On 3 September 2014, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) released a 14-Point Analysis and Statement of Opposition to the Proposition 1 Water Bond that is on the 4 November 2014 ballot. The $7.5 billion Bond includes $2.7 billion for new dams and is a serious threat to the Delta and Central Valley rivers and fisheries.
Among numerous reasons the water bond is bad for California is that Proposition 1 undermines: the public trust doctrine by purchasing water the public already owns, at inflated prices, to protect the public’s rivers and environment; the principle of beneficiary pays by subsidizing projects that benefit special interests and the core principle that projects should be responsible for mitigating their adverse impacts.
Furthermore, Proposition 1: paves the way for a new era of big dam building; is a pork-filled barrel of special interest subsidies, including BDCP; provides little near-term drought relief; eliminates public oversight; crowds out other critically needed investments in roads, schools and public health & safety; is fiscally irresponsible and sabotages efforts to meaningfully address California’s continuing water crisis.
CSPA Executive Director Bill Jennings observed, “Proposition 1 is a poster-child of why California is in a water crisis; it enriches water speculators but accomplishes little in addressing the drought, solving California’s long-term water needs, reducing reliance on the Delta or protecting our rivers and fisheries. When the pubic focuses a critical eye on Prop. 1, they’ll realize that it’s just another expensive pork-filled gift basket to special interests.”
CSPA joins the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, San Francisco Crab Boat Association, Restore the Delta, Center for Biological Diversity, California Water Impact Network, Food & Water Watch, Southern California Watershed Alliance, South Delta Water Agency, Central Delta Water Agency, Concerned Citizens Coalition of Stockton, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fisherman’s Association and numerous other fishing, environmental, water and civic organizations in opposing Proposition 1. The No on Prop 1 website is still under construction but can be found at www.noonprop1.org.
CSPA 14-Point Analysis, Opposition to Prop. 1 CSPA Press Release