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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alicia Trost in Senator Perata’s office at (916) 651-4188
Sarah Mason in Senator Simitian’s office at (916) 651-4011

SENATE DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT THE DELTA AND ENSURE ITS LONG-TERM SURVIVAL

SACRAMENTO – Senate Democrats unveiled legislation today to improve the management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Senate Bill 27 will, among other things, bolster emergency preparedness, identify levees that need strengthening and enhance wildlife restoration.

“The Delta is vital to California’s economy and its future,” said Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata (D-Oakland). “We must protect our state’s water supply and manage this resource wisely, if we want our economy to remain strong. This bill orders the Secretary of the Resources Agency to begin doing the things we know must be done to safeguard the state’s drinking water and maintain the Delta’s viability.”

The bill follows up on legislation passed and signed into law last year that requires the state to develop a strategic plan for sustaining the Delta. SB 27 directs the state to explore five water movement proposals suggested in a recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California and sets the criteria for judging them.

“The Delta is going to hell in a hand basket,” said Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), the author of SB 27. “A precious natural resource is at risk. Twenty-three million Californians are understandably concerned about the security and quality of their water. And Northern Californians continue to worry about how much of ‘their water,’ as they think of it, will be shipped to other parts of the state.  Denial won’t address those concerns. It’s long past time for the state of California to step up and tackle the problems of the Delta. I’m delighted that we’re all pulling together to get the job done.”

Senators Michael Machado (D-Linden) and Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) joined Perata and Simitian at a press conference today to praise the measure. SB 27 is part of a package of water bills by Senate Democrats this year that aims to speed up levee repairs, increase flood protection for public safety and property, enhance water supply and reliability through better management, reform the state agency overseeing bond expenditures for flood protection, clarify responsibilities of state and local flood agencies to ensure flood protection is provided and taxpayers are protected from liability. 

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