The lawmakers claim the state is suffering from “the state’s lack of planning for long-term water storage.”
“It has been over two months since the state’s budget was signed into law, and yet it still lacks any drought assistance. Our water storage and conveyance systems are crumbling. It was not designed to accommodate 39 million people and environmental needs. While snowpack and precipitation levels dwindle, we need to maximize our water capture and storage infrastructure,” the Sept. 3 letter reads.
“Fields are left to fallow forcing families, businesses, and farmers to put their livelihoods at risk with incredible uncertainty as to the future of their water supply.”
The letter was signed by state Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Kern County), Sens. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno), and Assemblymen Jim Patterson (R- Fresno), Devon Mathis (R-Porterville), Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals), and Heath Flora (R-Ripon).
“While your administration negotiates the final pieces of a water infrastructure budget package, we respectfully request careful and favorable consideration of increased funding for strong water infrastructure to create a reliable water supply for the Central Valley,” the letter states.
In response, a spokesperson for the governor’s office told The Epoch Times via email, “The Administration’s discussions with the Legislature on budget proposals to bolster water reliability and resilience are ongoing, [and] we don’t have details to share at this time.”
“Governor Newsom has proposed to advance $5.1 billion over four years to support immediate drought response and long-term water resilience, including $2.1 billion which was allocated this summer, to ensure that California has the water infrastructure it needs to grapple with more extreme seasons of wet and dry.”
Meanwhile, other groups are pushing back against emergency measures taken by the state to mitigate the drought.
The districts claim they have the appropriate water rights to divert water from the San Joaquin river for irrigation and that those rights cannot be taken away “without due process of law.”