Funds would help fix Delta, watersheds throughout state
Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, the Salinas Democrat representing
San Benito County, formally announced her $11.7 billion water bond
Wednesday in the State Capitol.
Caballero spoke to the Pinnacle earlier this week about the bond
proposal. She noted how it will include allocating money to
”
every single watershed
”
in the state; setting aside $3 billion for Delta repairs; using
another $3 billion for storage; and using other funds for
conservation, groundwater contamination cleanup, recycling, storm
runoff and desalination, among other needs.
Funds would help fix Delta, watersheds throughout state
Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, the Salinas Democrat representing San Benito County, formally announced her $11.7 billion water bond Wednesday in the State Capitol.
Caballero spoke to the Pinnacle earlier this week about the bond proposal. She noted how it will include allocating money to “every single watershed” in the state; setting aside $3 billion for Delta repairs; using another $3 billion for storage; and using other funds for conservation, groundwater contamination cleanup, recycling, storm runoff and desalination, among other needs.
If approved by state leaders, she notes in a press release that it would go to voters in the November 2010 election.
The state official has taken a particular interest in the water issue since touting the efforts of Latino leaders concerned about thousands of job losses throughout the region due to the water shortage. It has been caused primarily by drought conditions leading to a 10 percent federal allocation this year for agriculture, and a federal judge’s decision to cut off pumping in dry months to protect the threatened Delta smelt fish.
According to the press release from her office:
“Assemblywoman Anna M. Caballero announces the introduction of a water bond to help solve California’s water crisis. California is experiencing its third year of drought and over a thousand acres of farmland have been idled due to the lack of water. Farmers are unable to grow their crops and thousands of farm workers are out of work. The water bond will help restore the ecosystem, important habitat, and it will fix the infrastructure of the deteriorating Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which is a major source of drinking water for Southern Californians and irrigation for San Joaquin Valley Farms.
“The bond includes funds for surface storage, drought relief projects, water conservation, groundwater cleanup, and $3 billion in Delta sustainability improvements, such as levees, infrastructure protection, and water quality. Also, $100 million will go to disadvantaged or economically distressed communities for groundwater protection, and water quality projects. The bond will also designate funds for advanced water recycling, desalination, storm water solutions and water reuse.”
Supervisor Anthony Botelho, an apple orchardist, said the appropriate time has long passed to address the water shortage problem. He said it is more critical to the state economy than any other pressing issue because so many jobs and industries depend on availability.
“The agriculture industry has just been stifled because of the lack of available water,” he said. “I’m just very happy and pleased that Assemblymember Caballero is taking that threat to our economy and well-being so seriously that she’s coauthoring this important legislation.”
