September 8, 2014 — Lawmakers representing fishing districts worry that diverting water will starve rivers of the water needed to sustain fish populations – and not just the endangered smelt and other species in the rivers and the 1,100 square mile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Northern California salmon fishermen are concerned they’ll be put out of business. Remember, salmon are both river and ocean creatures. They spawn in streams and get fat in the ocean.
Congress returns to Washington tonight after more than a month’s recess. Californians are thirstily awaiting word on another topic: what does Congress intend to do about the drought?
Here's answers to five questions about Washington's response to the drought:
1. Where do we stand on drought legislation?
The House passed a measure back in February that would create more storage for water. That bill, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, was co-sponsored by every GOP member of the House from California, plus Fresno Democrat Jim Costa.
Environmentalists and northern California Democrats are up in arms because it would set aside environmental laws and throw out water contracts that have been in existence for decades.
The Senate measure was sponsored by both of the state’s Democratic Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. It never had a hearing and passed in May by unanimous consent – a procedure that sets aside the usual rules of the Senate and just lets a measure come directly to the floor for an up or down decision. That bill dealt with temporary measures and is seen by House Republicans as a placeholder to open the discussion about a compromise measure.
Read the full story and listen to the audio at Southern California Public Radio