Jerry Brown wants Republicans to back off drought proposal
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SACRAMENTO -- When it comes to California’s drought, Gov. Jerry Brown has a message for Republicans in Washington, D.C. -- thanks but no thanks.
The governor, in a letter sent Monday, said a proposal from House Republicans to alleviate the situation is “an unwelcome and divisive intrusion into California’s efforts to manage this severe crisis.”
“It would override state laws and protections, and mandate that certain water interests come out ahead of others,” Brown wrote. “It falsely suggests the promise of water relief when that is simply not possible given the scarcity of water supplies.”
The letter was sent to Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), the ranking members of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The Republican proposal, HR 3946, would send some of the state’s water to farmers in the Central Valley.
“Republicans are looking for an issue in this very Democratic state,” political analyst Tony Quinn recently told Evan Halper of The Times. “Congressional candidates throughout the Central Valley are going to seize on this.”
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Twitter: @chrismegerian
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