McClintock behind secretive California water deal
By Michael Doyle, Sacramento Bee
Controlling California water can seem like a covert affair on Capitol Hill. If you’re not in the club, you’re left in the dark.
Republican lawmakers, led by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, have been quietly overseeing the rewrite of a huge California water bill since last summer. The bill could shape everything from the San Joaquin River to Sacramento Valley water deliveries. Despite the broad-based impact, Democrats feel shut out.
Tom McClintock
“I don’t think they have any interest in talking to us,” said Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson of St. Helena, adding that he has had “no contact” from Republicans writing the water bill.
Equally frustrated at what he described as his aides being “blown off,” Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, confronted McClintock at a recent committee hearing.
“He said, when the bill is ready, he’ll let us know,” Garamendi said. “I think it’s a very bad way to do legislation, especially legislation that’s so sensitive.”
McClintock, who represents Lake Tahoe in Congress, declined repeated requests to discuss the bill over the course of a week. His communications director, Jennifer Cressy, said in an email Thursday that “when proponents have a draft ready to propose, the bill will be ready for public discussion.”
The original bill introduced last May covers a lot of turf. It stops a San Joaquin River restoration program, restores longer irrigation contracts and limits environmental protections in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Skeptics fear the bill as originally written could also steer more water south of the Delta, away from users north of the Delta.
The bill’s chief author, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, said Thursday that the bill is now “in good shape” and needs only scheduling with the committee.
“We’re trying to fix 30 years of malfeasance by the left,” Nunes said, “and it takes a lot of time to get it right.”
Thid should not come as a surprise if the Congressman is behind sending North water to the South, lets face it he is from So. Cal. never moved or has lived in our district. He needs to be VOTED out this year hasn’t done one thing for the district or the basin. Just another lifetime insider. Has anyone ever tried to ask him a question that he doesnt like on his little townhall phone call sessions, trust me Ive tried 5 times on different subjects they never get around to you. The fact their keeping Ca. Democrats out of the bill just shows the Rep. delagation refuses to work with the other side. Last I checked we the people vote them in and there in office to work for us not other district interests.
Liquor is for drinking and water is for fighting. So says Mark Twain.
I was happy to see that Costa recommended (to McClintock) books like the classic Cadillac Desert, considered the bible on water issues in the West…
Cadillac Desert and When Rivers Run Dry should be required BY ALL who are working on water policy. This is something that I wish the author of the article (Michael Doyle) would have followed through with…asking McClintock whether he has read them.
WATER = CANADA = NAWAPA
Californians should get their heads wrapped around the fact that Canada is now gearing up to send millions and millions of acre feet of pure clean fresh water down the Rocky Mountain trench through Flathead Lake and into the Colorado river.
http://www.waterwarcrimes.com/newest-developments-blog—breaking-news—follow-ongoing-developments-here.html