Huron, CA: turns off water to save fish- no jobs for people

[ljs]

First- I admit I watched this on Hannity last night, but before the "left of center" folks freak out on that one- the people profiled in this story voted for Obama, inlcluing the comedian Paul Rodriguez. I found it quite interesting that Rodriguez, a vocal Obama supporter, found that Hannity was on his side, and willing to share this story. The people in this community are suffereing b/c of liberal politics in saving some stupid fish. While Pelosi advocates millions in the stimulous to save some marsh rat, she has done nothing to help the humans of her state. Read on- you decide

http://www.alternet.org/workplace/141231/huron,_california_may_not_exist_in_a_year/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=alternet_workplace

click link for entire article(3 pages not just what is posted)

...No water, no jobs,” is the dismal mantra you hear everywhere around Huron these days, as a combination of a long-standing drought and a federally enforced diminished supply of water from nearby lakes has turned this once bustling city half way between the giant metropolises of San Francisco and Los Angeles into a land of the hungry.

Huron’s economy has for years been powered by agriculture. Acres and acres of tomatoes, melons, onions, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cotton and garlic were once the pride of this rural community. In fact, 95 percent of the processing tomatoes in the United States were grown in Huron.

But the economy is now shredded by a three-year drought, and, to a greater extent, by a round of safeguards for threatened fish imposed late last year by the feds that has diminished the transfer of water from lakes up north through the delta and into the state’s system of aqua-ducts.

Those restrictions were to prevent a little fish called the smelt, which has no commercial value, from being sucked into the pumps.

...

Many farming communities were told they would get only 10 percent of their allocation this year. Huron faces zero allocation, according to Police Chief Frank Steenport.

The feds’ action has fallowed farms in “one of the richest agricultural regions in the world,” said Carol Whiteside, president emeritus of the Great Valley Center, a non-profit that was set up to promote the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the Central Valley.

It has left scores of farm hands like Ramos jobless. An estimated 60,000 to 80,000 agriculture-related jobs will be lost in the Central Valley this year, said Assemblyman Danny Gilmore, R-Herndon, whose district includes all of King’s County, and portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.

Governor Schwarzenegger decried the feds’ action of putting fish “above the needs of millions of Californians.” And on June 28, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, noting that “the human suffering here in California is all too real,” said at a town hall meeting in Fresno that he wants to direct $160 million in Recovery Act funds to ease the toll of the state’s water shortage on Central Valley farmers.

Huron typically gets only about 5.7 inches of rain each year, far from adequate to support its agricultural industry, according to Don Villarejo, founder of the Davis-based California Institute for Rural Studies, a non-profit that works towards a rural California that is socially just, environmentally sustainable and economically balanced. The water situation has cut the growing season of many of the vegetables in half.

link for video of story presented by Hannity http://www.foxnews.com/hannity/

link for transcript from Hannity report

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,539121,00.html

experpt

RODRIGUEZ: You know — you know, the loser here is the American people. Because when we live in the most fertile valley on this planet. Everything you put on the ground here grows. Yet, you're going to eventually — by next spring, you're going to get your vegetables from China. And I understand they make great baby milk formula.

[twa]

Submit a requisition form for a waiver.

We'll get back to ya after review by the appropriate board....hang in there till hell freezes over or the drought breaks citizen.

[Henry]

Those restrictions were to prevent a little fish called the smelt, which has no commercial value, from being sucked into the pumps.

Additional federal regulations were imposed last month to protect such migrating fish as the Chinook salmon so the water levels would be sufficient for them to migrate.

For such a long article, I'd like more than two sentences explaining the reasoning behind the whole thing. This is all we get.

Fish is food too. Smelt is eaten just like Salmon. It would be nice if this section was a little more elaborate.

[dockeryfan]

California government has allowed construction firms to continue to build new housing with no regard whatsoever to the fact that there isn't enough water for the residents. All the water related problems stem from building projects that never should have been approved in the first place. (little off topic, but that's why everything water related in calif is so touchy)

[Henry]

Ok, I just read the transcript from the Hannity show, and it sounds pretty awful. If it's just a matter of saving some small fish why can't they put somescreens on the pumps or something.

In any case, this sure reeks of yet another Cailfornia cluster****. Everything the government out there touches apparently turns to crap.

[81artmonk]

If you think this is bad, just wait till our Gov starts adopting more green legislation, humans will start becoming less and less relevent to animals and the enviroment!

[Toe Jam]

Simple solution.

Call Colt Brennan and tell him to end the drought.

[SnyderShrugged]

Sad to see the unintended negative consequences of good intent.

[Vicious]

If you think this is bad, just wait till our Gov starts adopting more green legislation, humans will start becoming less and less relevent to animals and the enviroment!

If you think this is bad, just wait till our Republic Gov starts slashing more green legislation, humans will start becoming less and less relevant as they perish to the harsh environment.

[SnyderShrugged]

If you think this is bad, just wait till our Republic Gov starts slashing more green legislation, humans will start becoming less and less relevant as they perish to the harsh environment.

I'd rather take the chance on future sufferring than suffering right now. Plus, I believe that our scientific community is so good that there will be other creative methods to address any "harsh enviroment" fears down the road.

All that said, I highly doubt the smelt decline will create that "harsh environment" either.

[The 12th Commandment]

When you base your existence on something that naturally fluctuates, like water, there are going to be rough times. I live in a valley dependent on snow melt for surface irrigation and our farmers have had to cut back from time to time due to changes in the levels of the reservoirs. Also to protect a critter (a minnow) whose name I can't recall. You have to take the good with the bad and have some savings for the down times. There should be tax incentives and loans to put in drip irrigation and other more frugal systems.

