There has been much political debate surrounding The Cadiz Water Project. When challenged in court, judges in 12 separate opinions affirmed the project and its protections and rejected flawed positions presented by Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
The project was approved in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), one of the toughest environmental laws in the country. Studies show it will not impact the environment in a negative way and even The National Park Service states that part of the desert to “unlikely to be affected by groundwater pumping from local basin aquifers.”
Politicians looking for a “do-over” introduced AB 1000 on July 3, 2017 through the controversial “gut and amend” process. It changes the rules of the game by claiming that part of the desert now must be protected. Instead of abiding by the authority of local elected officials in Southern California, AB 1000 puts environmental decisions about critical infrastructure projects in the hands of politicians and unaccountable political appointees in Sacramento.
The bill is already opposed by more than 60 water providers, labor unions, businesses and business groups, municipalities and hydrologists, including the International Union of Operating Engineers, the Laborers International Union of Southern California, the California Chamber of Commerce, the American Groundwater Trust, the Southern California Water Committee, the Southern California Association of Governments and the Municipal Water District of Orange County.
Californians should oppose AB 1000 because it threatens access to reliable water supplies that can serve up to 400,000 people a year as well as more than 5,900 good-paying union jobs associated with the Cadiz Water Project. AB 1000 also threatens the strength of CEQA, ultimately making it more difficult for local governments to provide families with services like water and power at reasonable costs.
Contact your legislator and get your voice heard. Stop AB 1000!
