Portantino’s Leadership Helps Prevent Cadiz Water Transfer

Monday, March 26 2018

Sacramento, California – On March 20, 2018, Senator Portantino, D – La Cañada Flintridge, directed a letter to the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District urging them to not support the Cadiz Water Project. Senator Portantino believes that the district should not invest in an environmentally insensitive groundwater mining project.

“As the representative of the 25th Senate District, I strongly oppose local efforts to import water from the Cadiz Water Project and I discourage the Upper District from entering into an intent agreement. In California we must increase water supply and conservation measures in order to support our community’s water needs but we must do it with environmental sensitivity,” commented Senator Portantino.

The Cadiz Project has several consequences: first, the extraction of up to 25 times more water than is recharged would cause damage to the Mojave National Preserve and the wildlife adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park. Second, the project water is too costly, with an estimate of between $775 and $960 per acre-foot compared to cheaper water from Metropolitan Water District. And lastly, the Trump Administration has promoted this environmentally insensitive project without taking into consideration local concerns and impacts.  Ultimately, this project could lead to health dangers, damage fragile desert landscapes, and raise water rates. The letter continues Senator Portantino’s commitment to his district and environmental protection.

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