, expose the water myths for what they are, and insist on sound planning for a sustainable future.
Water Myths: There are many who would place all of the blame for unemployment in the San Joaquin Valley on the lack of water for irrigation. This is misleading. There are many sources of unemployment but water reduction is not one of them.
There is the fable of the Delta Smelt, the little fish that everyone blames for shutting down the pumps. However, only about one-third of the cutback in water deliveries to Westlands Water district could be attributed to environmental actions. The rest is attributable to the drought, while districts on the East Side of the San Joaquin Valley have been receiving 100% of their deliveries.
If California is to have a sound, sustainable water policy, then we must put aside these political water myths and begin to deal with facts.
Water Facts: There is only a fixed amount of water on this planet. Most of it is salty. The freshwater we use falls as rain, or as snow in the Sierras. Building more dams will not increase the amount of water that we have. It could be an overly expensive action, since there is already not enough rain to fill California's reservoirs now, and climate change threatens an even drier future.
We don't know how much water is required to maintain the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta as a fresh water estuary. If we fail to answer this correctly, the salty water from San Francisco Bay will flood the estuary, ruining the farmlands there, and we will have to shut down the aqueducts to avoid sending that contaminated water to Southern California. That is an economic catastrophe that must be avoided.
For years, the taxpayers of California have been subsidizing the delivery of water for agricultural use. It is only in recent years that this publicly funded water intended for agriculture has, in turn, been re-sold for urban use at a significant profit. None of that profit was returned to the citizens of California.
The water that we pump from the ground needs to be replenished or the land will eventually sink. In some parts of the state, ground water pumping has left entire communities below sea level. Land subsidence due to ground water pumping has caused some parts of the San Joaquin Valley to sink over 20 ft. since records were initially kept. The Santa Clara County community of Alviso dropped below sea level and now must be protected by levees. Yet, California has never measured its ground water on a regular basis. We do not know how fast the aquifers are being depleted, or how much water is being pumped each year. Those who pump that water use all of their political might to make sure these measurements never happen.
What We Propose;
Representative Water Planning
Planning for a sustainable water future for California requires that all interested parties have a seat at the table and come to a consensus as to what priorities will prevail and how they will be administered. Legislating solutions for the Delta water without involving those who live and work there will never accomplish this.
•California needs to change the way we plan for and manage our water supplies. The principle of bioregionalism - living within the means of a region's natural resources - should give direction to future water policies. It begins with the application of Green Values to water.
•California must develop regional water plans that assure public input into the state water plan that in turn must be based on sound science and on priorities that are in the public interest.
•Private profiteering must never be allowed from publicly subsidized water. If water secured at agricultural rates is re-sold at a profit for non-agricultural use, then the public must benefit -- not private profiteers.
•Environmental justice, ecological impact, and depletion of groundwater supplies need to be integrated with the ongoing process for approval of new water withdrawals.
•The legislature should re-work the 2010 Water Bond and improve it by revising the priorities, re-considering regional impacts, stripping out the special interests, and then re-submit it for public approval."
CA Green Party Platform here;
http://www.laurawells.org
"Water Policy – Key Themes
•Better public understanding of the Myths and Facts
•More representative planning processes are needed
•Public benefit must trump water profiteering
Background
California has gone through three years of drought, and there is no assurance that the problems will end anytime soon. Massive media campaigns are mounted as each segment of our state anxiously attempts to secure more water for itself in any way possible, spreading blame recklessly, claiming all of the benefits for their own local use, and creating imaginary problems that Californians are asked to solve with our pocketbooks.
We need to separate facts from fiction, expose the water myths for what they are, and insist on sound planning for a sustainable future.
Water Myths: There are many who would place all of the blame for unemployment in the San Joaquin Valley on the lack of water for irrigation. This is misleading. There are many sources of unemployment but water reduction is not one of them.
