Gov. Brown’s Backing Of Water Plan Irks Fishing Community
To save his delta tunnels, Gov. Jerry Brown just cut a deal with the Trump administration to build more dams in California. https://t.co/9gaF3pSycQ pic.twitter.com/feDlqXT2WJ
— Lois Kazakoff (@lkazakoff) November 30, 2018
Outgoing California Gov. Jerry Brown released a statemet today:
SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following statement on Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act) provisions proposed today by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein:
“I support the 7-year extension of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, including important provisions that House Majority Leader McCarthy and Senator Feinstein have proposed that enable California water users to participate in voluntary agreements and help improve river flows to restore fish populations.”
Reaction from conservation and fishing groups wasn’t pleased with the decision given Brown’s push to install the Delta tunnels that opponents say could devastate fish habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River systems.
Here’s Golden Gate Salmon Association president John McManus:
“There’s no way to sugar coat this. Today Governor Brown took a big step towards selling out California’s biggest salmon runs in order to keep the Trump administration from killing the governor’s Delta tunnels. Brown is now backing the WIIN Act which allows damaging additional diversion of northern California salmon rivers to almond growers in the western San Joaquin Valley. Only the state’s refusal to play along has held back catastrophe to date. Brown just capitulated to Trump and his crony, David Bernhardt. Heck of a way to end eight years as governor. Governor Brown, are you planning to follow Governors Deukmejian and Wilson by stopping the State Water Board from doing its job when it meets December 12?”
And this from Noah Oppenheim, Executive director of Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association:
“This irresponsible lame duck deal making will destroy West Coast commercial salmon jobs. The WIIN Act was a loser of a bill two years ago, and extending it for seven more years is ludicrous. If a bad water rider is the price our Governor and state agencies are willing to pay to get the water users to sit down at the table, then shame on them. This move will be a stain on his greenwash legacy.”
A few other reactions:
Gov. Brown trades state support for the federal salmon-killing WIIN Act for fed support for his tunnels. Disappointing isn't the word… https://t.co/USS1FcBZjE
— Golden State Salmon (@ggsalmon) November 30, 2018
Here's my quick report: #JerryBrown backs McCarthy's bill to increase pumping of #Delta water for #BigAg. https://t.co/7GokX5mHcj #notunnels #savethedelta #JerryBrown #BrownsLastChance #DeltaTunnels
— Dan Bacher (@DanBacher) November 30, 2018
.@JerryBrownGov supports a renewal of the WIIN ACT that includes backroom deals for how water will be managed in California and continuing to make Delta communities and fisheries the losers. We call on Senator Feinstein to drop her support of WIIN ACT renewal.
— Restore the Delta (@RestoretheDelta) November 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/DanBacher/status/1068659186077057024
