Recap of media coverage, plus the memo itself and reactions from legislators and interest groups
Media coverage of the Presidential memo …
Also on Maven’s Notebook …
Trump orders quicker environmental review of California water projects: “President Trump on Friday directed federal agencies to speed up their environmental review of major water projects in California and to develop plans to suspend or revise regulations that hamper water deliveries. The directive will have little immediate practical effect. But it comes a bit more than two weeks before a midterm election in which some Central Valley Republicans are in close races to hold on to their congressional seats. … ” Read more at the LA Times here: Trump orders quicker environmental review of California water projects
Here’s how Trump could mess with California’s water: “President Trump fired another shot in his ongoing environmental war with California, signing a directive Friday aimed at boosting water supplies for California farmers, which in turn could come at the expense of endangered fish. Trump was flanked at the signing by Republican congressmen from California who have long pushed for a bigger share of water for Central Valley agriculture. “We will have it done very, very quickly,” Trump said. “I hope you enjoy the water that you’re going to have.” ... ” Read more from KQED here: Here’s how Trump could mess with California’s water
‘So much water.’ Trump moves to slash environmental rules on Delta, putting farms before fish: “The Trump administration Friday pledged to slash the thicket of federal environmental regulations that govern the Delta and much of California’s water supply, aiming to increase water deliveries to his political allies in the San Joaquin Valley. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum directing his underlings to review a broad swath of water regulations and “eliminate all unnecessary burdens,” the president said during an appearance in Arizona. Trump’s memo drew quick reaction from California officials, who have fought the Trump administration on multiple fronts and said water supply can co-exist with environmental goals. “We can and must do both, without sacrificing one for the other,” said spokeswoman Lisa Lien-Mager of the Natural Resources Agency. “We hope we can continue working with the federal government to achieve these shared goals.” ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: ‘So much water.’ Trump moves to slash environmental rules on Delta, putting farms before fish
Trump Wants To Cut Red Tape, Hasten Water Projects In California, Pacific Northwest: “President Donald Trump has ordered the government to streamline regulations that he says are hindering work on four major water projects in the western United States and specifically targeted the Central Valley Project. Trump signed a memorandum Friday aimed at the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project in California, the Klamath Irrigation Project in Oregon and the federal Columbia River system in the Pacific Northwest. The memorandum orders the Interior and Commerce departments to speed up environmental reviews, streamline regulations and come up with a timeline to comply with the regulations. ... ” Read more from the AP via Capital Public Radio here: Trump Wants To Cut Red Tape, Hasten Water Projects In California, Pacific Northwest
Trump plan to boost Western water by easing rules worries advocates: “The White House on Friday released a plan that it said would improve water reliability and availability in the West by streamlining regulatory processes and conducting expedited reviews on water projects. Details on the plan were scarce Friday, but environmental groups were immediately skeptical, with one advocate saying she is “sure it’s a bad idea,” despite the president’s claims that the plan will not harm the environment. “Whatever he’s proposing to roll back protections is the wrong direction,” said Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter. “It’s wrong for our health, our communities, our economy – this idea that having poor water quality and not protecting our rivers and streams would somehow be good for the economy is ludicrous.” ... ” Read more from Cronkite News here: Trump plan to boost Western water by easing rules worries advocates
Trump signs memorandum to send more water to San Joaquin Valley agribusiness interests: “Congressman Jeff Denham (CA-10) on Friday joined President Donald Trump in Arizona for Trump’s signing of a memorandum directing the Department of Interior to slash environmental protections for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in order to benefit Central Valley agribusiness interests. The memo directs the Department of Interior to deliver more Sacramento and San Joaquin River water to big growers in the San Joaquin Valley — and less to salmon and other imperiled fish populations and the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary. The memo was issued just prior to the midterm elections as Denham and other GOP incumbents face tough challenges from Democratic candidates. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos here: Trump signs memorandum to send more water to San Joaquin Valley agribusiness interests
Garamendi slams Trump directive over California water projects: “Ask any environmental policy expert and they’ll tell you that water rights, water supply and water quality initiatives are complicated and contentious issues in California. Those issues are about to get a whole lot more complicated. On Friday, President Donald Trump signed a memo ordering federal agencies to review certain regulations and programs that conservatives argue impede water delivery efforts to agricultural producers in California’s Central Valley. Those regulations, some argue, are keeping much-needed water from flowing farmers who need it the most; Trump’s memo on Friday urged agencies to “suspend, revise or rescind any regulations or procedures that unduly burden” that stand in the way of those projects. … ” Read more from the Winters Express here: Garamendi slams Trump directive over California water projects
Can Trump force California to drain its rivers? He’s about to try: “President Donald Trump was expected to intervene in one of California’s most contentious water wars Friday by signing a memorandum designed to scuttle state regulators’ plans to keep more water in the rivers at the expense of farms and cities. Trump was expected to sign the memo Friday afternoon in Arizona, alongside Rep. Jeff Denham, a Republican from the San Joaquin Valley, according to Politico. Denham, R-Turlock, has been pleading with the Trump administration for weeks to block the state’s plan. The Politico story was posted on Denham’s congressional website and a spokeswoman in his Washington office referred a Sacramento Bee reporter to Denham’s Sept. 28 letter urging Trump to “stop Sacramento’s reckless water grab.” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Can Trump force California to drain its rivers? He’s about to try
Trump to jump into Western water wars ahead of midterms: “President Donald Trump is jumping into Western water wars on the side of agricultural interests just weeks before the midterm elections, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the plans — a major political gift for GOP incumbents in some of the most competitive House races in the country where water supply is a top campaign topic. California Republican Jeff Denham, who is facing one of the country’s most competitive races for his Central Valley district, is due to join Trump in Arizona this afternoon for the signing of a presidential memorandum. The memo is expected to be aimed at sending more water to farmers in California’s arid Central Valley. … ” Read more from Politico here: Trump to jump into Western water wars ahead of midterms
Also on Maven’s Notebook …
Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West
REACTIONS: Legislators, Growers, and interest groups comment on Presidential memo
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