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Republicans Call for Action to Address Man-Made Drought

Projections: Up to 35,000 Jobs Lost and 300,000 Acres of Farm Land Unused

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 

CONTACT:     Emily Lawrimore mailto:emily.lawrimore@mail.house.gov  or
Jill Strait  mailto:jill.strait@mail.house.gov
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
202-226-2311                                                   

WASHINGTON, D.C.  - The House Natural Resources Committee held a full
committee hearing today on the "The California Drought: Actions by Federal
and State agencies to address impacts on lands, fisheries and water users."
Witnesses, including several members of California's Congressional
delegation, testified that this is a man-made drought, resulting from
Endangered Species Act regulations that have diverted much-needed water from
California families on the farm to three-inch Delta Smelt fish in the bay.
The man-made actions have been devastating to California's San Joaquin
Valley where it is estimated that this year alone up to 35,000 jobs will be
lost and 300,000 acres of farm land won't be used because water has been
diverted.

Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) explained, "Communities dependent on
irrigated agriculture are now approaching 40% unemployment as they watched
over 83 billion gallons of water - which was water normally dedicated to the
fields -- go out to the ocean in the last month alone.   It's important to
protect lands and endangered fish, but our government's environmental
policies shouldn't make our communities endangered in the process."

Republicans have offered numerous solutions to provide necessary relief to
families, farmers and businesses in California's San Joaquin Valley who are
struggling to survive in the midst of a man-made drought.  Solutions include
passing legislation (specifically H.R. 996 and H.R. 856) to suspend the
Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act during
times of drought emergency to ensure that the Delta pumps operate at
historic capacity, encouraging the Administration to take steps to allow for
water transfers and temporary barriers to keep smelt away from the pumps,
and offering new water storage as a longer-term proposal to help the State
in alternating times of drought and floods.

Congressman Devin Nunes (CA-21) warned, "This Congress has stood silent for
nearly two years as San Joaquin Valley residents have been starved of water.
Democrat leaders need to stop hiding behind the courts and bowing down to
special interests.  If they do not act within the next 30 days, it's over.
We will witness the collapse of modern civilization in the San Joaquin
Valley.

Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-44) testified that there is no proof that
diverting water to the ocean will actually benefit the Delta Smelt fish. "If
this Committee is going to continue to give federal agencies the authority
to take actions that kill jobs and harm our economy for the benefits of
species, then the American people deserve clear and undeniable evidence that
those actions are in fact benefiting the species."

Congressman George Radanovich (CA-19) noted that "the draconian regulations
that turn simple fish into the worshipful gods of the environmental
community and ignore the inalienable rights of people have led us to
conclude that Government does not work for us any more-we need the
Government to protect the safety and happiness of people, not fish."

Congressman Wally Herger (CA-02) stressed the need for "a sustainable,
balanced and comprehensive solution to this water situation that will allow
us to equitably meet the needs of all water users, human and otherwise.
Continuing down the same path we have been on for decades is not
acceptable."

Additionally, 17 members of the California Congressional delegation today
sent the attached letter to Committee Chairman Nick Rahall and Ranking
Member Hastings, requesting field hearings on the California drought in
order to get "the Committee to step outside the Washington beltway and hear
firsthand accounts from citizens throughout California impacted by the
drought.."

 

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