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Water agencies head to court to ask for relief from Delta protection
Contra Costa Times ^ | 2/2/10 | Mike Taugher

Posted on 02/02/2010 7:48:13 AM PST by SmithL

The state's biggest water players are asking a judge today to ease new Delta pumping limits that are allowing the recent storm waters to escape out to sea instead of being stored inland for use this summer.

"Under the federal rules, the more it rains, the more water we lose," said Thomas Birmingham, general manager of the Westlands Water District, the nation's largest irrigation district.

Predictably, the hearing in Fresno today will pit water users against environmentalists, but it will also see the state and federal governments on different sides, with state lawyers supporting water users and federal lawyers on the side of environmentalists.

That puts state water officials in an unusual situation because last year they used the federal permits to win dismissal of a lawsuit over violations of the state's endangered species law.

Now, they are in another court trying to undermine the permits they used to clear themselves of legal problems in state court.

"We're very concerned about a potential train wreck that the state is trying to create, given its legal strategy," said Barry Nelson, a water policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council. It is one of the environmental groups that has been suing to strengthen endangered species protection.

(Excerpt) Read more at contracostatimes.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: delta; goldenstate; lping; waterwars; yourtaxdollarsatwork

1 posted on 02/02/2010 7:48:13 AM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

It would seem to me that California’s farmers should be put on the “endangered species protection” list if they don’t get the water. Letting excess water flow into the ocean is crazy.


2 posted on 02/02/2010 7:53:03 AM PST by RC2
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To: SmithL

If I was Arnold I would put the National Guard at all the pumping stations and turn the water on and to hell with the courts and their fellow rotten environmental nuts. Real Americans have to stand up by force and tell the RATS they have had their day, get the F out of our State. Too bad we don’t have a strong Constitutional fighter as Governor. Arnold is a pus. Playing these silly court games has destroyed America.


3 posted on 02/02/2010 8:07:45 AM PST by Logical me (Oh, well!!!)
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To: SmithL

Growing rice in a desert. Only something designed by the Federal Government could be as stupid as having all our agriculture in California.


4 posted on 02/02/2010 8:21:15 AM PST by babble-on
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To: Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; akatel; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Alexander Rubin; Allerious; ...
...the hearing in Fresno today will pit water users against environmentalists...with state lawyers supporting water users and federal lawyers on the side of environmentalists...



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5 posted on 02/02/2010 9:48:00 AM PST by bamahead (Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. -- Sallust)
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To: Logical me

The executive using troops to disregard the court system. When you say you wish he was a constitution fighter are you talking for or against the constitution?


6 posted on 02/02/2010 9:52:45 AM PST by Eyes Unclouded ("The word bipartisan means some larger-than-usual deception is being carried out." -George Carlin)
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To: Logical me

I know it would hurt them, but if they were to just refuse to deliver their harvest to market and let those store shelves go bare they might get results. But BO may have bare shelves in mind for something else.


7 posted on 02/02/2010 12:06:16 PM PST by Always Independent
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To: SmithL

Unbelievable...


8 posted on 02/02/2010 3:11:55 PM PST by wendy1946
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