Environmental
documents for proposed delta project criticized [Los Angeles Times]
Federal
agencies reviewing draft environmental documents for the state's proposal to
re-plumb the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are criticizing the work as
"insufficient," "biased" and "confusing." The
federal comments suggest it's going to be tough for the state to meet its self-imposed
deadline of releasing the draft this October for official public comment, an
important step in moving the project forward. In what would be the biggest
water supply project constructed in California in half a century, the state is
proposing to build a large diversion point on the Sacramento River in the north
delta and send the water through two 35-mile tunnels to aqueducts serving the
San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.
Commentary: Stop studying
salmon and start doing something [Modesto Bee]
…It
has become clear that predation on salmon and steelhead by non-native fish
significantly limits recovery efforts. The National Marine Fisheries Service's
2009 Draft Recovery Plan for salmon and steelhead found predation on juveniles
to be one of the most important specific stressors, and stated that reducing
the abundance of non-native predator fish was necessary to "prevent
extinction or to prevent the species from declining irreversibly."…Fish
and Wildlife did acknowledge that predation by striped bass was "a
substantial contributor to the poor survival of young salmon," but the
recommendation to change the size and bag limits fell on deaf ears at the Fish
and Game Commission.…Fortunately, Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, has introduced
House Resolution 2705, which would establish a five-year pilot program to
remove non-native predator fish from the Stanislaus River.…The state and
federal agencies are refusing to change and apparently believe that more ink
and paper can solve California's native salmon and steelhead declining
populations. They can't. We are sorry, but additional studies at the expense of
immediate action are no longer appropriate.
Key
Salinas River water right preserved [Salinas Californian]
A
tentative agreement hammered out between attorneys for the Monterey County
Water Resources Agency and State Water Board water rights prosecutors could
result in the cancellation of a planned revocation of a key water right to the
Salinas River….The standoff between the county and the state began just before
Thanksgiving of last year when the Water Board said it planned to revoke Permit
No. 11043, claiming that water projects the county agreed to build when the
original right was granted in 1957 have never been built….The goals a
half-century ago remain the top priorities today, Johnson said — reduce the
harmful nitrate levels in groundwater sources and stem the march of sea water
into the Salinas Valley basin’s groundwater aquifers. Norm Groot, executive
director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, said the settlement is important
because it will enable the county to go forward with needed projects. “If we
build any future projects we need all the water rights we have,” Groot said,
noting that the east side of the valley continues to have water problems.
Marin
judge says oyster operation must address issues, but will continue operations
[Marin Independent Journal]
A
Marin Superior Court judge has ruled the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. must clean up
parts of its operation per a California Coastal Commission edict, but it will
continue to operate until a federal court decides the farm's fate. In February
the commission unanimously approved cease-and-desist and restoration orders
against the oyster company, operated by Kevin Lunny, citing several violations
of the state's Coastal Act. In particular, the commission noted discharging of
marine debris; operation of offshore aquaculture facilities; construction,
installation and alteration of structures; and land alterations in conflict
with the state act.
UC
Davis unveils plan for World Food Center [Sacramento Bee]
UC
Davis officials are forging a plan to turn the campus into a nexus for food
research, policy and new technology, Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi told the
University of California Board of Regents on Thursday. Only a month old, the
plan calls for the creation of a World Food Center that would tie together the
more than 30 centers or institutes on the UC Davis campus that engage in
research related to food, nutrition and health, Katehi said. The chancellor
said she hopes the center will come to be seen as the Brookings Institute for
food, producing leading research on everything from food policy to genomics.
India
walnut market shouldn't be tough nut to crack for California growers [Modesto
Bee]
California
walnuts will start heading to India, potentially a big market, under an
agreement announced Wednesday. The nation's Ministry of Agriculture approved
the shipments after determining that they would not carry two pests of concern
from the Central Valley orchards. The exports will help meet demand from
India's growing middle class, said Dennis Balint, chief executive officer of
the California Walnut Commission in Folsom.
Ag
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