It started with some small pretense of fairness, Senator Feinstein’s call for a review of the environmental opinion on the Sacramento Delta, an effort to ferret out the “flawed science” that dared put fish before the needs of farms and her pals at the Westland’s Water district.
… while most of us fishermen assumed it was merely a ruse to reverse the initial judgment and favor longtime contributor Paramount Farms, it appears Ms. Feinstein has opted to speed the process and ignore whatever the review determines, in favor of adding more water for farmers via a rider on the proposed Federal Jobs Bill.
Even some fellow members of California’s U.S. congressional delegation were annoyed with Feinstein, saying she had agreed with them to wait for a report by the National Academy of Sciences, which provides advice on scientific issues to U.S. policymakers, before drawing up any water policy changes.
“We had a couple meetings on this, and at the last meeting she had indicated that we would base any policy decisions we make on the science,” U.S. Representative Mike Thompson told Reuters. “And this policy change certainly isn’t based on science.”
Ms. Feinstein requires an increase of 30% over last year’s drought diminished quota – guaranteeing 40% of federal allotments (pre endangered species finding) for the thirsty breadbasket of Southern California.
The 2009 tallies show about a 50% decline from 2008, with each year’s return setting the new low for the run.
Nationally, products exclusively grown (99% or more) in California include almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts.
As everyone hates dates, persimmons, and prunes, and clover is largely animal feed, we’ll simply have to weigh the outcome gastronomically … with fishermen barred from voting as they won’t eat anything other than fish stix – which are entirely man made.
Salmon versus a walnut Danish or bear claw slathered in Almond slivers ?
… wait, don’t answer that.
Tags: pastry, senator Feinstein, California water wars, Sacramento delta, paramount farms, NOAA science, Mike Thompson
why don’t we just nuke the whole damn planet instead of this long drawn out process of killing everything within our grasp. This is too painful to watch.
FYI, I prefer my olives from Andalucía
Is it even possible to run a state or federal government without danish? Isn’t Osama Bin opening a chain of donut shops? A lox an bagel shop chain would only resolve a local problem.
I prefer my olives in a Martini, but this is mayhem. I’m beginning to understand the slow food movement. I’m hoping against dystopia, but being a fisher that makes me an optimist, too.
Hell, the single biggest use of water shipped south for agriculture is for Alfalfa – cattle feed.
You want that slathered on your danish?