Central SJV Growers Frustrated Re: 100% Water Allocations in Northern California

Cannon Michael: There is a Complete Lack of Common Sense

Water Allocations Unfairly Distribute Suffering in the Central Valley

 

Feather River growers in Northern California have 100 percent water allocations and it’s very frustrating to Central Valley Farmers.

“True, it’s a drought year but there have been opportunities to get water south of the Delta that have been completely blown by mismanagement, over-regulation, a complete lack of common sense, and lack of understanding what the real needs are,” said Cannon Michael, a 6th generation California farmer in Merced County.

“The California Water Resources Control Board, and the Bureau of Reclamation have sent more than 1.8 million acre feet of water out the Golden Gate only for a possible need for fish. When you have such a dramatic need for humans, it’s just insanity; and at a some point, it all has to catch up with a lot of people,” said Michael, who has had to set aside 15 percent of his farm due to no water.

“The people who are regulating and the people who are legislating have insulation from this for a little while, but it eventually is going to catch them,” Michael said. “The problem for me is that these regulations hurt the poorest of the people and the minority community, who are already having a tough time.”

“These regulations and low water allocations are taking away valuable fresh food and milk, and all the things people need for life. It’s taking away jobs and will displace thousands of workers who will have to get in food lines to survive. And this is completely unnecessary,” said Michael.

“There could have been way more water allocations exported safely this year. There were no fish at the pumps and we have the data to prove it,” said Michael.

“We had good storms in February, March and April, but the majority of that water went out the Bay; it wasn’t even close,” said Michael.

“There are too many left-leaning decisions from the California Water Resources Control Board to the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco, which made a recent ruling that hurt agriculture, agreeing that the Bureau of Reclamation did not consider the safety of the Delta Smelt several years ago when it exporter water south. And then on top of everything, Governor Brown pulls the funding from ag education. It is a constant barrage against agriculture, and when will it ever be enough?” asked Michael.

“There is no respect for California agriculture. There are so many people spinning lies about our industry. Do they want all the specialty crops that they enjoy eating coming from other countries? Again, it’s insanity,” he said.

And Michael said the farmer is always, always held accountable while the environmental community is never held accountable. “There is no accounting for what they use the water allocation for when it’s released it to the ocean. There is no report on what good it’s doing. They are not at all held to the same standards as California Farmers.”

2016-05-31T19:35:33-07:00May 13th, 2014|

Upcoming Community Food Bank Distribution Sites

Emergency Food Bank Distribution Sites

For more information, contact: Communityfoodbank.net

Firebaugh:        Dunkle Park, 1526 Q Street — Tuesday, May 13, May 27, June 10 and June 24.

Mendota:          Westside Youth Center, 1709 Seventh Street — Wednesday, May 14, May 28, June 11 and 25.

San Joaquin:   Salvation Army San Joaquin, 21962 Railroad Avenue — May 19, June 2 and June 16.

Huron:              John Palacios Community Center, 16856 Fourth Street — May 21, June 4 and June 18.

Orange Cove:   Iglesia Buen Pastor, 863 11th Street — May 23, June 6 and June 20.

2016-05-31T19:35:33-07:00May 12th, 2014|

‘Curtailments’ and other woes tighten supplies

Source: Kate Campbell; Ag Alert

Facing severe drought, California farmers and ranchers are bracing for an increasing flow of bad news about water supplies.

State officials said last week they’re preparing to curtail diversions to holders of certain water rights; federal authorities said they have no immediate plans to increase the “zero” allocation for most of their farm water customers; and a new report detailed the pressure surface-water shortages have placed on California groundwater basins.

The State Water Resources Control Board said it is preparing to curtail water diversions from watersheds that drain into the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, the Tulare Lake Basin, and the Russian and Eel rivers.

In times of shortage, state water law says if there’s not enough water for all water right holders, the most junior will be curtailed before restrictions are imposed on more senior water right holders. Seniority is determined by the type and age of the water right.

Riparian water rights are generally the most senior rights, followed by older appropriative rights and then newer rights. Any water supply remaining in the watershed after appropriative water rights are shut off must be shared on a “correlative basis among riparian users.”

