In this update from the Delta Vision Foundation, a crucial piece is the lack—so far—of establishing the independence of the Delta Stewardship Council, which is very important to ensure.
As we have seen, regrettably, with some of the nonprofit advocacy organizations connected to the Parkway, a lack of independence often impacts the quality of public policy and strategic management advice being offered to the community and the governing entities, and that is not a good thing.
An excerpt.
“On Thursday, August 6, members of the Delta Vision Foundation (formerly the Governor's Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force) released an assessment of "pre-print" bills in the California Legislature that address the ongoing crisis in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
"The Foundation analysis findings include:
1. All seven goals of the Delta Vision Strategic Plan are addressed in the package of bills.
2. The independence of the proposed Delta Stewardship Council is not explicit, nor are provisions included ensuring that independence.
3. While the bills include effective provisions for ecosystem restoration, they fail to include targets for acreage of habitat for restoration.
4. The bills include useful additional proposals consistent with the Delta Vision Strategic Plan, including the creation of a Delta Water Master as an agent of the State Water Resources Control Board.
“On August 4, 2009, several bills that address the ongoing crisis in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta were released in preprint form. As a set, these are strong bills that build on the Delta Vision Strategic Plan (adopted October 2008), but can be improved with limited changes. The seven goals of the Delta Vision Strategic Plan are addressed, and almost all of the Delta Vision Strategic Plan strategies and many action recommendations are incorporated in the proposed legislation. For more information, see the following Assessment of Preprint Delta and Water Bills.”
