An update looks promising.
House panel OKs river restoration
By David Whitney - dwhitney@mcclatchydc.com
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, November 16, 2007
WASHINGTON – Legislation to restore the San Joaquin River cleared the House Natural Resources Committee by a 25-15 vote Thursday, winning cheers from environmentalists but not a single Republican vote.
"We've waited a year for this, and now we have it," said Hamilton Candee, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "This sends an important signal back to the state that this river restoration is going to happen."
"It's good to see it's moving," added Ronald Jacobsma, general manager of the Friant Water Users Association.
The measure would send water down about 27 miles of the river, which often dries up downstream of Friant Dam because the water is diverted. But the deal is far from done.
Republicans balked in unison because it would meet tough House budget rules by balancing the $170 million federal cost with a new tax on non-producing oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill's champion, Democratic Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno, promised that that provision would be changed before the measure hits the House floor.
