Senate passes California drought-relief bill [McClatchy News Service]
With
nary a word, the Senate on Thursday night passed a California drought-relief
bill that sets up serious negotiations with the House over water storage, river
protection, irrigation deliveries and more. The dealmaking to come will test
Democrats and Republicans alike. It could make or break some reputations, and
potentially pit one Central Valley region against another. It's still a work in
progress, though the Senate's action was a big step forward for those who want
a bill and a blow to those who fear the end result….On Thursday night, eight
House Republicans issued a joint statement welcoming the Senate bill, while
keeping up the political pressure on Feinstein that has been a hallmark of the
conversation to date. "While Senator Feinstein's bill is a starting point,
it fails to address our state's long term needs," the House Republicans
stated. "We now have an opportunity to find a balance between her
temporary measure and the comprehensive bill passed by the House."
Emergency
drought order imposed on three Tehama County creeks [Sacramento Bee]
In
the first such action of the ongoing drought, California water officials on
Wednesday adopted an emergency order that may require water rights holders on
three creeks in Tehama County to reduce their diversions to protect endangered
fish. The order, adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board, affects
Mill, Deer and Antelope creeks. The streams are home to some of the last
wild-spawning spring-run Chinook salmon in California, as well as Central
Valley steelhead trout….The board acted under new powers granted by emergency
drought legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in March.
Court
ruling could affect groundwater use statewide [Redding Record Searchlight]
A
judge has made a tentative ruling in a Siskiyou County court case that could
have implications on how groundwater is regulated statewide. That ruling could
give state and local agencies the authority to regulate groundwater pumping,
said James Wheaton, legal director for the Environmental Law Center, which sued
Siskiyou County and the State Water Resources Control Board….But bills in the
state Legislature may pre-empt court action, he said. There are several bills
in the state Legislature that, if approved, would require some form of
groundwater regulation….Groundwater management is needed in some areas of the
state, said Danny Merkley, director of water resources for the California Farm
Bureau. But groundwater regulation should be left to local agencies, he
said….Jeff Fowle, president of the Siskiyou County Farm Bureau, said regulation
of groundwater should be left up to local officials and landowners.
California
drought will hit cost of rice hardest [Sacramento Bee]
How
will California’s epic drought hit our grocery bills? Probably not as hard as
we might have feared. That was the consensus of a panel of food and farming
experts assembled for the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce’s second annual
“Perspectives on Agriculture” luncheon, held Thursday at the Hyatt Regency.
“(Price increases) really won’t be that huge for the average consumer,” said
Dan Sumner, director of the University of California Agricultural Issues Center
at UC Davis….One crop that will see a noticeable price spike: California rice.
“It’s the exception,” said Sumner, noting the international demand for the
state’s short-grained “sushi rice.”
Video
simulation captures scale of Delta tunnel project [Sacramento Bee]
The
water diversion tunnels that Gov. Jerry Brown proposes to build in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are so large that many policymakers and citizens
have had difficulty grasping the project. The Delta Protection Commission set
out to change that. The commission, a state agency that represents local
communities in the Delta, hired a computer artist to prepare a video simulation
of the three intakes on the Sacramento River that would feed the two proposed
tunnels. The result is a 46-second animation on YouTube that gives the
impression of a helicopter ride above the intakes and the region near
Courtland, in Sacramento County, where they are proposed….The Delta Protection
Commission – even though some of its members are appointed by the governor –
has emerged as a significant rival to the tunnel plan. Most of its members are
local politicians who represent cities and counties in the Delta that would be
directly affected by the project. The commission voted last year to formally
oppose the tunnels, although it has no authority to prevent it.
Greenhouse
policies to cost us all [Stockton Record]
California's
greenhouse gas policies are aimed at slowing climate change, but they will also
come Jan. 1 put a dent in the budget of every household and business in the
state, a new small business coalition is warning today. Fed Up at the Pump said
the "fuels under the cap" policy - which beginning in 2015 puts
transportation fuel suppliers under the cap-and-trade system for limiting
carbon emissions - will amount to an estimated 15 cents a gallon tax on
gasoline and diesel imposed without consumer comment or separate legislative
review….Still, fuel prices affect the bottom line of many businesses,
particularly those in agriculture that need diesel and gasoline for their
trucks and tractors, as well as the heavy trucks hauling fruits, nuts and
grain, said Bruce Blodgett, executive manager of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau.
"All of our commodities have to get to market somehow," he said.
"It's a cost that's felt throughout the industry.
Ag
Today is distributed by the CFBF Communications/News Division to county Farm
Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes; stories may
not be republished without permission. Some story links may require site
registration. To be removed from this mailing list, reply to this
message and please provide your name and e-mail address. For more
information about Ag Today, contact 916-561-5550 or news@cfbf.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment