Governor Newsom Streamlines Major Water Storage Project

[quaint]

Office of Governor Newsom
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/11/06/governor-newsom-streamlines-major-water-storage-project/

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Governor Newsom utilized the new infrastructure streamlining law to accelerate Sites Reservoir project and avoid months or even years of CEQA litigation delays, which could store enough water for 3 million households’ yearly usage.

HOW IT WORKS:

SB 149 allows the Governor to certify qualifying infrastructure projects for judicial streamlining under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Courts must decide CEQA challenges to certified projects within 270 days to the extent feasible – saving months or even years of litigation delays after a project has already passed environmental review, while still allowing legal challenges to be heard.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:

Just last week, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Sites Project Authority finalized the Environmental Impact Review and Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

The project will help California maintain a resilient water supply in the face of climate change, weather extremes, and water scarcity.

Sites Reservoir is critical to California’s ​​Water Supply Strategy and meeting our goal of expanding above and below ground water storage capacity by 4 million acre feet.

Our Guv, doing whatever it takes for California.

[Mr.Bill]

1. This is good news.

This project should have been done years ago.

[Bobstandard]

2. Say goodbye to salmon

This project will take more water from the Sacramento River, increasing stress on failing salmon stocks, increase toxic algae blooms in the Delta and SF Bay, and contribute less than 1% to total California water storage. On the other hand it’s a great subsidy to farming operations that rely on cheap water to grow water hungry crops like almonds and pistachios that mainly get exported to other countries. It’s also great for Southern California lawns.

[quaint]

3. When in drought, my utility does not allow water wasting.

Safe drinking water for millions of Californians will always win for me.
Please educate me on the subsidies for almonds in the bill.

[Bobstandard]

4. I'm just saying, say goodbye to salmon

In California agriculture—mainly big agriculture—uses 40% of available water, residential users just 10%. You and many other folks conserve, to the point that residential use per capita is actually down. Growers, on the other hand, continue to plant water hungry crops like almonds and pistachios. Much of these plantings are for big growers owned by or a part of big hedge fund real estate deals. Ground water is being depleted so they need water from other areas, mainly Northern California. Surprise, they don’t pay cost of development. In effect we subsidize their intemperate use of water by paying for reservoirs, canals, etc. because perish the thought big business should offset all the physical and social costs they incur.

The climate crisis almost dictates that we continue damaging water development’ projects. Salmon is collateral damage. So say goodbye to salmon