State of the State Address Calls for Action on Water, Delta Fix in 2012
Calling water a “huge issue” California must tackle, Gov. Jerry Brown today delivered a State of the State address that called for agreement this year on a plan to fix the Delta to meet the dual goals of ecosystem restoration and water supply reliability.
In a 20-minute address before a joint session of the Legislature, the governor cited water as one of eight priority issues he intends to advance in 2012. He described the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan as an “enormous project” that will require time and political will to complete and voiced the state’s commitment to identify basic elements of the project by this summer.
“Last week, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar met here in Sacramento with those in my administration who are working to complete the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan. Together we agreed that by this summer we should have the basic elements of the project we need to build. This is something my father worked on and then I worked on—decades ago. We know more now and are committed to the dual goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and ensuring a reliable water supply,” the governor said.
“This is an enormous project. It will ensure water for 25 million Californians and for millions of acres of farmland as well a hundred thousand acres of new habitat for spawning fish and other wildlife. To get it done will require time, political will and countless permits from state and federal agencies. I invite your collaboration and constructive engagement.”
The governor also called for action in 2012 to stimulate jobs, build renewable energy, reduce pollution and greenhouse gases, launch a high-speed rail system, improve schools, reform pension programs and ensure the success of prison realignment.
The State of the State address emphasized that California remains a center of technological innovation and creativity, and invoked examples of past undertakings such as the Central Valley Project, interstate highway system and Bay Area Rapid Transit that were criticized and dismissed as impractical at the time.
He noted that while California has problems, “rumors of its demise are greatly exaggerated.”
The governor called on the Legislature to “prove the declinists wrong once again” and take action this year.
“We’re on the move. We’re on the mend. Let’s get it done,” he said.
In a statement, ACWA Executive Director praised the governor's commitment to solving the state's water problems.
"It is gratifying to see water on the short list of top issues Governor Brown intends to address in 2012," he said. "Water is a critical statewide issue, and the governor is clear about his responsibility to represent the entire state. This is essential as we work to keep statewide interests united around historic water legislation enacted in 2009 and make the investments needed to protect the environment, improve water supplies and grow the economy.
More on the address is available on the governor's website. Read ACWA's statement on the address.
