H.R. 1837, the so-called “San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act” sponsored by Congressmen Nunes, McCarthy and Denham, has met with strong and widespread opposition, including water agencies, Delta farmers, sport and commercial fishermen, conservation groups, state and federal elected officials, the press and the state of California and the federal Administration. Last week, Congressman Wally Herger (R - CA) announced his opposition to the bill, and this bipartisan opposition to H.R. 1837 continues to grow.
Below are links to many of the letters, fact sheets, blogs, and testimony opposing HR 1837 (I'll update this blog post as opposition continues to pour in). These documents provide numerous arguments against this bill which, in the words of one environmental coalition letter, “undermines environmental protections for salmon and other commercially-valuable species, preempts state law, interferes with state water rights, guts the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act, and overturns the broadly supported and court approved settlement to restore the San Joaquin River.”
Congressional Opposition
- 7/6/11 Congresswoman Napolitano Letter and Press Release: Rep. Napolitano Asks Pacific Fishery Management Council to Evaluate Potential Salmon Die-Off from GOP Water Bill
- 6/24/11 Congressman McClintock announces he will stop H.R. 1837 in committee until Northern California water rights are fully protected (see also this story in the Auburn Journal)
- 6/15/11 Congressman Herger opposes water bill: Herger statement on H.R. 1837
- 6/13/11 Congresswoman Jackie Speier Statement on H.R. 1837
- 6/7/11 Senator Feinstein and Boxer Letter and Press Release: Feinstein, Boxer Oppose ‘Radical Proposals’ for Central Valley Water Supply
- 6/2/11 Congresswoman Napolitano Press Release: Rep. Napolitano Pushes Back Against Radical Republican Water Bill at Hearing
- 6/2/11 Congressman Garamendi Press Release: Congressman Garamendi Warns Bill will Reignite Water Wars
- 6/2/11 Congressman Thompson Press Release: Rep. Thompson Issues Statement on San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act
State of California Opposition
- 7/5/11 Assemblymembers Berryhill and Buchanan Letter of Opposition
- 6/2/11 Prepared Statement of John Laird, Secretary, Natural Resources Agency, State of California
- 6/2/11 Assemblymember Huffman Press Release: Federal Bill Threatens California’s Water Laws
- 5/27/11 Letter of Opposition from Members of California State Legislature
U.S. Department of the Interior Opposition
- 6/2/11 Secretary Salazar Letter to Committee on Natural Resources
- 6/2/11 Prepared Statement of Michael L. Connor, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior
Water District and Local Government Opposition
- 7/7/11 Contra Costa Water District Letter of Opposition
- 7/5/11 City of Stockton, Stockton Chamber of Commerce, South Delta Water Agency, Reclamation Districts 3, 150, 551, 554 & 999 Letter of Opposition
- 6/28/11 Butte County Letter of Opposition
- 6/26/11 Placer County Water Agency (cited in Auburn Journal Story)
- 6/1/11 Central Delta Water Agency Letter of Opposition
Tribal, Environmental, Fishing and Business Opposition
- 7/13/11 Silicon Valley Leadership Group Letter Opposing HR 1837
- 7/5/11 Environmental, Business, Fishing and Hunting Letter Opposing HR 1837
- 6/24/11 Contra Costa Council Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 6/10/11 Yurok Tribe Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 6/1/11 Trinity Lake Revitalization Alliance Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 6/1/11 Environmental Coalition Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 6/1/11 American Sportfishing Association Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 6/1/11 Tribal-Fishing-Environmental Coalition Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 5/30/11 Fishing Industry Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
- 5/26/11 San Joaquin River Parkway Trust Letter Opposing H.R. 1837
Editorials & Op-Eds
- 7/20/11 The Stockton Record Editorial: Will a river ever run though it?
- 6/26/11 San Jose Mercury News Editorial: Big water grab shows disregard for Delta health
- 6/26/11 Vacaville Reporter Op-Ed: Water, Water Everywhere
- 6/24/11 Sacramento Bee Editorial: House should pull the plug on water grab
- 6/19/11 San Francisco Chronicle Editorial: Wading into the water war
- 6/18/11 Redding Searchlight Editorial: On water bill, Herger stands with enviros
- 6/15/11 Daily Democrat Editorial: Bill a threat to state water users
- 6/12/11 Sacramento Bee Editorial: Obama should confront GOP on water
- 6/11/11 Contra Costa Times Editorial: Bill in Congress a threat to region's water users, Delta protection
- 6/10/11 San Francisco Chronicle - Op-Ed: Federal bill seeks to override state water law
- 6/9/11 The Monterey County Herald – Editorial: Fisheries Have Equal Claim to Water
- 6/1/11 The Redding Searchlight - Op-Ed: Water Bill is bad for the north state
Blogs:
- 6/6/11 PCL Blog - In One Fell Swoop, Fed Bill Aims to Undermine CA’s Semior Water Laws, the Endangered Species Act and BDCP
- 6/1/11 NRDC Blog - HR 1837: Pre-Empting State Water Rights to Prioritize Junior Water Rights?
- 6/1/11 NRDC Blog - H.R. 1837 (Nunes): A Waste of Time and Money that Undermines Real Progress
- 6/1/11 PCL Blog - Nunes Blatantly Attacks State Water Rights and the Environment
- 5/29/11 NRDC Blog - HR 1837 and the Death of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan
- 5/26/11 NRDC Blog - The San Joaquin River Agreement and H.R. 1837 – a Deal is a Deal
- 5/19/11 EDF Blog - We Knew John Krautkramer and Nunes Bill is No Delta Accord
- 5/13/11 The Bay Institute - Mr. Nunes Strikes again: New Bill Would Remove or Eliminate Many Bay Delta Protections
Fact Sheets