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Sacramento, California - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today joined U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for an aerial tour of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta where they discussed the challenges faced by California’s water system. Following the aerial tour, the Governor and Secretary Salazar announced $260 million in economic stimulus projects from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to help California address its long-term water supply challenges and devastating drought conditions.
“California’s water system is in crisis, and our future economic growth and prosperity depends on a water system that provides clean, reliable and sustainable water to our people, our farms and our businesses,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “These Recovery Act economic stimulus funds will create jobs and provide critical drought relief, helping to shield our water-dependent economy from disaster. We can’t fix California’s broken water system without our federal partners, and I look forward to working side by side with them for the sake of our environment, our economy and our future.”
Last month, when the Governor met with President Obama in Washington, D.C., he gave him a letter requesting an immediate allocation of $200 million in federal economic stimulus funds provided to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that would allow hundreds of water management projects to proceed immediately, including water conservation, groundwater storage, water recycling and others. Many of these projects will now be funded with the allocations announced today, including:
- $40 million for immediate emergency drought relief in the West, focused on California. These investments will allow for the installation of groundwater wells to boost water supplies to agricultural and urban contractors, the facilitation of the delivery of Federal water to Reclamation contractors through water transfers and exchanges, and the installation of rock barriers in the Sacramento Delta to meet water quality standards during low flows;
- $109.8 million to build a screened pumping plant at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam to protect fish populations while delivering water to agricultural users irrigating approximately 150,000 acres;
- $22.3 million to address dam safety concerns at the Folsom Dam near Sacramento, which i s currently among the highest risk dams in the country for public safety;
- $8.5 million to repair water-related infrastructure at Folsom Dam;
- $20 million for the Contra Costa Canal to protect water supplies for 500,000 Californian s and to build fish screens to restore winter-run Chinook salmon and the endangered Delta smelt;
- $4.5 million to restore the Trinity River and honor the Federal government’s responsibility to the Native American Tribes;
- $26 million for Battle Creek Salmon/Steelhead Restoration project, which will help restore fisheries that support thousands of jobs in northern California.
- $4 million to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan for conveyance systems to move Central Valley Project and State Water Project water, habitat restoration and adaptive management;
- $4 million to broaden scientific knowledge of Klamath River sedimentation for future management decision-making;
- $20.7 million in smaller water infrastructure and related projects across California.
Also, last month, the Governor created the California Recovery Task Force to track the Recovery Act funding coming into the state; work with President Barack Obama’s Administration; help cities, counties, non-profits, and others access the available funding; ensure that the funding funneled through the state is spent efficiently and effectively; and maintain a Web site that is frequently and thoroughly updated for Californians to be able to track the stimulus dollars.
In February, Gov. Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency due to drought conditions statewide and ordered immediate action to manage the crisis. In the proclamation, the Governor exerts his executive authority to direct all state government agencies to utilize their resources, implement a state emergency plan and provide assistance for people, communities and businesses impacted by the drought.
The Governor is committed to updating our state’s aging water structure with a strong focus on conservation, environmental protection and increased storage:
- California recently sold $733 million in bonds to fund drought, flood control and water management projects, and the state is preparing for another bond sale of $400 million for water and drought response.
- Last July, the Governor and Senator Dianne Feinstein proposed a compromise plan to the legislature to update California’s water system that would put the state on the path toward restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, expanding water supplies and promoting conservation efforts that will ensure a clean, reliable water supply for California.
- In 2006, the Governor signed Executive Order S-17-06, establishing an independent Blue Ribbon Task Force to develop a durable vision for sustainable management of the Delta. The plan was meant to balance the agricultural, environmental, community and business interests of the Delta.
- In July 2007, the Governor directed the Department of Water Resources to take immediate action to improve conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, to help restore its natural habitat and protect the Delta smelt and other species. The Governor issued immediate directives to protect the Delta using existing resources and also called for additional actions to be included as part of a comprehensive water package.
- Last November, the Governor signed an agreement with the federal government, the state of Oregon and PacifiCare that established a path toward removing four dams along the Klamath River, which straddles the California/Oregon border. This project is the most important dam removal project in U.S. history.
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