The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta conveys water to more than 25 million Californians, supports a $400 billion economy and is home to 700 native plants and species. This lifeblood for our state is threatened by unsustainable governance practices and a crumbling physical infrastructure. Without implementing a new strategy, we will continue to be a moderate earthquake away from a Katrina-like disaster that will immediately cut off one of our most critical water sources and decimate the Delta’s natural environment.
Fortunately, a group of civic leaders is working to ensure that our state has a safe, reliable supply of water for years to come – The Delta Vision Foundation. The group, which started as a blue ribbon task force appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a true bipartisan effort including business, labor and the environmental community. As our state heads into its worst drought in modern history and water reliability remains at the forefront of the Sacramento political agenda , the Delta Vision Foundation is our state’s best bet for developing solutions that balance the economic and environmental functions of the Delta.
You may wonder what makes this group different. Blue ribbon task forces are a favorite way for politicians to appear action-oriented without actually doing anything. The script is usually the same – lawmakers seize upon a hot-button issue, hold a flashy press conference announcing the creation of a task force, appoint experts to develop recommended solutions, hold another press conference thanking them for their hard work, and then file away the commission’s report next to dozens of others just like it. The good ideas gather dust while everyone’s stuck with the same status quo.
The Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force refused to accept this fate. Originally formed in 2006 by Gov. Schwarzenegger, the group developed a thoughtful, strategic vision for the long-term future of the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Their report outlined a series of steps that should be taken in order to secure the water supply while also protecting the Delta’s unique ecosystem.
Once their report was complete, the task force created a second life for itself by becoming the Delta Vision Foundation in March 2009. They are no longer an appointed task force, but instead an independent body committed to making sure that lawmakers implement their excellent set of recommendations and strategies. Business and community leaders will be discussing these strategies at a Southern California Water Committee event in June hosted by L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe and co-sponsored by the L.A. Chamber.
There isn’t much good news coming out of Sacramento lately. Our lawmakers are struggling to address a growing deficit and the state faces additional budget cuts. But fixing the Delta can be done even in these difficult times. The Chamber applauds the ongoing commitment of the Delta Vision Foundation and supports their conclusions. Doing nothing only carries enormous long-term costs when the inevitable disaster strikes.