POLITICALLY INCORRECT ZONE: Down with water storage Up with useless train–Oh Yeah!

By Kevin Harris

Earlier this week, seek California Assembly Democrats voted down three Bills.  They would have boosted and streamlined water storage, thumb in an effort to protect the unpopular high speed rail project and to keep burdensome, link lengthy environmental impact report requirements over new water projects in place. AB 397 and AB 956, both authored by Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Porterville), and AB 311, authored by Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Nicolaus).  The bills were defeated along party lines.

AB 397 would have diverted any new high speed rail bond funding toward statewide water projects.  AB 956 would have prevented the California Environmental Quality Act from bogging down the new projects with time-hogging environmental impact reports. AB 311 was also defeated, which would have allowed water construction projects to proceed while CEQA impact reports were underway.

If it seems stunning that state lawmakers would put organized labor and needless environmental interests over the need for something like water, wrap your arms around this: Last year, the same California Legislature passed a bill (AB 743) exempting the Sacramento Kings basketball arena from CEQA impact reports!

Oh, and by the way, don’t forget to take shorter showers, folks. There’s a drought, in case you haven’t heard. See, according to the reports out of Sacramento, most cities (meaning, most of you) have not been very good at conserving water. They’re going to have to start fining you if you keep getting too clean.

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Kevin Harris

 Kevin Harris is a former reporter, editor and journalist, and previous President of Cal State Northridge’s Society of Professional Journalists. He is now a realtor and videographer, and lives with his two children in Oak Park. 

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