McClintock amendment would block water purchases

Rep. Tom McClintock’s amendment to forbid federal agencies from purchasing water during California’s catastrophic drought in order to release it into rivers to meet environmental requirements was adopted May 1 as part of the House of Representatives’ Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations Act. Read Here

John Buckley, executive director of the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center in Twain Harte, (and member of Calaveras Planning Coalition)called the move to forbid federal agencies from purchasing water a “double-edged sword,” because it could also prevent agricultural districts from profiting off selling any surplus water to the government.