Phatscotty wrote:peeps better wake up...
Both the federal Department of Interior and the federal Department of Commerce are claiming jurisdiction in order to control water resources.
California’s water usage is divided as follows:
48 % Environmental (federally regulated)
41 % Agricultural
11 % Urban
All this post shows is that what you know of California water could barely fill a thimble.
To begin with Water has ALWAYS been a public resource, regulated by the federal government, except when it becomes fish habitat. (then management of fish is usually under state control). In reality, it would take about 3 encyclopedia-sized volumes to fully explain water politics and allocations in California.
But here are a couple of facts you ignore. 1. the Colorado river, prime source of water for not only LA, but also Arizona, Colorado, etc, etc. .. allocations were based upon a very high flow year, so that most years the river has no where near enough water to supply everyone who has a "right" to it, even just in the US, nevermind Mexico. That Colorado Delta that the "silly environmentalists" seem to value provided incomes for hundreds of southern California and Mexican fishermen historically, not even including the thousands of sports fishermen ... all of whom brought significant ecnomic resources to the regions, (even aside from pure biological concerns).
California has allowed people to build suburbs on some of the most fertile and productive agricultural land on Earth (no exaggeration). More and more agriculture has moved into former desert lands, on the promise of water that was already promised to other people. This is a problem, even setting aside the concerns of saltification and so forth that happen when you water desert. Meanwhile, the very climate of California's central region has been so altered no one really knows the full impact yet. Just for a small example, even the hottest summer day would cool off at night in Sacramento when I was younger. People would run air conditioners all day, but generally would turn them off at night and open windows. I can even remember starting a fire in my grandparent's fireplace at night (granted, not "needed" in the summer, but also not a terrible idea) Now, air conditioners run all day AND all night.
Interestingly, the subagencies of these two federal agencies that supplied the biological opinions are influenced by the United Nations. The UN was created in 1945, and the following year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was created by the UN to act as a scientific advisor. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, a subagency of the Department of Interior, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service, subagencies of the Department of Commerce, are memebers of the IUCN, and supplied the biological opinions. There are many lawsuits disputing the validity of these opinions.
Most interesting, because the only opinions with any real legal standing are the Fish and Wildlife endangered species pronouncements.
But, yes, plenty of folks will sue anyone who tries to tell them they cannot do whatever they wish ... no matter the reason for the reccomendation.
Interestingly, the subagencies of these two federal agencies that supplied the biological opinions are influenced by the United Nations. The UN was created in 1945, and the following year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was created by the UN to act as a scientific advisor. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, a subagency of the Department of Interior, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service, subagencies of the Department of Commerce, are memebers of the IUCN, and supplied the biological opinions. There are many lawsuits disputing the validity of these opinions.
The UN’s scientific advisor, the IUCN also counts the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) as a memeber. The NRDC is the lead Plaintiff in compelling the water cut off. It is important to note that the NRDC has a budget of $87 million dollars, and is funded by the “philanthropic” Ford Foundation. You can check out their website to see the bills they are promoting for ’sustainablility’, like the Clean Water Restoration Act (S787), which could put all water under federal contol, the Law of Sea Treaty that would give the UN incredible power over American marine waterways and the Global Warming Cap and Trade bill.
What's really interesting is that you seem to think ocean fisheries should NOT be a UN concern. Its not as if any one nation has ownership of the Pollock stocks, whales or other ocean species aside from treaties and agreements. Again, going into all this in any real depth would take reams of pages.
As for the last 2 parts, water is ALREADY a national and international public resource. People keep trying to make it private, but it is the oldest common resource, dating back to the earliest times.
Similarly, anything to do with navigable waterways is already national control and often also subject to international treaties.
