On the recordFebruary 29, 2012
It is amazing the inconsistencies in the amendment itself. Here the gentlelady is talking about San Jose, yet San Jose is south of the area we're talking about, and yet Silicon Valley receives water exports from the delta. But let's take a different inconsistency. I represent Stanislaus County, which is north of Stockton. Maybe we need to look at a map. We actually have Stanislaus County that reaches up past Stockton, San Joaquin County, the Sacramento area, and yet we're going to be excluded. So it's one thing to pick winners and losers in this, but what we try to do is not pit north versus south. We're trying to use natural resources in the best option available. I find interesting another inconsistency: This amendment, does it include forestry, which resides under the jurisdiction of USDA? Are the authors not concerned about the devastating effects of the timber industry and how it's suffered due to the ESA issues associated with the spotted owl? There are many inconsistencies here. Pick your battle.
