There’s a cost saving measure Ahnold!

Thanks Kenny!!

No doubt a “small” tax increase could fund such a program. Isn’t that the way they always start this stuff?

Then of course it would be followed by stories that the poor didn’t take advantage of it, but some billionaire used it to replace 17 toilets at his mansions.

Hmmmmmmmm………………

http://www.contracostatimes.com/environment/ci_15138043

A University of Maryland scientist who published a paper this week concluding that ammonium-laden wastewater discharges from Sacramento are at the root of the Delta’s ecological demise has been dismissed from a prestigious panel of scientists studying the decline.

Patricia Glibert, a respected ecologist, determined that increases in ammonium downstream of the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District’s sewage treatment plant fundamentally altered the kinds of plankton that thrive in the Delta, and that change rippled up the food web in ways that led to the decline of native fish.

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Apparently, Mr. Mike Taugher of The Contra Costa Times is all over the water ‘nudge’ in Califailure.

Methinkest to peruse said newspaper quite the often futurely.

Stimupork money – $12 million of it – YOUR money – The cost of placing a screen over a water intake…….. To protect The Delta Smelt.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15055452

A $12 million contract has been awarded to build the final phase of a Delta project to protect the endangered Delta smelt and other fish, the Contra Costa Water District said in a news release.

Flatiron, an international construction firm with extensive operations in Benicia, will complete the Contra Costa Canal fish screen at Rock Slough. The project, located at the only one of the district’s four water intakes in the Delta that isn’t screened, is being funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Once completed, the new fish screen will prevent fish from entering the Contra Costa Canal, minimize the loss of sensitive fish species in the Delta, increase the reliability of the district’s water supply and fulfill legal requirements, the water district said.

It is anticipated that Flatiron could complete the project by November 2011.

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So then, exactly who or what is the Flatiron Construction Company ?

Whoa…… They am be some big ‘ol heavy hitters.

Started in Colorado back in 1947 as a very small construction company, they grew to a major federal contractor for roadways (urban and suburban), bridges, big-ticket stuff only.

They recently did Boston’s “Big Dig”, along with rebuilds and new facilities and major bridges throughout The USA and Canada including what’s known as “seismic retrofitting” for structures located within known earthquake-prone areas……. These guys are huge…….. Guess what…..They’re also not American owned……. Haven’t been since 1993, when they were bought by Hollandsche Beton Group (HBG) of The Netherlands.

In 2002, Koninklijke BAM Groep (“Royal BAM Group”), also of The Netherlands bought HBG.

Hochtief Akiengesellschaft of Germany THE big gun in building there bought/took over in 2007.

‘Hochtief’ owns Turner Construction…… THE big gun here in the land of the all-night diner. Flatiron is now part of Turner Construction.

I’d check into the political donations thing, but why bother…… we all know what we’ll find…….. Unions, etc.

Just because the balloon is about to go up in The M.E. doesn’t mean I ain’t a-payin’ heed to other stuff………

From Mr. Taugher at The Contra Costa Times once again…….

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15184308

The head of the nation’s largest irrigation district said Friday that recent court decisions confirm his contention that federal regulators have overly focused on Delta pumping rates as the cause of the estuary’s decline.

“These decisions are a complete vindication of the direction we’ve been headed, that the decisions concerning implementation of the Endangered Species Act have not been based on good science,” said Tom Birmingham, general manager of the Westlands Water District. “The species are never going to recover until these agencies start to base their decisions on science “… as opposed to their preconceived beliefs,” Birmingham added.

snip

A hearing is scheduled next week in which water users might ask Wanger to loosen restrictions meant to protect Delta smelt.

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Good to know Judge Wanger is still on the bench and not under a bus or worse.

Gotta keep an eye on this…… Mr. Sunstein and the administration (including Mr. Salazar at EPA) are no doubt keenly interested in making sure the water stays off and kills farms, ranches, jobs and America in the process.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15200772

“Having Pombo represent a district that includes Yosemite National Park is like electing Godzilla as mayor of Tokyo,” said Warner Chabor, CEO of the California League of Conservation Voters.

Pombo, who was named an “eco-thug” by the Sierra Club in 1996, shrugs off the opposition. “It just shows I was the most effective fighting against them,” he said.

