Mayor, Chamber urge state water policy reform

As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger holds out on signing hundreds of bills until state lawmakers come up with a plan to overhaul the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce both released statements today in support of water policy reform. The delta in Northern California supplies two-thirds of the state's water, but must be overhauled to fit the growing water needs of farmers and cities while at the same time considering environmental concerns. The project's cost is expected to be $8 billion to $10 billion.

"The state of California's water supply is critical, and now is the time for decisive action," Foster said in his statement.  "I urge the State Legislature and the Governor to quickly negotiate a water reform package that can help put California back on the right path towards sustainable water management."

Foster said that any water plan must include a 20 percent water conservation requirement. Long Beach has been recognized as a leader in water conservation.

"Our business community cannot afford to wait a moment longer," Randy Gordon, president and CEO of the Chamber, said in a statement. "After decades of inaction, California's water system is finally on the brink of bringing us into the 21st century, thereby preserving this vital hub that is the conduit for shipping water from the north to Central Valley farms and Southern California cities. A Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta plan can soon be a reality. We all know our 700-mile maze of waterways, levees and islands drives the state's economy."