Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/168687
4A Daily News – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 Opinion Water woes, worries, and wars DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 As the most vital fluid to all life water is of great concern to everyone, particularly when it is in short supply. Wars have been fought over it, treaties abrogated, neighbors killed, and estuaries dammed and redirected. Today we face multiple challenges to provide sufficient flows for our fisheries, irrigated agriculture, and domestic needs while minimizing the environmental and economic impacts of our water delivery projects. Among these are proposals to increase the height of Shasta Dam and construct tunnels under the Bay Delta. Building massive tunnels in the Delta to move water to Southern California farms would add about $84 billion to the state's economy and create 177,000 jobs according to a report released by the California Natural Resources Agency, which is part of Gov. Jerry Brown's administration. The report, written by UC Berkeley economics professor David Sunding, concludes the benefits of the plan outweigh the disadvantages, but some of the finding appears to be in contrast with some of the findings of a University of the Pacific report done earlier this year. Natural Resources Secretary John Laird defends the report by stating, "this is somebody who's a professor at Berkeley and has worked for people all across the political spectrum," Supporters of the twin tunnels plan say it would restore the Delta's habitat, and that the Delta's water is crucial to thirsty farmers in the southern part of the state. According to the plan's website the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is an attempt to make California's water supply more reliable and for habitat restoration and water delivery in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta over the next 50 years with a more natural flow of water. A common concern is that the pumps associated with the tunnels will suck the Delta dry despite the fact that rules are in place, enforced by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, that won't allow that to happen and the responsible public agencies will not operate in a way that will pump the river dry. Others contend that this project is water grab to benefit southern California interests at the expense of those of us in the north although the Sacramento River water in question is allocated from water rights held by the federal government. Project sponsors admit that there are many unknowns about the project and how to best preserve the natural ecosystems, economy, and enjoyment of the Delta but believe that with careful examination and stewardship that the estuary will be improved while satisfying statewide water needs. Furthermore the proponents assert that the project costs will be borne solely by those benefitting from enhanced water deliveries. Unfortunately only time will tell if they are correct if ably more sanguine than most the project proceeds. with an optimistic view Some things are certhat statewide water tain however including woes can be mitigated if the need to move and we all work together, I dispose of massive do want to learn more quantities of construcabout the problems tion material, the potenassociated with this tially devastating massive project and changes to the Delta ensure that other options environment impacting are fully evaluated the people, birds, fish, before giving it my and other wildlife of the blessing. For this reason Delta, and the ruffling I will be among those of historically conRichard attending a discussion tentious and passionateon North State water ly held water access issues by Mr. Stokely concerns. Many folks entitled "Twin Tunin the north state, nels?? Raising Shasta including Tom Stokely Dam??" The meeting a natural resource planwill be this Thursday, ner from Trinity CounSept. 12 at 6:45 p.m. in ty, believe that opposing the proposed construction of the Red Bluff Community Center, twin peripheral tunnels under the 1500 S. Jackson St. Regardless of your position on Bay Delta is something we can all come together on in northern Cal- these important matters I hope ifornia. He believes it is not a you will take this opportunity to good plan and that there are better share your insights with others as options. In fact he refers to the we explore the vexing issues facwhole plan as a "farce based on ing our state pertaining to water woes, worries, and wars. lies and bad science." "The large, subsidized, corpoRichard Mazzucchi is a rate water interests, they would get most of the water," said Bob retired research engineer in energy Wright, an attorney with Friends specializing of the River, an organization that efficiency and renewable has consistently spoken against energy. He now makes his the plan. "So, there would be sub- home in Los Molinos, where he sidies all over the place here, tax- is striving to manifest a and spiritual payers getting the shaft, urban and sustainable suburban ratepayers in Southern lifestyle and operate a BBQ equipment and supply California getting the shaft." While my position is consider- business. He can be reached at Mazzucchi Positive Point Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; Email: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Declining forests (not); Liberators; Pinkies Here are some items that haven't previously found space in a column: A couple of years ago, a piece from About.com, titled "Forest Land Area from 1630 to 2002." induced thought of how Tehama County's economic