Are we surprised? Here is what Restore the Delta emailed to me:
"Restore the Delta staff members have been busy attending Conference Committee meetings on water policy and the five bill package reshaping the future of the Delta this last week. The end result: the Conference Committee failed to meet its own deadline yesterday. The Conference Committee report might be published later on today.
This, however, has not slowed down Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg who political insiders say is trying to push through a last minute water bill that will have elements from the previous bills and a new water bond. It is our understanding that Senate President Steinberg will introduce the bill on the floor this week to be voted on at the last minute without public vetting. The bill will require a 2/3 vote so that a referendum cannot be set into motion by the public.
Here's what we need each and every one of you to do.
Call your State Senate and Assembly representatives and let them know that they must not only vote against Steinberg's water bill, but they need to tell their colleagues to do the same. Also, call Senate President pro Tempore Steinberg and let him know what you think of policy legislation that is being written in the middle of the night without input from the Delta farming and fishing communities. Let him know what you think of a new water bond at a time when the state is billions of dollars in debt and education is being gutted. He can be reached at 916-651- 4006.
To say that Restore the Delta is exasperated by the events of the last two weeks is an understatement. Through the Conference Committee process it became apparent that not only were our expert Delta legislators, like Senator Lois Wolk (5th Senate District), shut out of the process, but that testimony committees were stacked with “experts" from outside the Delta, and that testimony from in-Delta interests was being ignored by the Conference Committee. Even more disturbing was a point during Monday's hearing when some Delta advocates were actually taken to task by Senator Flores and Senate President Steinberg for calling into question the behind-the- scenes negotiations process. Never mind that representatives from the Westlands Water District and the Metropolitan Water District were busy working a deal with Senator Steinberg and a limited number of legislators and representatives from the Governor's administration. Never mind this was happening behind closed doors, as a way to safeguard authorization of new conveyance that would deplete the Delta of the freshwater that it needs all under the banner of co-equal goals for water management in California. Never mind that these policies are being crafted so that Western Central Valley Agribusiness can have all the water it wants, despite its junior water rights, and contracts written years ago indicating that they were only entitled to extra Delta water during wet years.
Take action today. Let your legislator know that the people of the Delta want real solutions that will create regional self-sufficient water supplies throughout California, reduced Delta exports, and an equal seat at the governance table for our region."
Bolding is mine.
"Restore the Delta staff members have been busy attending Conference Committee meetings on water policy and the five bill package reshaping the future of the Delta this last week. The end result: the Conference Committee failed to meet its own deadline yesterday. The Conference Committee report might be published later on today.
This, however, has not slowed down Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg who political insiders say is trying to push through a last minute water bill that will have elements from the previous bills and a new water bond. It is our understanding that Senate President Steinberg will introduce the bill on the floor this week to be voted on at the last minute without public vetting. The bill will require a 2/3 vote so that a referendum cannot be set into motion by the public.
Here's what we need each and every one of you to do.
Call your State Senate and Assembly representatives and let them know that they must not only vote against Steinberg's water bill, but they need to tell their colleagues to do the same. Also, call Senate President pro Tempore Steinberg and let him know what you think of policy legislation that is being written in the middle of the night without input from the Delta farming and fishing communities. Let him know what you think of a new water bond at a time when the state is billions of dollars in debt and education is being gutted. He can be reached at 916-651- 4006.
To say that Restore the Delta is exasperated by the events of the last two weeks is an understatement. Through the Conference Committee process it became apparent that not only were our expert Delta legislators, like Senator Lois Wolk (5th Senate District), shut out of the process, but that testimony committees were stacked with “experts" from outside the Delta, and that testimony from in-Delta interests was being ignored by the Conference Committee. Even more disturbing was a point during Monday's hearing when some Delta advocates were actually taken to task by Senator Flores and Senate President Steinberg for calling into question the behind-the- scenes negotiations process. Never mind that representatives from the Westlands Water District and the Metropolitan Water District were busy working a deal with Senator Steinberg and a limited number of legislators and representatives from the Governor's administration. Never mind this was happening behind closed doors, as a way to safeguard authorization of new conveyance that would deplete the Delta of the freshwater that it needs all under the banner of co-equal goals for water management in California. Never mind that these policies are being crafted so that Western Central Valley Agribusiness can have all the water it wants, despite its junior water rights, and contracts written years ago indicating that they were only entitled to extra Delta water during wet years.
Take action today. Let your legislator know that the people of the Delta want real solutions that will create regional self-sufficient water supplies throughout California, reduced Delta exports, and an equal seat at the governance table for our region."
Bolding is mine.