Congressman Radanovich on the Endangered Species Act and delta pumps

February 04, 2009 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

In response to the state's drought and court-ordered reductions of delta water pumping, Congressman George Radanovich (R – Mariposa) has called for a temporary suspension of the Endangered Species Act:

Our state water supply has been hijacked by the radically irresponsible Endangered Species Act. We don’t need to spend a dime of the taxpayers money—a simple flip of a switch at the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta pumps would save 40,000 jobs and rescue a $90 billion industry from the brink of disaster.

Instead, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle seem more interested in spending money like drunken sailors, and watch the ESA, literally dehydrate one of America’s most prosperous industries. Every one of my colleagues from California has no excuse not to join with me in calling for a temporary suspension of the ESA to immediately start the flow of water from the Delta Pumps.

More from CBS47.tv, which notes that "Radanovich tried to introduce a similar bill about a year ago but this time, he hopes there's more support because of the recession and the rising food costs due to the lack of water deliveries to Valley farmers."