Fighting to Protect a National Treasure, Senator Roth’s Bill Approved by Committee

(SACRAMENTO) – After raucous debate, Senator Richard D. Roth’s Senate Bill 307 was approved by the Senate Natural Resources Committee. SB 307 enhances protections to California’s deserts by hitting the pause button on Cadiz Inc.’s water extraction project in the Mojave Desert to ensure the project’s conflicting underlying science is reviewed and reconciled. Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) and Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) are principal co-authors.

Water has flown under the Mojave Desert for thousands of years, giving life to Native Americans, bighorn sheep, the threatened desert tortoise and a variety of other plant and animal life – a fragile ecosystem that has existed, in balance, for centuries.

Cadiz proposes to pump an average of 50,000-acre feet of water per year for 50 years from a Mojave aquifer and sell it to water districts in Orange and Los Angeles Counties at a profit for purposes of guaranteeing water supply to about 100,000 new homes and 400,000 residents.

“This project has been stalled for more than 20 years because, quite simply, it doesn’t work. Cadiz’s own scientific reports say they will be pulling more water from the aquifer than nature puts back in – in fact, 18,000 acre feet more water per year. On top of that, the United States Geological Survey and the National Park Service say the refill rate is more like 2,000 to 10,000 acre feet per year – at least 40,000 acre feet per year less than the Cadiz plan,” said Senator Roth. “The math just doesn’t add up!”

SB 307 has received enthusiastic support from U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

“Iconic desert wildlife, like the endangered bighorn sheep and desert tortoises, and striking vegetation, like the Joshua trees and spring wildflowers, is what makes the California desert special. All of that could be lost if California doesn’t pass stronger protections for our desert to block harmful projects like Cadiz,” said U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. “I’m grateful for Senator Roth and Assemblymember Friedman’s efforts to protect the desert and hope we can build off the momentum of today’s hearing to pass this important legislation as soon as possible.”

“It is incumbent upon this legislative body to demand the pause button be hit to protect a National Treasure – the Mojave – from man-made destruction,” said Senator Roth.

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Senator Richard D. Roth represents the 31st State Senate District, which includes the communities of Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, March Air Reserve Base, Moreno Valley, Norco, Perris and Riverside. Prior to his election, he served for 32 years in the United States Air Force, retiring in 2007 in the grade of Major General.