In most watersheds where curtailment is likely, the water board said notices will go to post-1914 water rights holders beginning in May; thousands of individuals and water agencies hold such rights, although it is not clear how many will receive the curtailment notices.

Holders of pre-1914 rights are also expected to receive curtailment notices, later this year, and it’s anticipated that supply this summer and fall won’t meet all riparian demands, requiring riparian users also to reduce or stop using water.

Given the dire shortages expected in coming months, the water board said after curtailment, it expects to allow limited diversions for public health and safety needs where no other water supply is available.

“We encourage management of water supplies to protect public health and safety, but we also must emphasize the need for adequate food production,” said Danny Merkley, water resources director for the California Farm Bureau Federation. “Having healthful, local food available is a big part of ensuring human health and safety.”

Also last week, the state Department of Water Resources’ final snow survey of the year found more bare ground than snow, with snow water content at only 18 percent of average for the date.

Officials at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the Central Valley Project, said last week they don’t know “when or if we’ll be doing another (water) allocation announcement.”

Economic losses in the billions of dollars are anticipated due to the zero water allocation for CVP agricultural contractors. The Friant Water Authority said its contractors are preparing for a “financial and social calamity,” as they prepare for the first-ever call on Friant water to supply San Joaquin River exchange contractors and honor their historic river water rights. The agency said all-out efforts continue to seek an emergency solution to the water cutoff.

The state’s citrus belt—Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties, where the bulk of fresh-market citrus is grown on about 50,000 acres—faces estimated losses of $3 billion. Many farms do not have access to groundwater or other alternative water sources, and some orchards are being pushed out.

“It is incredible that a system created to preserve agricultural production in this state is being leveraged to service environmental needs at greater levels than are necessary, while agriculture is left to go dry,” said Joel Nelsen, president of Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual.

The groundwater report is available at www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions.

Curtailment information by watershed is available at www.swrcb.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/drought/analysis/.

2016-05-31T19:37:59-07:00May 6th, 2014|

Friday’s ‘Fight for Water II’ Media Day will Include News Conference on Valley Crisis

Two big fights – one for water and the other in the ring – will be in the spotlight Friday afternoon in Fresno during a media day featuring valley boxer Jose Ramirez and a news conference in which Central California’s rapidly worsening water crisis will be the focus of California Latino Water Coalition leaders and several valley elected officials during a news conference.

The Latino Water Coalition is co-sponsoring the May 17 bout featuring U.S. Olympian Ramirez at Fresno’s Selland Arena as “Fight for Water II,” to help call national attention to the total lack of water supplies now threatening large portions of the San Joaquin Valley’s East Side and West Side. Ramirez is a Coalition member.

The news conference and Fight for Water media event will take place:

Friday, May 2 at 2 p.m.

Thrive Gym — 5161 North Blackstone Avenue

ON BLACKSTONE BETWEEN SHAW AND BARSTOW AVENUES.

“This news conference will include statements by some of our local elected officials whose constituents are most at risk from economic and social disaster this summer because of the zero water allocations still in place over millions of acres along the valley’s West Side and East Side,” said Mario Santoyo, Latino Water Coalition Executive Director. “Don’t be surprised if what these county supervisors and mayors have to say to the federal and state governments is strong. Aside from some drought relief and eased regulations, there really hasn’t been much movement toward getting growers at least some supply to keep permanent plantings alive. The bottom line is we still have no water, trees and vines are about to start dying and valley people – particularly Latinos – will be hurting.”

Among the confirmed speakers are Fresno County Supervisors Phil Larson and Judy Case McNairy. They represent portions of western Fresno County and along the county’s East Side that would be hardest hit by a zero allocation.

Mayor Gabriel Jiminez of Orange Cove, an East Side community in the heart of an incredibly productive citrus region that has very little groundwater to cushion the total lack of Central Valley Project surface water supplies, will discuss his community’s worsening dilemma.

The City of Orange Cove itself relies totally on Friant-Kern Canal deliveries for municipal supplies and is going to have make do with a much reduced emergency supply of health and safety water arranged by the Bureau of Reclamation and Fresno Irrigation District.

