On September 30, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) welcomed announcements by Obama administration officials emphasizing a coordinated federal-state response and leadership to solving California's water crisis and urging the California Legislature to convene a special session on a package of water policy bills that EDF supports.
"Resolving the California water crisis requires exactly what we are seeing put in motion today: strong leadership and coordinated federal-state action," said Elgie Holstein, vice president for Land, Water, and Wildlife programs for Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and a former associate director of the Office of Management and Budget for Natural Resources, Energy and Science. "EDF and our partners stand ready to work with the Obama and Schwarzenegger administrations and legislative leaders at the federal and state level to reach a viable, scientifically based solution."
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, White House Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and other top Obama administration officials announced a series of actions the federal government is taking to deal with the water shortages and fisheries crisis. For example, six federal agencies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that reinvigorates involvement in California Bay Delta issues — including the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) — to help provide a reliable water supply, while restoring the environmental integrity of the Bay Delta. In addition, the Interior and Commerce departments have asked the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct additional scientific analysis of the California Bay Delta ecosystem and to help identify whether there are scientifically defensible alternatives to current water management plans in California.
"We also recognize and appreciate the important leadership role that Senator Feinstein is playing in seeking to resolve the crisis through helping to engage the National Academy of Sciences and promoting interim measures such as short-term water transfers," added Holstein.
"We applaud the Obama administration's commitment to a scientifically-rigorous and balanced approached to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan," said Ann Hayden, a senior water resource analyst at EDF and a member of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan steering committee. "We also welcome a rigorous scientific investigation by the National Academy of Sciences to assure that the Bay Delta ecosystem and the wildlife that it provides are protected as we consider major changes to how water is delivered in California.
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