California Bay-Delta Water Coalition Urges Congressional Support of $95 Million Bay-Delta Appropriation.WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1999-- Representatives of a broad coalition of California urban, agricultural, environmental, business and labor leaders today urged a Congressional subcommittee to approve a $95 million appropriation to continue progress in restoring the state's vital Bay-Delta system. California's economic vitality and environmental health depend on a healthy Bay-Delta system, the coalition noted in their statement. Already, nearly 200 ecosystem restoration Humans depend greatly on ecosystem services. These services vary greatly and include such things as erosion control, water and air purification, food, recreation, a list that could go on endlessly. projects costing $228 million are underway throughout the estuary estuary (ĕs`ch  ĕr'ē), partially enclosed coastal body of water, having an open connection with the ocean, where freshwater from inland is mixed with saltwater from the sea. . CALFED has recently released its report on proceeding on the ecosystem, water quality and water supply problems of the Bay-Delta, and additional federal funding will be necessary to ensure success of that program. The coalition supports $60 million for additional ecosystem restoration activities in the Bay-Delta estuary by the CALFED program. Federal funds Federal Funds Funds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements. Notes: These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve have already underwritten $160 million in environmental improvements over the past two years. In addition, the representatives support $35 million for other elements of the overall CALFED program, including programs to improve drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. quality, investigate the need for and feasibility of new water storage projects, and improve the Delta levee levee (lĕv`ē) [Fr.,=raised], embankment built along a river to prevent flooding by high water. Levees are the oldest and the most extensively used method of flood control. system. The coalition also supports a separate $47 million appropriation for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund. The coalition's testimony was entered into the record of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the House's Resources Committee. The subcommittee is holding an oversight hearing May 20th on the CALFED program and the Clinton Administration's $95 million funding request for federal fiscal year 2000. In 1996, Congress authorized $430 million in funding over three years for Bay-Delta improvements. ACWA ACWA Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ACWA Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives ACWA Administrative Careers With America ACWA Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment ACWA American Civil War Association ACWA American Clean Water Association is a statewide association whose 440 public agency members collectively are responsible for 90% of the water delivered in California. |
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