FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; steve@hopcraft.com; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 barbara@restorethedelta.org; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta
In case you missed it…
May 4, 2015
Oakland Tribune editorial: Gov. Brown’s latest Delta plan just a massive water grab
“Gov. Jerry Brown has abandoned any pretense that his massive Delta twin-tunnel project could benefit the environment, leaving it simply as one of the biggest water grabs in state history.
“Having failed to convince federal agencies that his plan would improve the Delta’s health, Brown dropped the $8 billion, 50-year environmental component of the tunnel project. Salvaging the ecology of the largest estuary west of the Mississippi is officially off the table.
“Making matters worse, what’s now touted as a $17 billion project could move forward without the approval of the Legislature or California voters by simply increasing property taxes and water rates by fiat. It’s just wrong. …
“…To understand what the Delta plan is really about, keep your eye on Stewart Resnick, the billionaire ag king who runs one of the largest farming operations in the nation. While Brown is forcing Californians to reduce water use by 30 percent during the drought, Resnick recently announced plans for a huge expansion of his almond and pistachio acreage, among the most profitable but also thirstiest crops. …”
Read the full editorial here: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_28045896/oakland-tribune-editorial-gov-browns-latest-delta-plan