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Cadiz, Inc.Major Victory for California Consumers and Environmentalists A very big "thank you" to everyone who helped "Stop Cadiz Without Delay"! Working together, we have prevented water privatization from gaining momentum in Southern California! The Controversial Cadiz Water Project: A plan to store surplus water inthe Mojave Desert and also mine indigenous groundwater - has been permanently stopped by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California at its board meeting on Tuesday, October 8. A unique aspect of the successful coalition to stop Cadiz was bringing together the environmental community, concerned about the impact on the sensitive desert ecology, with public interest groups who were fighting to prevent a watermarket similar to the electricity debacle that robbed Californians of tens of billions of dollars in 2001. "The financial house of cards that makes up the Cadiz empire has crumbled," says Jane Kelly, Public Citizen's California Director. "This has been a bogus project from the start and we are glad the MWD has finally killed it." Slated to cost water ratepayers at least $1 billion over the next fifty years, Cadiz was tagged as a corporate boondoggle. British investor Keith Brackpool, Cadiz's chief executive officer, has contributed heavily to Governor Gray Davis and served as his chief advisor on water issues. The week before, MWD staff, headed by chief executive Ronald Gastelum, recommended to the board that the project be tabled indefinitely. Gastelum cited rising costs, Cadiz, Inc.'s financial condition, environmentalconcerns, and the prolonged Colorado River drought, an outcome of global warming, that has dramatically reduced the chances that the Cadiz project could store any surplus water. Also, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) and Representative Jerry Lewis (R) wrote tothe MWD directors, asking them not to approve the Cadiz project.The MWD board voted to reject the Bush Administration's Record of Decisionapproving the Final Environmental Impact Report and Right of Way grant,expressing deep skepticism regarding the financial viability andenvironmental sustainability of the project. Several MWD board memberswent further and stated that they opposed opening the door to waterprivatization. Faced with a packed audience of constituents who rose upand chanted, "Stop Cadiz Without Delay!," the MWD board listened to thepublic, not the corporate backers of the misguided project.
Voted to stop Cadiz permanently - Please be sure to thank them!!! Dale Stanton, Anaheim Bettty Harris, Beverly Hills Glenn Brown, Burbank Ted Grandsen, Ventura County Gary Morse, Southeast LA County Regina Murph,Compton Marion Ashley, Moreno/Perris/Hemet/Temecula James Edwards, Altadena/Crescenta Valley James Blake, Fullerton James Rez, Glendale Glen Peterson, Westlake/Calabasas Jorge Castro, Los Angeles Deborah Dentler, Los Angeles William Luddy, Los Angeles Timothy Brick, Pasadena Hugo Mejia, San Fernando Thom Coughran, Santa Ana Judy Abdo, Santa Monica David De Jesus, Pomona Valley Bill Wright, Torrance Anthony Fellow, San Gabriel Valley Carol Kwan, South Bay/West Hollywood/Culver City
Absent During Vote Wyatt Troxel, Ontario/Chino Bonny Herman, Los Angeles Helen Hansen, Long Beach Harold Ball, San Diego County Claude Lewis, San Diego County John Morris, San Marino
Voted against stopping Cadiz Philip Pace, Southeast LA County Ergun Bakall, Orange County Wesley Bannister, Orange County John Foley, Orange County Langden Owen, Orange County George Loveland, San Diego County Joseph Parker, San Diego County Willard Murray, South Bay/West Hollywood/Culver City John Mylne, Corona/Riverside/Murrieta
Coalition to Stop Cadiz Public Citizen Sierra Club National Parks Conservation Association Western Environmental Law Center Alliance for Democracy Desert Survivors Taxpayers for Common Sense Americans for Democratic Action, Southern California Chapter California Wilderness Coalition Center for Biological Diversity Defenders of Wildlife Desert Protective Council Friends of the Earth GRACE Public Fund Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Southern California Federation of Scientists Southern California Watershed Alliance The Wilderness Society
Because Public Citizen does not accept funds from corporations, professional associations or government agencies, we can remain independent and follow the truth wherever it may lead. But that means we depend on the generosity of concerned citizens like you for the resources to fight on behalf of the public interest. If you would like to help us in our fight, click here. |
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