State Supreme Court to rule in Delta property-rights case [Sacramento Bee]
The
California Supreme Court has agreed to decide an epic battle over whether the
state must condemn and acquire parcels on tens of thousands of acres of private
property to conduct preliminary testing for Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to
construct two large water-conveyance tunnels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta….The state Department of Water Resources asked for the high court’s
review after the 3rd District Court of Appeal ruled in March that, in this
instance, the state did not have a pre-condemnation right to enter private
properties in the Delta without the permission of the landowners. The ruling
put the state in a pickle because it does not want to condemn, acquire and pay
for property that it has not yet decided it will need for its “twin tunnels”
project.
Editorial: Water debate
illustrates why Delta tunnel plan must be killed [San Jose Mercury News]
The
water bond debate before the Legislature makes clear what Gov. Jerry Brown
should already know: Californians want no part of his massive, $25 billion twin
tunnel plan….The governor should drop his unpopular plan so that California can
take the necessary steps to combat the drought and get serious about restoring
the Delta. Brown is right about one thing concerning the water bond: It needs
to shrink. A lot. All the pork has to go, if it's going to pass muster with
voters in November….Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg expects
negotiations to continue through the summer. He argues that any successful
water bond deal must be perceived as "tunnel neutral"…Brown's tunnel
plan is going nowhere. Silicon Valley residents rely on the Delta for about
half of their water supply. The governor should give up on his notion of a
legacy project in favor of a slimmed down conveyance system and restoration
project for the Delta.
Bill
to authorize inspection of Ventura County water wells sent to governor [Ventura
County Star]
A
bill that would give local authorities the ability to obtain a warrant to
inspect water wells on the Oxnard Plain was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown on
Wednesday.
The
measure, SB 988 by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, would grant
authority to the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency to inspect meters on
the wells of those who pump from overdrafted aquifers. In some areas, the water
level has dropped so low that the basins are increasingly threatened by
seawater intrusion….Under the bill, the agency would be allowed to inspect
meters of landowners who voluntarily allow inspectors onto their property. If a
landowner does not cooperate, the agency would be authorized to obtain an
inspection warrant to gain access to the property.
Farmers
hope Kevin McCarthy will fight for California farms [Visalia Times-Delta]
It's
not often Tulare County farmers feel they have support from Washington D.C.
power brokers, but with Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Bakersfield) promotion to
majority leader in the House of Representatives, many hope their voices will
now be heard in the halls of Congress. "I think this is one of our better
opportunities to get a proactive farming person in the federal government and
to have farmers minds at the forefront of policy making," said Josh
Pitigliano, a fourth generation almond farmer who has operations all over the
southern half of Tulare County. With McCarthy's new title the South Valley
lawmaker now the authority to set the agenda on the House floor. But the local
agriculture community's wish list — which includes water projects and some form
of immigration reform — makes for a tough task for McCarthy, who will need to
bring together legislators from around the country who have considerably
different priorities.
Biden
says no ‘Red Card’ for GOP on Immigration [Wall Street Journal]
A
day after Congress’s biggest cheerleader for immigration legislation declared
the effort dead, Vice President Joe Biden insisted it is still alive. Mr. Biden
told a gathering of a dozen people representing law enforcement, agriculture
interests and religious communities that despite Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D., Ill.)
showing a red card – soccer’s version of a being thrown out of the game – to
House Republicans on immigration reform, the White House still thinks it a deal
can be reached on Capitol Hill….Mr. Biden delivered an immigration pep talk
during the the two-hour Thursday afternoon session. He urged them to keep their
efforts focused on Congress, which he said could still reach an immigration
solution….Mr. Biden on Thursday acknowledged the outside pressure during the
meeting and said it can only be sufficiently relieved by Congress. “He said
they’re getting a lot of pressure and the president understands the need for a
legislative solution,” said Kristi Boswell of the American Farm Bureau.
Bill
prompted by Foster Farms outbreak requires poultry recalls [Washington Post]
With
the number of salmonella illnesses linked to Foster Farms chicken climbing to
more than 600 cases this month, two members of Congress introduced legislation
this week that would require food recalls in such circumstances….Foster Farms
has declined to order a voluntary recall, saying it believes the chicken is
safe if properly handled to prevent spread of the contamination and is cooked
to at least 165 degrees. On Wednesday, Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Louise
Slaughter, D-N.Y., said consumers need better protections….The measure would
require the USDA to recall meat, poultry and egg products contaminated by
pathogens that cause serious illnesses or death and that are resistant to two
or more classes of antibiotics commonly used to treat human illnesses.
Ag
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