Governor signs water bill at Friant Dam

Monday, Nov. 09, 2009 By Robert Rodriguez / The Fresno Bee With Millerton Lake as a backdrop, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an $11.1 billion water bond Monday that proponents acknowledged will be a tough sell with voters. Schwarzenegger was flanked by legislators, local elected officials, farmers, and members of the California Latino Water Coalition during the afternoon ceremony. “I am ecstatic to be here today to celebrate this historic accomplishment,” Schwarzenegger said. “Almost three years ago I stood here in front of Friant Dam and promised the people of California and the people of the Central Valley that I would do everything I can to rebuild California’s crumbling water infrastructure. Today we are delivering on that promise.” MORE .. The Fresno Bee Additional Resources: Water overhaul looks like win for Valley farmers .. The Fresno Bee

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Ray2535 wrote on November, 9 5:30 PM:

again i amazed how we think we just can control our way out of everything. i amazed that we feel we have a right to every resource on this planet. it amazes me how we exploit everything all in the name of consumerism and more people on this planet at the expense of out local landbase. increased storage at Temperance flat is not a sustainable solution...it's just dollars wasted on a short term band aid. we have no moral right to dam rivers or destroy mountain tops like what is being proposed at Jesse Morrow Mountain. we can't store our way out of too many people and not enough water. time to address the too many people...

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Ray2535 wrote on November, 9 9:32 PM:

amazing, amazing, amazing, I make a comment about population increases and resource exploitation and I get compared to a nazi war criminal! it is so easy for you to attack the messenger without focusing on my message. i am not afraid to bring up the fact of over-population on this planet. i appreciate the compliment about my brain, but you should try to engage it instead of ad hominem attacks against my person. i have never read herman goehring. i personally do not want authority to control the number of people on this planet. hoever, i do not agree that we should just not discuss or address the huge increases in population that are going to occur in the next 100 years. you only answer is technology and control over the natural world...wrong answer!

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Figgig wrote on November, 10 7:56 AM:

"we can't store our way out of too many people and not enough water. time to address the too many people..."

Don’t worry we will wipe each other out long before are natural resources dry-up. I’m all for controlling California population / pollution, with building moratoriums. The Japanese have too request a license for having a child in Japan, not a bad idea.

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keymac wrote on November, 10 7:58 AM:

Vote NO on this Bill/Bond. This Bill is full of Pork for the few, and not the hard working people of this Valley.

http://www.DownsizeCaNow.Com

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pipj wrote on November, 10 8:26 AM:

What a cop out. An 11 BILLION dollars bill during this economy, when being voted on by the entire state, is going to get dumped on it's ear. This is the old "look, I'm doing something" routine. The Gov knows this isn't going to pass, and knows he hasn't the ability to change the legislature. What is the executive branch doing deflecting the blame from the legislators who have opted for feel good socialist programs over real issues like water. There is danger lurking in the response to this. Any thought of giving Sacramento power over how many children you can have is tyrannical. The economy, when left alone, takes care of itself, alone. The lack of water has resulted in (1) damage to the farming industry that will take years to reverse, and (2) exposure of the absurdity of the pseudo-science and power of the Federal government. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the citizen would stop expecting and empowering government to "fix" things?

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The DEBT SERVICE (Bond/Loan Payments) for the $11.1 Billion Dolar Bond will be;

$809,300,000 per YEAR ...

Ten Million here and twenty million there, and pretty soon you talking about BIG Buck$.

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EXCERPT ...

"Opponents of the bond said the package is ill-timed.

“We can’t justify spending billions on dams that only benefit a few — especially in today’s fiscal climate,” said Jim Metropulos, a Sierra Club California lobbyist.“We have a water crisis today. This proposed bond wastes $3 billion on projects that will take decades to build before producing a single drop of water.”

At its peak, the bond would cost the state up to $809.3 million in annual debt service, assuming a 30-year payment schedule, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office."

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[[ I am currently researching data from CA DWR regarding the "real cost" of a dam at Temerance Flat ... preliminary data indicates that the "real cost" is closer to $7 Billion, NOT $3 Billion. Will publish more when available ... eldon ]]

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