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Go go Godzilla !

http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_15222103

A coalition of Delta farmers and environmentalists sued Thursday to recoup millions of dollars in taxpayer money they contend was paid illegally to Kern County landowners who sold water to a failed Delta environmental protection program.

The lawsuit, the latest salvo in an increasingly chaotic and bitter statewide fight over Delta water, also seeks to force Kern County landowners to return a giant underground reservoir to public ownership and to undo a 16-year-old pact between state water officials and their customers. That agreement, the litigants say, is destroying the Delta ecosystem and enriching Kern County landowners.

snip

“It’s like Chinatown, on steroids,” said California Sportfishing Protection Alliance director Bill Jennings, referring to the 1974 Jack Nicholson film that depicted Los Angeles’ infamous raid on Owens Valley water in the early 20th century.

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Deeper and deeper we go……. Courtesy of Mike Taugher of The Contra Costa Times.

Gee…… it seems as if this water thing is almost, kind of, slightly, a bit political, eh ?

Hint: The fault just may be with something on ice in your local supermarket.

Striped Bass.

I kid you not.

Turns out Striped Bass are quite the gourmands themselves.

They have quite an affection for certain seafood dishes, one being Delta Smelt Sushi (hold the rice, no sauce).

I got so distracted by the Kyrgyzstan thing (and my Mom’s failing health) that I completely forgot to follow-up on the Califailure water matters for almost three weeks.

Here ya be…… The hearing date is July 2nd………

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15304051

It was 1879 when a Harvard-educated fish scientist took striped bass caught in New Jersey’s Navesink River and poured 132 of them into the Carquinez Strait near Martinez.

— — — — — —

Heh….. Figures…….. Haaaaaaaahvaaaaaad edumakated.

Y’all gotta read the insanity presented in the article.

This is definitely a Cass Sunstein “nudge” of the highest order, all to keep the water off in the nation’s most fertile growing area.

Had enough of the b.s. yet folks ?

Both articles from AP, via The Contra Costa Times…………..

Item One:

Oh sure….. SEVEN DAYS is gonna bring it all back.

Compromise reached over Calif pumping limits……. But only through the end of June……. THAT’S NEXT WEEK YOU IDIOTS !!!!!

FRESNO, Calif.—California farmers, environmentalists, water managers and city officials have worked out a compromise over how to manage pumping limits for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta through the end of June.

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Item Two:

State increases water allotment after storms.

SACRAMENTO — California officials plan to increase the amount of water they supply to farms and cities after a series of late spring storms boosted the Sierra Nevada snowpack.

The Department of Water Resources said on Wednesday it would supply 50 percent of the water its customers are requesting. That’s up from 45 percent in late May and a 5 percent estimate earlier in the year.

— — — — — — —

So then, if it rains hard, The State Of California can ignore the above mentioned ‘compromise’ and pump away ?……. or……. does that amount get taken off the top of the Federal destruction of America cap limit on what is most definitely solely a state issue and the sheep people simply live with it ?

Where’s my rif………………….

You simply can’t make up this stuff.

Once again, Mike Taugher at The Contra Costa Times………..

In a stunning development Tuesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he would try to pull an $11.1 billion water bond off the November ballot and instead ask voters to approve it two years from now. The governor said the delay was needed to focus on the overdue state budget, but the economic climate and persistent criticism of the bond”s cost also were making the measure a tough sell.

Apart from the Sierra Club and League of Women Voters, the powerful California Teacher”s Association on Tuesday came out against the bond, saying that its $800 million a year in debt payments would take money that could be used for schools.

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If I say it, I’ll get mad…… and I’m trying to relax tonight.

Actually, if I say it, I might open fire on something.

Let’s see what happens…………..

An $11 Billion water bond has to be canceled because “it’s for the children” ?!?

You Statist Dictatorial Unionized Leftist pieces of s…………….. BANG ! BLAM !….. Bang bang bang bang bang bang ! BLAM !

OK, I’m relaxed now.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_15431861

U.S. Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina argues that water shortages in California’s farm country are indicative of wider economic challenges facing California, and that if elected she would try to loosen environmental restrictions on Delta water pumping.

A spokesman for incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer counters that her efforts to make it easier to buy water and to increase supplies without bending environmental rules are sufficient.

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Y’all out in Cali…….. Wake up Ms. Fiorina to what’s going on…… Please.