For immediate release: July 19, 2018
Contact:
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta, 209-479-2053, Barbara@restorethedelta.org
Nora Kovaleski, 408-806-6470, nora@kovaleskipr.com
House Approves Interior Spending Bill, Sending Calvert, Valadao, and Denham Riders that Would Thwart Due Process for the Delta to the Senate
WASHINGTON D.C. – This afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 6147), sending three federal riders that would circumvent water rights laws and legal protections for the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary to the Senate.
The first rider written by Congressman Ken Calvert (R-Corona) seeks to exempt the Delta tunnels, or CA WaterFix, project from further judicial review. Soon after, Congressman David Valadao (R-Hanford) introduced another provision to the Appropriations bill that would cement a legislative ban on major California water infrastructure projects including the State Water Project and the Centrall Valley Project.
This week, Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) added yet another amendment to the Appropriations bill, seeking to dismantle the State Water Board’s recent recommended updates to the Bay Delta plan as a means to secure more water deliveries to the Central Valley.
Executive Director of Restore the Delta, Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla said,
“We anticipated the Interior Appropriations bill would pass the House, but we maintain that it will be stopped in the Senate. We are so grateful that Senator Feinstein and Senator Harris voiced their opposition to these harmful legislative efforts to undo due process, water quality and quantity protections, and water rights for the Delta. We would also like to thank Congressman John Garamendi and Congressman Jerry McNerney for their political courage that manifested into amendments that would have removed the language of these three harmful riders from the Appropriations bill. The House Committee on Rule’s decision to deny a House floor vote on these amendments illustrates the deep corruption that controls California water management decisions.”
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