Senate Committee votes YES on 2-Gates Study

The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water voted a unanimous “YES” this week on 2-Gates AJR-38.

AJR-38 says “This measure would request the United States Department of the Interior to prioritize completion of its study of the Two-Gates Fish Protection Demonstration Project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … The project should be expeditiously analyzed … and, if viable, implemented.”

The unanimous senate committee vote means passage by the Senate is likely. Even committee member Senator Lois Wolk, typically a strong supporter of the Delta voted YES. This is after the senate committee analysis clearly stated the objections the Delta communities have raised:

“Opponents argue that the science does not support moving forward with the project. They question why the state would attempt to restart a project determined not to be viable and one that has serious impacts on the Delta and its communities. In particular, they note that the project, by blocking Old River and Connection Slough, would pose serious navigation problems, not just for recreational boaters, but for emergency marine response crews as well.”

Hearing our grave concerns, why would the legislature even consider continuing this study?

The legislature needs to push for real solutions, not spending money to study projects that should never be implemented.

Sounds like the special interest water groups have more pull on our legislators than common sense.

The list of those who are pushing AJR-38:

Those who oppose it:

If you are concerned about a re-start to the 2-Gates Project, copy the paragraph below referencing the AJR-38 Analysis Report opposition statement into your Senator’s “Contact Me” comments section (or replace with your own words) .

For Discovery Bay residents, go to Mark DeSaulnier’s Website.

The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water reported that there is serious opposition to AJR-38 including that the science does not support moving forward with the project. Opponents question why the state would attempt to restart a project determined not to be viable and one that has serious impacts on the Delta and its communities. In particular, they note that the project, by blocking Old River and Connection Slough, would pose serious navigation problems, not just for recreational boaters, but for emergency marine response crews as well. I urge you to vote “NO” for AJR-38.

Click here to view the complete analysis.

UPDATE 8/16 from Senator Wolk’s office: Senator Wolk agrees with the analysis of AJR 38 [which pointed out the concerns and issues Delta communities have with AJR-38] and made many of those points in Committee. The Author agreed to take some amendments during the hearing which made Senator Wolk more comfortable with the bill. The amendments effectively stripped AJR 38 of the provision requiring “prioritization” of the study. Now the language simply states that the study should be completed. It’s now just like any other proposal that comes before the Bureau, and will be prioritized based on merit (which as we understand it, this project has very little merit).

1 Response to “Senate Committee votes YES on 2-Gates Study”

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1 Gene Beley August 16, 2010 at 2:01 am

Nothing ever changes. Science shows these Two Gates dams are bad for the Delta, but government ignores the facts. Big money and special interests in Southern California are going to take the water no matter what the consequences to Northern California Delta area residents like those who live in the waterfront community of Discovery Bay that will get land locked. The big boat cruising community will not want to cruise to Disco Bay any longer and will head to other ports of call. Before we know it, we’ll have not two, but three, then four, then five of these dams in the Delta from Discovery Bay to Bethel Island. These dams will scare off the thousands of people who come to the Delta every year. The boating and resort industry in the Delta will suffer immensely. Next they will probably flood farmers’ lands in their greed to destroy the Delta. But the politicians really don’t give a damn because their main financial support comes from the Big Money interests like the Stuart Resnicks of the world living in Beverly Hills. I’m 70 and consider myself lucky to have been a member of the “Last Lucky Generation” to enjoy the Delta as it was meant to be before state and federal government interests completely destroy it.

Save the California Delta Alliance (STCDA)