Perata to Schwarzenegger: You've Failed Twice This Week on California's Water Crisis

Here is Perata's letter in full that was sent to the Governor today:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol First Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor:

A water crisis is upon us. Within a few weeks, millions of Californians face the likelihood of water rationing and higher water bills.

While much of this issue is subject to debate, California’s hydrologists and water engineers are unanimous about the most urgent task to safeguard our water supply: repair and restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The heart of California’s water system and the hub of the State Water Project, the Delta supplies clean drinking water for 23 million Californians, as well as thousands of businesses and farms.

As you are well aware, a federal court order threatens to severely restrict pumping from this water source. It is as grave a threat to our state’s economy as any we’ve faced since the energy crisis gripped California in 2001.

Twice in recent days, you’ve had an opportunity to address this crisis. In both instances, you’ve fallen short.

You vetoed SB 1002, which would have invested $611 million in already approved bond funds to secure the Delta and Southern California groundwater supplies. This legislation had strong support from groups as diverse as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Metropolitan Water District. By all accounts, the bill provided urgently needed funding to secure the Delta water supply and to provide clean drinking water in Los Angeles.

When you called the Legislature into special session, we proposed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SB 2XX), and once again placed top priority on safeguarding Delta drinking water supplies. We also used your own 2005 California Water Plan to guide new investments in water conservation and recycling, and provide groundwater storage and cleanup.

Again, our proposal had almost universal support from water districts, local governments, business leaders and conservation groups. Each embraced the Safe Drinking Water Act as the only plan to safeguard our supply of clean drinking water, encourage conservation, protect lakes, rivers and streams from pollution, and provide the water we need to keep California’s economy strong.

Again, you and your fellow Republicans irresponsibly opposed this legislation, holding the needs of our state hostage in an attempt to leverage billions of dollars for new dams in Republican districts.

As you well know, each of these dams is inordinately expensive and will take at least a decade to build – even if they clear the huge economic and environmental hurdles that stand in their way.

And even if their construction were to start tomorrow, these dams would provide less water at higher costs than any of the more readily available alternatives water experts strongly prefer.

Nevertheless, we negotiated in good faith. In a final concession, Senate Democrats offered to increase the allotment available for water supply, and agreed to allow your water department and regions like the Central Valley to spend their share of new bond funds on dams if they chose to do so.

Still, neither you nor any member of your party supported the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Make no mistake: any proposal that makes building dams the centerpiece of the response to this crisis faces certain defeat, in the Legislature and at the ballot box.

Someone must lead California through this crisis. That is why Senator Machado and I have submitted the Safe Drinking Water Act to the Attorney General in preparation for placing an initiative on the ballot.

I noted with interest that you recently addressed the California Republican Party and explained that your party’s positions are not, in your words, “filling the seats.” Given your candor, I’m surprised and disappointed that you have embraced your party’s narrow agenda on a matter of such vital import.

As your predecessor will tell you, there are worse things in politics than empty seats. In a crisis, Californians rightly expect their leaders to set partisan agendas aside and respond to the problems at hand.

The Safe Drinking Water Act gives you that opportunity. I urge you to reconsider your position.

Sincerely,

Don Perata
Senate President Pro Tem