While the prospect of massive economic losses and social problems caused by a lack of water is confronting Orange Cove and the East Side, such difficulties are much too familiar to Mendota Mayor Robert Silva.

He will speak on how Mendota is grimly preparing for another year of extreme water curtailments in the CVP’s nearby San Luis Unit, including the Westlands Water District. Unemployment is growing rapidly, fields are being fallowed and businesses and residents are struggling financially.

Also speaking will be Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle, San Joaquin Mayor Amarpreet Dhaliwal (who chairs the Council of Fresno County Governments), Clovis Councilman Jose Flores and other local leaders.

Cannon Michael, who farms east of Los Banos, will represent the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors. A representative of California Citrus Mutual will explain the problems being faced by citrus growers along the East Side.

2016-05-31T19:37:59-07:00May 1st, 2014|

Groundwater Farming: a Blessing or a Curse?

By Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather.com

Mining groundwater for agricultural use in the San Joaquin Valley has not only created one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States, but it has also simultaneously altered the surface of the land causing noticeable subsidence or sinking in the region, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“The maximum subsidence, near Mendota, was more than 28 feet,” USGS reported, citing a 1970 comprehensive survey.

Overall subsidence has slowed since the 1970s due to reductions in the pumping and recovery of groundwater, as well as the use of other types of surface water irrigation.

“At least some of the groundwater is stored in between clay deposits and within clay deposits,” AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark said. “When you extract the water, you take out the water surrounding (the) clay molecules, and this then allows the clay to compress. The more water you take out, the more compacting you have, and when that happens, the valley sinks.”

In the photo above, taken Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, a warning buoy sits on the dry, cracked bed of Lake Mendocino near Ukiah, Calif. Despite recent rains, the reservoir is currently only about 41 percent full. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Pacific Region Office Deputy Director Dave DeWalt, nearly 11.3 percent of the total value of U.S. agriculture commodities comes from California’s prime agricultural region.

“So far (in 2014) we’ve only seen about one-third of the precipitation we normally would have,” DeWalt said, referring to the Sacramento area.

With the drought continuing, food prices will spike.

“It is some of the richest farmland in the U.S.,” Clark said. “There is talk that some commodities may not be feasible as they take a lot of water to grow. Such as almonds, a huge cash crop. It takes one gallon of water to make one almond.”

According to Fresno State University Center for Irrigation Technology Consultant Sergeant Green, understanding the utilization of groundwater and the impacts on the Valley is not as simple as it seems.

“Water, crops and productivity are all dynamic,” Green said.

The current crops using the most water in the region are almonds and alfalfa, he said.

“Almonds are a critical export that helps with balance of trade, and alfalfa is critical for the dairy industry which is a huge part of the agriculture economy in the Valley,” Green said. “The three top agricultural commodities are almonds, grapes and dairy products.”

The San Joaquin Valley is part of the Central Valley of California, includes the Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This area produces about a quarter of the nation’s table food on only 1 percent of the country’s farmland, USGS reports.

Drought Map 140430The map above shows the impact of drought on California’s farms, forests and wild lands. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory)

“Groundwater in the north of the Valley is relatively stable, the south Valley (Fresno south to Bakersfield) has declined consistently,” Green said. “Old pre-1960s subsidence stopped until surface water supplies from the Bay-Delta were cut back starting in the mid-’90s.”

According to the USGS, land subsidence in the Valley was first recorded in 1945 by Engineering Consultant I.H. Althouse.

“The history of land subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley is integrally linked to the development of agriculture and the availability of water for irrigation,” the USGS reported. “Further agricultural development without accompanying subsidence is dependent on the continued availability of surface water, which is subject to uncertainties due to climatic variability and pending regulatory decisions.”

The 10,000-square-mile area making up the Valley floor is comprised of continental sediments and includes fine-grained, stream and lake deposits, which are susceptible to compaction, the USGS reported.

“When farmers and ranchers have to rely on groundwater instead of stored above ground water during extended droughts, more water is being extracted than can be returned,” Clark said. “Once the clay is compacted, there is no way to ‘unpack’ it.”

According to AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Randy Adkins Jr., California has received less than their average rainfall for several years consecutively.

“It’s been a multi-year drought,” he said.

AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Jim Andrews said the last three winter rainy seasons (October to April) were drier than normal, the last winter being driest of the three. Cumulative rainfall (including melted snow) is as little as one half of normal amount for the three rainy seasons collectively, Andrews said.

“Fresno has only seen 55 percent of their normal for those three seasons,” he said. “That’s around 16 inches of rain less than normal.”

Andrews added that the Sacramento region has been doused with only 68 percent of their normal rainfall of 54.5 inches.

Green said rainfall is not adequate to recharge the groundwater, adding it needs to be stored, applied or recharged in specific areas that allow the capability to add more water than what is being extracted at those locations.

In addition, new developments in irrigation are being utilized currently, but the amount of water needed will continue to be based on what crops are in demand, Green said.

“Precision irrigation systems are now widespread and continuing to increase rapidly, but don’t always mean less water is used,” he said. “Crop requirements determine total demand, and permanent crops such as almonds have been increasing for some time.”

2016-05-31T19:37:59-07:00April 30th, 2014|

Subcommittee Examines Economics, Regulations 
Plaguing Livestock Industry

Rep. Rick Crawford, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit, TODAY held a public hearing to review the state of the livestock industry.

Members heard from two panels of witnesses that ranged from the Chief Economist of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to an array of experts representing the animal agriculture industry. Together, they highlighted issues, such as regulatory burdens, feed costs, drought, animal disease, and trade that are impacting this sector of the agricultural economy.

“Today’s hearing offered our members an opportunity to explore a variety of issues impacting the livestock industry. Our farmers and ranchers have endured a great deal over the past few years from record droughts to higher input costs and the ongoing burden and uncertainty associated with mandatory country-of-origin labeling rules.

Combined, all of these issues and others have tightened operating margins, which create challenging business conditions for our producers. I hope we will use what we have learned to work on real and lasting solutions to the problems we discussed,” said Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR-01).

“In the San Joaquin Valley, our livestock producers are struggling to hold on in the face of a devastating drought, and farm workers who usually have tired hands from working the fields may soon be standing in line at food banks to feed their families,”  commented Ranking Member Jim Costa (D-CA-16).

“As harmful as this drought is to California livestock,” Costa continued, “the fact is that the industry nationwide is battling other factors like the country-of-origin labeling law and the RFS that endanger their bottom lines. Today’s hearing gave us the opportunity to highlight the natural, bureaucratic, and regulatory challenges facing the industry.”

2016-05-31T19:38:00-07:00April 30th, 2014|

Strengths of Sens. Boxer, Feinstein May Help Conquer Drought

Source: Elizabeth Held; Washington Bureau 

When it comes to water issues, stereotypes of California’s two Democratic senators ring true.

Barbara Boxer is the firecracker, guarding environmental protections, while Dianne Feinstein is the negotiator, working with Republicans and Democrats.

But those differences might make the pair particularly suited to get a California drought relief bill approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives and signed by President Barack Obama.

Environmentalists have sway in the Democratic-controlled Senate. GOP support is crucial in the Republican-controlled House.

Republicans advocate rolling back environmental regulations to provide more water to farmers in the Central Valley and points south. Democrats want agencies to make more water available while maintaining environmental protections.

Despite their philosophical differences, Feinstein and Boxer were able to agree on the drought-relief bill and jointly introduced the legislation in February, calling for, among other things, agencies to use as much flexibility as possible when enforcing water pumping regulations.

“Everybody in California has a direct stake in drought relief,” said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. The urgency of the situation plus the skills that Feinstein and Boxer demonstrate, Pitney said, might make this the year Congress will pass a bill.

“Their strengths are complementary,” Pitney said. “Boxer is good at mobilizing the liberal base. Feinstein is good at working with Republicans.”

Republicans in the House of Representatives, though, criticize Boxer and Feinstein for moving too slowly. In February, the House passed it’s own drought relief bill that relaxed environmental protections.

Matt Sparks, spokesman for the House Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy, said, “The onus is on the Senate Democrat majority to put forth California water legislation that can pass the full Senate.

“If 60 votes are required to move this process forward, then Senate legislation to provide relief to California farmers and families must be able to attract necessary bipartisan support.”

