Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

WASHINGTON – During a meeting today with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and other top officials with the Department of Interior, Congressman Cardoza took aim at the lack of government action in addressing the San Joaquin Valley’s drought. As a result of water curtailments to farmers in the heart of California, an estimated 40,000 jobs have been lost and thousands of acres of prime farmland have been fallowed.

“My definition of ‘crisis’ is a disaster that requires an immediate response,” said Congressman Cardoza. “By no definition of the word crisis has the federal government responded appropriately. Instead of red lights and fire trucks, I see business as usual. We all know that this crisis will not end even if we have a wet year. It is time to face this crisis head-on and finally take action.”

California’s San Joaquin Valley farmers are currently in their third year of drought. In addition to the natural drought, farmers are also faced with a “regulatory drought” from regulatory requirements that have cut back their water allocations from the San Joaquin Delta.

Among those present for today’s meeting were members of the San Joaquin Valley Congressional delegation; the grassroots Latino Water Coalition; Nancy Sutley, Chair of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality; David Hayes, Deputy Interior Secretary; and Lester Snow, Director of the California Department of Water Resources.
Speaking to the Interior Secretary and others, Congressman Cardoza submitted a list of 24 action items to assist California farmers obtain the water they desperately need. (See attached list.)

Congressman Cardoza added, “There is no sense of urgency on the Department of Interior’s part. My message today was to get Interior ‘fired up and ready to go.’”

Congressman Cardoza’s full comments as prepared for the meeting are as follows:

In all my years of public service, I’ve rarely been as disgusted as I am today.

My definition of “crisis” is a disaster that requires an immediate response. By no definition of the word crisis has the federal government responded appropriately. Instead of lights and fire trucks, I see business as usual.

Mr. Costa and I met with you and David Hayes during your first few days in office to highlight California’s water supply crisis. We told you of the bleak outlook for San Joaquin Valley farmers, farm workers, and rural communities. We told you the Valley was experiencing the highest unemployment and the highest foreclosure rates in the nation. We told you of the other factors at play in the Delta:  non-native species, wastewater discharges, pesticides and power plants, and we called upon the Department to address these factors.

We told you of our commitment to fix the Delta – to restore the fish AND restore the water supply to our farmers.

We kept being told that help is on the way.  A Drought Task Force was formed, yet I am not aware of any helpful action that task force has taken to address this crisis.
We were told that Mr. Hayes was appointed to lead the federal response and to coordinate with the State’s efforts.  Yet, when the Governor, several other members of Congress and I called for reconsultation of the two Biological Opinions, the Governor’s call for action was responded to with a curt “NO.”

When the Department announced projects that received stimulus funds, we were extremely disappointed that these funds went mostly to other areas of the state and mostly to fund environmental restoration projects, as opposed to improving water supply. And yet, the Department lauded these announcements as though this was a giant step forward towards solutions for the water supply crisis. They were NOT.

Worst of all, I have repeatedly extended my hand in cooperation and collaboration.  My constituents are suffering from a horrific drought.  Forty-thousand jobs have been lost and some of the most productive farmland in our country has been fallowed – all because of a water crisis. Yet in response, the Department issued a “Reality Check” implying that this regulatory drought isn’t even happening and blaming the State. This is outrageous and an insult to every one of my constituents who has been impacted by this crisis. 

The federal government is in part responsible for the regulatory drought, and it is time for the federal government to take action to address this crisis. If you recall, at that first meeting we asked the Department of Interior to coordinate with the Department of Commerce on NOAA’s Biological Opinion. When NOAA released its Biological Opinion, it was clear that there was no coordination, as the two Biological Opinions actually conflict with one another. 

The NOAA opinion is particularly devastating to my district, as it effectively turns New Melones into a flood-control project, removing the entire New Melones water supply from the City of Stockton and cutting half of the supply of irrigation districts.
Today, you’ve called for a study by the National Academy of Sciences. This is a positive step and something that many of us have been calling for. However, it is essential that the Academy provide its analysis within 6 months, otherwise the courts will be stepping in to address these issues and conflicts.    

As far as the MOU, we are long past the point of an MOU and more committees.  Again, what we need is action, and we need it before this Spring. As far as requesting that the Governor call a Special Session of the State Legislature, the Department needs look at what actions the Department can take to address this crisis instead of pointing fingers.
There is a lot more we should be doing in Washington and I don’t see the entrepreneurial spirit alive at Interior.

Today, I am formally submitting a list of projects and actions to be immediately reviewed by the Department.  I also reiterate my call for immediate reconsultation on the biological opinions. We all know that this crisis will not end even if we have a wet year.  It is time to face this crisis head-on and finally take action.