[Henry]

Just to play devil's advocate here, but why would conservatives be upset about this?

So there's a drought. That's bad luck. Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with your life. Don't whine and complain about it. The last thing we want is a bunch of lazy freeloaders expecting the federal government to solve all their problems, right?

[twa]

Just to play devil's advocate here, but why would conservatives be upset about this?

So there's a drought. That's bad luck. Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with your life. Don't whine and complain about it. The last thing we want is a bunch of lazy freeloaders expecting the federal government to solve all their problems, right?

I'm not upset,I'm LMAO at the Cali Libs complaining.

Vegetables from China :hysterical:

[SnyderShrugged]

Just to play devil's advocate here, but why would conservatives be upset about this?

So there's a drought. That's bad luck. Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with your life. Don't whine and complain about it. The last thing we want is a bunch of lazy freeloaders expecting the federal government to solve all their problems, right?

The drought isnt the problem though, it's envronmental regulations that are making the drought more painful uneccessarily.

[81artmonk]

If you think this is bad, just wait till our Republic Gov starts slashing more green legislation, humans will start becoming less and less relevant as they perish to the harsh environment.

One question, who's more important? Animals or humans when the push comes to shove??

[Vicious]

I'd rather take the chance on future sufferring than suffering right now.

Sell out the next generations for your own comfort. The New American Way.

[Vicious]

One question, who's more important? Animals or humans when the push comes to shove??

We are animals, and we will die to the environment just like them. Or do you think you will be immune to the wars caused by drought and not enough crops?

[Destino]

When it comes to environment versus jobs I normally come down on the side of the environment. Bottom line is jobs can be had elsewhere. Move and find one. Destroying something in nature tends to be something that you can't undo and the consequences expand quickly.

Here if VA we heard about pollution in the bay decades ago. Who cares? Silly liberals?! Now look at what's happened and how many people have been affected.

In this case if the fish serve no purpose and the damage is not something that will lead to serious problbems turn up the water! If it does... well farmers, time to move and find work. Temporary jobs should NEVER come before irreverisble damage.

[ljs]

When you base your existence on something that naturally fluctuates, like water, there are going to be rough times. .

this is not a natural fluctuation- the liberal enviornmentalists got the water turned off.

When it comes to environment versus jobs I normally come down on the side of the environment. Bottom line is jobs can be had elsewhere. Move and find one. Destroying something in nature tends to be something that you can't undo and the consequences expand quickly.

In this case if the fish serve no purpose and the damage is not something that will lead to serious problbems turn up the water! If it does... well farmers, time to move and find work. Temporary jobs should NEVER come before irreverisble damage.

It's been reported there is no value for this fish. And these are not temporary jobs, these were established farms that are now in ruins-for what? A dumb 2 inch fish. Its insane.

[PCS]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/366070/california_cuts_water_supply_by_a_third.html?cat=8

http://mensnewsdaily.com/newswax/2009/08/12/feds-shut-off-water-to-california-farms-in-controversial-effort-to-help-threatened-species/

http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?STORY_ID=13237162

[The 12th Commandment]

this is not a natural fluctuation- the liberal enviornmentalists got the water turned off.

It's natural fluctuation that's causing the allocation of what's left to be an issue. If there were plenty of water there would be enough for all uses.

It's been reported there is no value for this fish. And these are not temporary jobs, these were established farms that are now in ruins-for what? A dumb 2 inch fish. Its insane.

Water is still an issue, fish or not, and some existing, established farms with junior water rights have already gone under during this drought in the west. It's been going on for about 13 years now.

[Destino]

It's been reported there is no value for this fish. And these are not temporary jobs, these were established farms that are now in ruins-for what? A dumb 2 inch fish. Its insane.

I looked into it more. The delta smelt is endangered. That changes this argument. Also I'd add that all jobs are temporary. There is no one out there that is promised a career without change. To argue that we should destroy an endangered species so some farms can survive a dry season is insane.

I will never support irreversible damage to protect jobs. Jobs can be found else where. Does it suck to move and find work elsewhere? Of course. you know what though... they wouldn't be the only ones doing so. thousands are relocating to find work, and they aren't threatening an endangered species to avoid doing so. If there were absolutely not work to be found elsewhere or the farms were critical to saving human lives I'd pump the water myself. Being that this is not the situation I'm not going to support damage that can't be undone to avoid inconveniencing some people.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

You know, Egypt used to be the breadbasket of the Roman Empire. Just because a region is a farming region now does not mean that it is going to be a farming region forever. If the only way a region can be used for farming is to pump in water from another part of the state, it may be time to reconsider whether that region is meant to be used for farming.

Also, I think everyone involved needs to go watch Chinatown tonight.

On another note, the wars of the 21st and 22nd cenutry may not be fought over religion or resources or ideology. There is a good chance they will be fought over water rights.

[ljs]

so you guys rather save some stupid fish and have near entire communities on unemployment/welfare? nice...

[Destino]

so you guys rather save some stupid fish and have near entire communities on unemployment/welfare? nice...

Why do so many people act as if their feet are in cement blocks. MOVE AND FIND WORK! It happens. I work with several people that have done it. I buy pizza from a store managed by a person that moved from california to find work here.

It's not impossible. Weak communities that live or die on a single industry face this fate all the time. I'm not going to favor doing irreversible damage to avoid inconveniencing people. Especially when they are a tiny fraction of the total number that is having to move to find gainful employment.