-February 14,2019-
California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed two new members to the powerful State Water Resources Control Board this week. The board has been in the spotlight recently over a controversial plan to release river water down the San Joaquin to help improve the fishery there. That plan caused a strong reaction in the farm community and now the chair of the board is out.
Current chair Felicia Marcus is out and Newsom appointed Joaquin Esquivel in her place. He also appointed Visalia attorney Laurel Firestone as a new member of the board.
Laurel Firestone co-founded and co-directs the Visalia-based Community Water Center (CWC), an environmental justice nonprofit group the advocates for clean water for disadvantaged communities, many with nitrate, TCP or arsenic-tainted well water.
Firestone released this statement.
“In 2006, Susana De Anda and I started the Community Water Center based on a simple idea: that access to safe drinking water is a basic human right. Since then we have worked alongside thousands of local community members and have achieved real progress. But it will take the continued efforts of CWC and community leaders in order to finally secure the California promise of safe, clean, affordable drinking water for all. I accept the Governor’s appointment to the State Water Board knowing that CWC is stronger than ever, and I remain committed to working together as part of the movement for water justice.”
Parlier visit
Newsom highlighted the need for clean water in low income Valley communities this week as well – visiting Parlier where school kids need to drink bottled water.
He used the occasion to sign an emergency drinking water bill offering $130 million to help schools and communities overcome contaminated water.
Press reports quote Newsroom. “It’s interesting we are here at a school where we’ve got water bottles and not drinking fountains that are available to your kids.”
Newsom said he found it shocking that one million Californians, most in the Central Valley did not have access to clean water, that they could drink or in some cases, even bathe in.
Newsom believes farms and dairies are responsible for much of the contamination and expects agriculture to help.One widespread contaminant is TCP sourced from a farm chemical no longer used and made by Shell Oil. Many cities including Parlier have sued the manufacturer of the pesticide.
“Ag recognizes its fate is tied to the fate of everyone else, and I don’t think they want to be the culprit, I think they want to be part of that solution,” Newsom said.
Newsom is considering a possible new state tax on water bills to pay for improvements. The state board recently approved a settlement with Valley farmers who will install 8 new water kiosks in Central Valley towns in coming months due to nitrate contamination from fertilizer.