There is the fable of the Delta Smelt, the little fish that everyone blames for shutting down the pumps. However, only about one-third of the cutback in water deliveries to Westlands Water district could be attributed to environmental actions. The rest is attributable to the drought, while districts on the East Side of the San Joaquin Valley have been receiving 100% of their deliveries.
If California is to have a sound, sustainable water policy, then we must put aside these political water myths and begin to deal with facts.
Water Facts: There is only a fixed amount of water on this planet. Most of it is salty. The freshwater we use falls as rain, or as snow in the Sierras. Building more dams will not increase the amount of water that we have. It could be an overly expensive action, since there is already not enough rain to fill California's reservoirs now, and climate change threatens an even drier future.
We don't know how much water is required to maintain the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta as a fresh water estuary. If we fail to answer this correctly, the salty water from San Francisco Bay will flood the estuary, ruining the farmlands there, and we will have to shut down the aqueducts to avoid sending that contaminated water to Southern California. That is an economic catastrophe that must be avoided.
For years, the taxpayers of California have been subsidizing the delivery of water for agricultural use. It is only in recent years that this publicly funded water intended for agriculture has, in turn, been re-sold for urban use at a significant profit. None of that profit was returned to the citizens of California.
The water that we pump from the ground needs to be replenished or the land will eventually sink. In some parts of the state, ground water pumping has left entire communities below sea level. Land subsidence due to ground water pumping has caused some parts of the San Joaquin Valley to sink over 20 ft. since records were initially kept. The Santa Clara County community of Alviso dropped below sea level and now must be protected by levees. Yet, California has never measured its ground water on a regular basis. We do not know how fast the aquifers are being depleted, or how much water is being pumped each year. Those who pump that water use all of their political might to make sure these measurements never happen.
What We Propose;
Representative Water Planning
Planning for a sustainable water future for California requires that all interested parties have a seat at the table and come to a consensus as to what priorities will prevail and how they will be administered. Legislating solutions for the Delta water without involving those who live and work there will never accomplish this.
•California needs to change the way we plan for and manage our water supplies. The principle of bioregionalism - living within the means of a region's natural resources - should give direction to future water policies. It begins with the application of Green Values to water.
•California must develop regional water plans that assure public input into the state water plan that in turn must be based on sound science and on priorities that are in the public interest.
•Private profiteering must never be allowed from publicly subsidized water. If water secured at agricultural rates is re-sold at a profit for non-agricultural use, then the public must benefit -- not private profiteers.
•Environmental justice, ecological impact, and depletion of groundwater supplies need to be integrated with the ongoing process for approval of new water withdrawals.
•The legislature should re-work the 2010 Water Bond and improve it by revising the priorities, re-considering regional impacts, stripping out the special interests, and then re-submit it for public approval."
CA Green Party Platform here;
http://www.laurawells.org
You should all be well aware of Jerry Brown's despicable record. I find him so completely repugnant, and his behavior so entirely worthy of reprisal, that I would respectfully suggest he deserves more consideration than setting your vote aside for a candidate of conscience. In light of his partipation in the most violent reprisals seen, firing weapons directly at and against non violent Anti-War protestors and Longshoreman in Oakland. The UN Human Rights Commission named this the most heinous act in the years of anti-war activity under GW.
I believe this act alone requires a strong "NO!" vote, and unfortunately, that strong "NO!" vote is in voting for his only true opponent.
Its a sick situation this two party scam elicits. How do you want to resist?
Vote for Meg Whitman to punish the treacherous, cowardly fascism that is Jerry Brown.
I believe this act alone requires a strong "NO!" vote, and unfortunately, that strong "NO!" vote is in voting for his only true opponent.
Its a sick situation this two party scam elicits. How do you want to resist?
Vote for Meg Whitman to punish the treacherous, cowardly fascism that is Jerry Brown.
Should have made that clear :)
down with Brown.
dont just stand aside for someone this bad.
down with Brown.
dont just stand aside for someone this bad.
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