Boxer is viewed as the liberal from Marin County, said Steve Erie, a professorat UC San Diego, who has written extensively on California water. Feinstein, he said, “is a deal maker.”

DIFFERENT APPROACHES

Feinstein and Boxer have a history of being on different pages for managing California’s water.

In 2001, Feinstein introduced a bill with Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, that would have streamlined the review process for certain California water infrastructure projects. Boxer and Rep. George Miller, R-Martinez, with help from the environmental community, killed the effort.

2016-05-31T19:38:00-07:00April 29th, 2014|

Citrus Growers Forced to Push Trees Due to Zero Water

Governor Brown issued an executive order on Friday to the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board to expedite approvals of voluntary water transfers to areas of need.

Citrus growers and communities within the Friant service area, however, are still without water despite the availability of additional supplies from recent storm events.

There have been many opportunities for the state water agencies to communicate with stakeholders the amount of water that will be delivered, yet they consistently fail to provide numbers.

A conference call was scheduled on Friday, but after being postponed twice it was cancelled.   “The lack of communication by Federal and State administrations to producers of fresh fruits and vegetables regarding future deliveries is unacceptable,” says Nelsen.

A vast majority of the Central Valley’s $1.5 billion citrus industry is located within the Friant Service Area. Due to the unwillingness of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to cooperate with State and Federal lawmakers and agencies, an estimated 50,000 acres of citrus in the Central Valley is at risk of being forced out of production.

We now know that because of the February and March storms there is sufficient supply to service the Friant Canal’s minimum needs of 200,000 acre-feet. However, “NMFS fails to realize the disastrous impacts of their unwillingness to reevaluate the actual needs of the fish and reach a balanced solution for all stakeholders,” says CCM President Joel Nelsen. “Growers are now being forced to make difficult decisions as the bureaucrats at NMFS fail to reach a decision of their own.”

Acres upon acres of valuable citrus trees have already been pushed out of production. But, it is not just trees that will be pushed if Friant does not receive water – jobs will be pushed, people will be pushed, and the economy will surely suffer.

California Citrus Mutual estimates that a loss of 50,000 acres will result in a $3 billion hit to the California economy. “This is not just about trees, it is a matter of public health,” continues Nelsen. “Unless our growers receive their fair share of water from the Friant Canal our communities will suffer without the economic driver of a vibrant citrus industry in the Central Valley.”

“I ask, is it worth sending excess amounts of water down the river at the expense of an entire industry and the 20,000 jobs it creates,” concludes Nelsen.

2016-05-31T19:38:00-07:00April 28th, 2014|

Keeping a Watchful Eye on the Family Farmer: Suicide Prevention

By Laurie Greene, Editor

 

National Mental Health Awareness Month, in May 2014, is an opportune time to focus on eliminating the stigma of mental health in the California Farming Community and providing compassion and support to those who are struggling to cope.

Stress and anxiety that plague the family farmer during this crippling time of zero water allocations can lead to mental stress, which, in some cases, could lead to suicide. Last year, Tulare County had just over forty suicides from all walks of life, and some were from the farming community. In fact over the last few years, several California dairymen, specifically, have committed suicide.

Cheryl Lennon-Armas LMFT

Cheryl Lennon-Armas, LMFT, co-chair, Tulare-Kings County Suicide Prevention Task Force

Cheryl Lennon-Armas, co-chair of the Tulare-Kings County Suicide Prevention Task Force, notes that the subject of mental illness is something we all need to be aware of and talk about. “There’s a whole lot of people who are touched by suicide or attempted suicide or mental health issues. But there are not a lot of people who want to have a conversation about it.”

“So how do we make those topics easy to talk about?” Lennon-Armas wants the public to learn more so they are not afraid. “For example, say a farmer is talking to a lending company, and the lending company says, ‘Oh, I can’t loan you money,’ and the farmer says, ‘well that’s OK, I wont need it anyway.’ How do you get that lending company to say, ‘Whoa, Whoa, Whoa’?”

“’I won’t need it anyway,’ – that should be a red flag statement,” Lennon-Armas pointed out.

