As Delta Protection Commission chair Don Nottoli pointed out in a letter to Resources Secretary John Laird,
The current BDCP process, although heralded as a “fresh look”, seems to be a continuation of the past process that will harm the lives and livelihood of the people who live in the Delta and shut out those people from full, fair and effective participation in the real decision-making processes. This current process will only serve to strengthen the resolve of the Delta to protect its interests by opposing any changes to the Delta, and possibly lead to litigation of the BDCP and the Delta Plan.
Not to worry, said Laird in his reply. The management committee is charged mainly with “ministerial issues such as monitoring contract compliance and assisting the progress of the working groups.” Laird continued,
I believe that the more important participation for the DPC is in the working groups that are actually going to recommend resolutions to the issues that are of greatest concern to Delta interests. I know Delta representatives are participating in these groups, and I hope that the fact that they have been brought into the policy discussions on issues most important to the Delta is fully understood, and would motivate participation in deciding those issues.”
This is pretty ambiguous, a textbook example of using words to obscure and evade. Laird seems to be hoping that since the Resources Agency has brought Delta interests into working group discussions, the Water Contractors will let them participate in deciding BDCP policy issues.
Go ahead and hope, Mr. Secretary. But if you think the Water Contractors will monitor their own contract compliance without involvement by Delta interests, then you haven’t done your export water management homework.
We can help you understand how water exporters really think. Just take a look at what one of them had to say in a recent interview, reported below.
For all you members of the “public” out there, webcasts of BDCP management committee meetings are available after the meetings. Find more information at this link: http://baydeltaconservationplan.com/Home.aspx