Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

WASHINGTON — Congressmen Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa issued the following statement in response to the creation of a Federal California Drought Action Team announced by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

To view the release, visit http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/022709.html.

“We commend Secretaries Salazar and Vilsack for recognizing the severity of the situation in California and committing federal assistance to alleviate the impacts of the worst water shortage in California’s history.  This drought is truly a human crisis. California is the number one agricultural state in the nation, producing a large amount of the food consumed here and abroad. Without water, thousands of acres will be fallowed and up to 40,000 farmers and farm workers will be out of work.”

“I encourage Secretary Salazar and Secretary Vilsack to act swiftly to find short-term relief for the immediate crisis, but also evaluate long-term solutions for California’s water needs. I look forward to working with them on both of these goals,” Costa stated.

“Formation of this task force is a critical step in addressing this crisis, which will further devastate the economy in the Valley.  I invite both Secretary Salazar and Secretary Vilsack to visit our area in the coming weeks to witness the devastation first hand,” said Cardoza.

Earlier in the month, Cardoza and Costa wrote to Interior Secretary Salazar urging that the Department take action to address the drought in California by exercising “the maximum flexibility in the operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project in such a way as to maximize water allocations, obtain supplemental water supplies, and expedite water transfers.”

“We also support the efforts by the State of California, including the renewed pledge by Governor Schwarzenegger to address the need for comprehensive water reform that increases storage, improves conveyance, protects the Delta’s ecosystem and promotes greater water conservation,” Cardoza and Costa stated.  Earlier in the week, the Governor reiterated his support for the reform plan, which he and Senator Feinstein announced last July.

The Federal Drought Action Team will include representatives appointed by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, along with representatives from other federal agencies. In addition, Secretary Salazar is directing the Bureau of Reclamation to work closely with State authorities to facilitate water transfers for the Drought Water Bank that is operated by the State. 

He also is directing Reclamation to provide operational flexibility to convey and store water to facilitate additional transfers and exchanges that can move water to critical-need areas, and to expedite any related environmental review and compliance actions. Finally, the Secretary is calling on Reclamation to explore ways in which funds recently appropriated to Reclamation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for water reuse projects, and other water projects, might be used to help stretch California's water supplies in the coming months.