“But often, when people hear statements like that, they may become fearful and want to push it away,” Lennon-Armas explained. “We don’t want to have to look at that farmer and say,  ‘Hey, I am worried about you, and I want to make sure you are OK. What can I do to help? Are you thinking of committing suicide?’”

“It needs to roll off the tongue of all of us in order to end the stigma,” she stated.

Pipe without waterDuring the current debilitating water crisis and the possible loss of many farms, it’s more critical than ever to keep an eye on any farmer or farmworker who is grappling with understandably intense anxiety and stress. So, it’s important to know some of the signs that could indicate that someone in the farming community could be contemplating suicide.

 Lennon-Armas, noted, “It’s really important to pay attention to the people around you and not make assumptions that their being quiet or not showing overt signs of being suicidal means they are OK.”National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

“Take notice if they are isolating themselves or you see a change in their routine, if they stop attending church, or they drop out of 4-H or FFA or other community organizations they might be involved in. If you start seeing some deterioration on the farm, how they are caring for their animals, an increase in farm accidents, these could all be red flags,” she said.

“An increase in farm accidents might mean that the farmer is depressed and not paying attention to the work they are doing, Lennon-Armas explained. “Maybe they are not sleeping well or they are increasing their use of alcohol or medications. It’s important to note that it is common for people to `self medicate’ themselves when they are depressed.”

????????????????????“The farm worker population has the additional issues of cultural and language barriers and access to services or even awareness of services available,” Lennon-Armas explained. “While the stigma issues are slightly different, they are equally strong for farm owners and farm workers alike.”

“But at the end of the day, it is about providing support and access to information – saving just that one life,” she said. “We are not in the business of being popular when doing suicide prevention. Our job is to keep people alive long enough to where they are feeling more hope than despair.”


Resources

Tulare & Kings Counties Suicide Prevention Task Force:

Website

Facebook

Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency: 

Website

Facebook

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Mental Health Crisis Line (WARM LINE) is 1-800-320-1616

In an emergency, you can always call 9-1-1.

In California, you can also call 211 for mental health and financial advice and support.

The American Association of Suicidology

California Crisis Centers

Additional thanks to: Tammie Weyker, Media specialist for Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency

California Suicide Hotlines by County_Page_1

California Suicide Hotlines by County_Page_2

2021-05-12T11:06:01-07:00April 28th, 2014|

Gov. Brown Issues Executive Order to Redouble State Drought Actions

Governor Brown Doubles Down on Drought

 

With California’s driest months ahead, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an executive order to strengthen the state’s ability to manage water and habitat effectively in drought conditions and called on all Californians to redouble their efforts to conserve water.

“The driest months are still to come in California and extreme drought conditions will get worse,” said Governor Brown. “This order cuts red tape to help get water to farmers more quickly, ensure communities have safe drinking water, protect vulnerable species and prepare for an extreme fire season. I call on every city, every community, every Californian to conserve water in every way possible.”

In January, the Governor declared a drought state of emergency. Since then, state water officials say that reservoirs, rainfall totals and the snowpack remain critically low. Current electronic readings show the snowpack’s statewide water content at just 16 percent of average.

In the order, Governor Brown directs the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board to expedite approvals of voluntary water transfers to assist farmers. He also directs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to accelerate monitoring of drought impacts on winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River and its tributaries, and to execute habitat restoration projects that will help fish weather the on-going drought.

To respond to the increased threat of wildfire season, the order streamlines contracting rules for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and CALFIRE for equipment purchases and enables landowners to quickly clear brush and dead, dying or diseased trees that increase fire danger.

The order also calls on Californians and California businesses to take specific actions to avoid wasting water, including limiting lawn watering and car washing; recommends that schools, parks and golf courses limit the use of potable water for irrigation; and asks that hotels and restaurants give customers options to conserve water by only serving water upon request and other measures. The order also prevents homeowner associations from fining residents that limit their lawn watering and take other conservation measures.

The order provides a limited waiver of the California Environmental Quality Act for several actions that will limit harm from the drought.  This waiver will enable these urgently needed actions to take place quickly and will remain in place through the end of 2014.

(more…)

2016-05-31T19:38:00-07:00April 25th, 2014|
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