News of the Arroyo
Title: | Local Environmentalists Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bay-Delta Bill |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2004-09-15 |
Summary: | September 15, 2004 - Here's local reaction to the news that the US Senate has voted unanimously to reauthorize the CALFED Bay Delta Program. |
Author: | News Release |
Publication: | Arroyo Seco News |
Content: | Local environmentalists are applauding the US Senate’s passage of legislation to reauthorize the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. The $395 million bill would implement a multi-year plan for restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta ecosystem, while improving statewide water supplies, flood control and water quality. “We all celebrate this victory because we are all tied to success of the CALFED program,” said Jeff Chapman, Arroyo Seco Watershed Coordinator, “since a significant portion of the water that flows through the Bay Delta ecosystem ends up in our communities.” California’s water, environmental and legislative leaders have been working hard for several years to obtain reauthorization of the CALFED program. “Today we are a big step closer to a fully authorized program,” Chapman said, “thanks to the leadership of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D), and House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-Stockton), Rep. Ken Calvert (R) and Rep. Grace Napolitano (D).” Reauthorization of CALFED affirms the federal government’s commitment to implement the CALFED Program to enhance California’s water infrastructure and to restore an ecosystem that is at the hub of California water. The CALFED Program, which coordinates the efforts of state and federal agencies, has been viewed as a model for resolving multi-use water conflicts throughout the West. The Senate bill that passed today is very similar to HR 2828 (Pombo/Calvert/Napolitano), approved by the House in July. It contains rigorous Congressional reporting requirements to assure that CALFED makes balanced progress on its four objectives of environmental restoration, water supplies, flood control and water quality enhancements. In addition to a new $90 million authorization for ecosystem projects, the bill delivers water quality improvements for water users near the Delta and throughout the state, as well as funding for new groundwater storage, conveyance and water recycling projects. The bill extends the authorization for federal participation until the year 2010. “For months, the water community, business groups, resource agencies and environmental organizations have rallied behind the effort to get this bill to the President’s desk,” said Chapman. “This milestone gets us closer than ever to a reauthorized program and to balancing environmental protection with water needs.” Jeff Chapman directs the Arroyo Seco Watershed Coordination Program, a project of the Arroyo Seco Foundation. This program is part of a statewide effort run by the California Department of Conservation funded by the CALFED Bay Delta program. Watershed coordinators educate the public about water conservation, the local environment and how local and statewide water issues are interlocked. For more information about CALFED, please click on this link: http://calwater.ca.gov/ For more information on the Arroyo Seco Watershed Coordination Program, please contact Jeff Chapman at corvus6775@sbcglobal.net or (323) 276-8001. ---30--- |
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