The endorsement shows the complexity of the arguments for and against the canal and is another indication that the upcoming political fight over water in California will include some untraditional alliances.
Here's the key quote from the Nature Conservancy: “If we don’t take steps to repair some of the Delta’s natural ecological functions, we have no hope of saving the species that depend on this delicate ecosystem,” said Mike Sweeney, executive director for The Nature Conservancy's California Program. “The Nature Conservancy’s analysis led us to the conclusion that, short of ending water exports from the Delta, a peripheral canal is an essential component to restoring the conditions that Delta species need to survive.”
Also, here's the argument against shutting down the pumps to protect the endangered Delta Smelt.
1 comment:
"short of ending water exports"--Ending exports may not be as preposterous as it sounds. Dr. Jeffrey Michael at UOP's Business Forecasting Center analyzed statistics presented in the most recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California, which settled on some kind of alternative conveyance as the best solution for water quality and reliability. Dr. Michael showed that the PPIC had used inflated estimates of population growth and desalination costs. Using different estimates and factoring in environmental costs of conveyance, he showed that it would cost no more to end exports altogether.
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