fortunes have faded as forests became off-limits to logging, only to burn from excessive growth. It also reminded me of a conversation that journalist John Stossel had with some grade school kids: "Are air and water getting cleaner or dirtier?" Chorus: "dirtier." "Are forests getting smaller, larger or about the same?" Chorus: smaller. The "chilluns" had been so informed, apparently by their teachers and other assorted sources (cartoons, movies, etc). Mr. Stossel presented, to their astonishment, factual evidence that refuted what they believed. The chart and article, "A United States Forest Acreage Trendline," still available at http://forestry.about.com/library/bl _us_forest_acre_trend.htm starts with what, from USFS/FIA sources, appears to be dramatic declines in the South and North beginning around 1750 through about 1907. The settlers "initiated large land clearing efforts which had a great impact on forest acreage—especially in the new colonies." Timber became a major source of trade with England, providing quality wood mainly for shipbuilding; fencing, homes and firewood usage grew, also. Agriculture displaced forests to feed a growing nation. Meanwhile, Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain forests remained undiminished until about a century ago. Forestry efforts by federal and state governments then responded to alarm over diminished forests and, over the last century, the South has stabilized its acreage, the North has increased its acreage, while the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast forests have undergone fairly minor reductions. The approximately 1.0 billion acres present in 1630 declined about 25 percent by around 1910, mostly back east. Currently, forests are not declining and haven't, in a net sense, for the last 100 years. Forests, in 1900, were "less than we have today." When you hear or read that timber harvest plans, or salvage logging after fires, are held up by environmentalists, or see anti-logging themes in fictional movies or shows, remember that forest growth can't be stopped, forestryscience-driven logging is the very definition of "sustainable practices," and, whether they admit it or not, anti-logging fanatics are not engaged in environmental altruism. They peddle doom-andgloom over current forests that, if anything, are more abundant than a century ago. "Tree huggers" are fanatics who ideologically oppose timber harvests, period—economic and forest health benefits be damned. An April article from Powerlineblog.com, "Revisionist History Aside, We Were Greeted as Liberators In Iraq," reminded me how, when this column began in 2005, no small amount of space was devoted to pushing back against the anti-Iraq war narratives from local writers. Old issue, except that ideologically driven anathema towards the war by President Obama has driven him to leave no forces behind for stabilization. All our military sacrifices may be wasted if Iraq descends back into sectarian violence and becomes an world. A political cartoon from the ally of Iran. Chicago Tribune in "The late Christopher 1934 is disturbingly relHitchens had a standard evant: Searchable by response to Iraq war crittitle: "Planned Econoics who ridiculed Vice my or Planned DestrucPresident Cheney and tion?" (hat tip to friends others who predicted that Joe and Suzie), it shows U.S. troops would by a two wheeled, donkeygreeted as liberators in driven cart careening Iraq. His response: 'They recklessly down a road, were, I saw it.'" From the and some bespectacled, Daily Record of April 10, university-gown2003: "Baghdad's people clothed riders hoisting rammed (deputy premier) a bottle of that allTariq Aziz's sneers (over Don intoxicating substance, Allied troops being welcomed) down his throat. Polson "POWER," yelling "WHOOPEE!" (caps Hundreds threw bouquets Viciously at US tanks as they rumThe way in original). donkey is flogging the bled through the city. (FDR's Rexford) "TugMothers held up babies I see it well—Head Brain for soldiers to kiss. Kids Truster." Other occureached out to touch the tanks. The fact of their freedom pants—Ickes, Wallace and Richwas hard for many Iraqis to accept. berg, together with students Millions have lived their whole labeled "Young pinkies from lives under a regime where it was a Columbia and Harvard,"—are crime to throw away a newspaper, shoveling out bags of money as because Saddam's face was always they bounce down the road. Cart on the front page…(They) poured sign says "Depleting the resources of the soundest government in the on to the streets to celebrate." From the Boston Globe: (Tank world" while a long-robed Stalin, and infantry task force comman- gazing from a distance, says, "How der) Lieutenant Colonel John red the sunrise is getting." Next to the road, a wild-haired, Charlton…expected to find stiff resistance (but) found hundreds of goateed little figure writes: " 'Plan smiling, cheering Baghdad resi- of Action for U.S.' SPEND! dents. 'We came in ready to SPEND! SPEND under the guise attack…Instead it was a celebra- of recovery—bust the governtion…civilians all came out and ment—blame the capitalists for the were overjoyed to see us. A lot of failure—junk the constitution and them spoke English and had rela- declare a dictatorship" and, to himtives in the United States (and) self, says, "It worked in Russia!" were thanking us for our help and Don Polson has called Red denouncing Saddam and the Bluff home since 1988. He can regime." I see America's military as the greatest force for good, for be reached by e-mail at liberation, in the history of the donplsn@yahoo.com.