Central Valley Project
Credit: USBR

October 28, 2021 - On Wednesday, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Congressman David Valadao (CA-21), Congressman Devin Nunes (CA-22), and California House Republicans sent a letter to President Biden and Governor Newsom requesting emergency declarations to waive any federal or state regulatory impediments to boosting the pumping of stormwater runoff out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to the Central Valley and southern California given recent storms in the state.

Highlights of the letter are below, or you can read it in its entirety here.

“The recent Category 5 Atmospheric River event drenched northern California, with rainfall totals exceeding ten inches in some areas of the state and setting single-day records in most [regions]...

"Government regulations should not and must not deny our constituents critical water from these storms. While we cannot make it rain, we must take advantage of opportunities to store water when it does.

“We urge your administrations to issue emergency declarations and direct relevant federal and state agencies to temporarily waive all impediments that limit operations of the Delta pumps to ensure none of these storm flows go to waste. Time is of the essence.”
Congressman Kevin McCarthy