Benicia Herald -- Another water plan in the mix

By Donna Beth Weilenman

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson has introduced alternative drought relief legislation that would provide $255 million in emergency appropriations and counters the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act that calls for pumping water south from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Thompson’s bill, co-authored by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, is designed to help farmers, ranchers, businesses and communities affected by the drought in California and other Western states, Benicia’s representative said.

“This bill provides comprehensive relief to our entire state without putting the needs of some California water users above others,” said Thompson, D-Napa.

“The bill is transparent, based on sound science, builds on the efforts of Senators (Dianne) Feinstein and (Barbara) Boxer, and protects the interests of farmers, fishers, businesses and other water users in the northern, central and southern parts of our state,” he said.

He said his proposed legislation “stands in stark contrast with H.R. 3964,” the emergency water delivery act introduced by U.S. Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, that cleared the House on Feb. 5.

“If enacted, the bill would devastate Bay-Delta communities, harm drinking water and jeopardize thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity,” Thompson said about Valadao’s bill.

Co-authors of Thompson’s legislation are all Democrats. Among them are California members of the House Grace Napolitano, George Miller, John Garamendi, Jerry McNerney, Doris Matsui, Anna G. Eshoo, Sam Farr, Jackie Speier, Ami Bera, Juan Vargas, Alan Lowenthal and Scott Peters. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, another co-author, is from Oregon.

Thompson said his bill would speed up planning and execution of water supply projects without removing environmental protections.

He said it would update Army Corps reservoir operations, some of which use 60-year-old water control manuals, so they can save water and get faster updates during drought, and would let the secretary of agriculture cover drought losses and ensure that drought damages are covered by the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Water use in the Klamath Basin in California and Oregon would be reduced through additional planning and management, he said, and the bill would direct President Barack Obama to update the National Response Plan and National Disaster Recovery Framework so it can deal with long-term and catastrophic drought.

California would be required to develop a plan to deal with drought impacts on wild salmon fisheries, tribal fisheries and the commercial and recreational fishing industry, Thompson said.

In fact, the bill would urge the secretary of commerce to declare a fisheries disaster to speed up help to those operations.

Not all cultivation practices would be protected, however. Thompson’s bill would earmark $3 million for the Drug Enforcement Administration to help with the crackdown on illegal water diversions for marijuana cultivation.

“Illegal water diversions not only reduce available water for legal uses, but create a significant environmental threat in Northern California and other rural parts of the state,” Thompson said.

Water agencies getting help under Thompson’s plan must comply with state laws governing groundwater and agricultural uses, he said.

The bill’s $255 million in emergency appropriations would earmark $152 million to the Bureau of Reclamations for projects, including $52 million specifically for water conservation and efficiency projects, and to develop alternative water supplies.

It would provide $50 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund to help places that are at risk for fire or need help with water quality and quantity. Another $5 million would go to the Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program of the Rural Utilities Service to help with rural water supplies.

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund would get a $30 million boost for grants, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund would get $15 million for other grants.

Another $200 million would be slated for emergency disaster assistance, Thompson said.

Of this, $100 million would help farmers’ water conservation measures that would protect lands and watersheds, and $25 million would be assigned to pre-disaster mitigation grants for community projects that would reduce the drought’s harmful effects.

Some of the money would go to grants programs. He said $25 million would be earmarked for the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants for water conservation and systems upgrades to make safe drinking water available.

Another $25 million would provide grants to those helping low-income migrant and seasonal farm workers who are being harmed by the drought.

A third $25 million in grants would assist private forest landowners in carrying out conservation measures.

Additionally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would get $3 million so it can transport hatchery release fish in extreme drought; and integrated regional water management projects that focus on water recycling and regional-scale watershed management would be eligible for $15 million.

The legislation has a “sunset clause” for its provisions, Thompson said. They’d end once the drought declaration is revoked.