Written by Michael Palomba
Governor Gavin Newsom has issued new water restrictions as part of a newly released Incidental Take Permit (ITP). The ITP will “govern water delivery within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta for the California State Water Project (SWP).” Provisions within the ITP will reduce water supply for Kern County and other regions.
These new water restrictions ensure “that our state water infrastructure operates in a manner protective of fish species listed under the state’s endangered species law,” said Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham.
In adamant disagreement, Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove issued a statement following the release of the ITP:
“As the Senate Republican Leader, I have worked alongside the Governor throughout the COVID-19 crisis to support efforts to mitigate the effects of this pandemic. However, I will not stand idly by while his actions put America’s food security in jeopardy. The Governor has disregarded our food producers, workers and families by proposing to restrict water flows to a region which supplies one of America’s most essential needs – food. California grows much of the nation’s food and is home to the top three agricultural-producing counties. It is immoral to eliminate the water which grows the food that stocks America’s pantries. During a time when Californians are reliant on state leadership to support basic needs, the Governor needs to stand up and meet this moment by investing in our nation’s food security.”
It must be noted that the SWP provides water for 27 million Californians and 750,000 square feet of farmland. Therefore, the effects that this change will have on farmers and families in enormous, made worse by the current COVID-19 crisis, which has already had major impacts on the agricultural industry.
“Although we are still reviewing the Incidental Take Permit issued by Fish and Wildlife and are assessing our options, the SWC and its member agencies do not support the permit conditions, which fail to incorporate the best available science, burden ratepayers with obligations far exceeding the impacts of water operations and will make compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and climate change adaptation substantially more difficult,” stated Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors.
It’s wrong for Governor Newsom to enact a policy that will limit the water supply available to counties, especially during the coronavirus pandemic we are facing. New restrictions to protect fish should not be the focus right now, when millions of Californians have had their livelihoods fundamentally altered in the span of weeks. The focus must be on ensuring food and water availability, not on pursuing random environmental projects.
