OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016

Floor Speech

Date: May 25, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Infrastructure Environment

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Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I want to say we have been here before. Last night we argued about undertaking the water wars of California. Once again, here we are. This time, as last night, legislation dumped into this energy bill that will gut the environmental protections of the delta and San Francisco Bay, destroy the fisheries, destroy the economy of the delta and water for millions of people.

Why would we want to do this?

Well, presumably, to take care of the water interests of the San Joaquin Valley, not southern California, but the San Joaquin Valley alone. It makes no sense whatsoever. It is the wrong policy.

We have to let science govern the delta. We have to operate the delta based upon the very best possible science available, do the pumping, do the exports, consistent with the protection of the ecology and the environment of the delta; that is fish, that is the land, that is the water systems.

The ESA, the Clean Water Act, and the biological opinions, cannot be overrun. Yet, this legislation does exactly that.

We ought to vote ``no'' on this bill. These particular sections should be removed.

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