Statement from Westlands Water District Board President on Letter from U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Members of the House of Representatives to Governor Newsom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Diana Giraldo
(559) 241-6277
Today, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Members of the House of Representatives, including Representatives Jim Costa, TJ Cox, John Garamendi, and Josh Harder, sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom. The letter implores the State administration to reach an agreement with federal agencies through negotiation, rather than judicial action, on protections for threatened and endangered fish species.
Daniel Errotabere, Westlands Water District Board President, made the following statement in reaction to the congressional letter:
“The letter sent today to Governor Newsom by Senator Feinstein and her colleagues in the House of Representatives strikes exactly the right note. Continued conflict and litigation between the State of California and the federal government related to the efficacy of the recently issued biological opinions will harm not only water supplies for farms, rural communities, and urban areas in every region of the State, but will also delay meaningful actions to restore at-risk native fish species. Senator Feinstein and her House colleagues are correct, without negotiated agreements to resolve the lawsuit by the State against the federal government, the longstanding coordinated operations of the CVP and SWP are threatened. This will not only reduce water deliveries throughout California, just as drought may be returning, but will also block the successful negotiation of voluntary agreements. Westlands Water District thanks Senator Feinstein and her House colleagues, along with Members of Congress who sent a similar letter to Governor Newsom last week, for their continuing efforts to promote sound water policies.”
A copy of the April 15, 2020, letter from Senator Feinstein and House Members to Governor Newsom can be found here (PDF).
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