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New Poll: Most Voters Reject Arnold's Peripheral Canal Scheme

 

by Bill Jennings, Executive Director, CSPA

August 31, 2009 -- The results of a statewide poll show that 76% of California voters believe California is on the “wrong track” and, while concerned about water issues, are hesitant to support a water bond and are highly skeptical of the Peripheral Canal Project.  The poll, released 28 August 2009, was arranged by Restore the Delta, a coalition of famers, fishermen, businesses and communities dedicated to protecting and restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta estuary.  CSPA is a member and staunch supporter of Restore the Delta.

The poll was conducted by EMC Research between August 23 and 27 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.45%.  The poll results are attached as a pdf.

Despite the extensive public relations campaign waged by Governor Schwarzenegger and downstate water agencies, the majority of Californian's remain opposed to a peripheral canal.  Only 28% support the canal while 34% are opposed, with 39% undecided.  Interestingly, when informed about the details and costs of a peripheral canal, voter opposition soars to 76% while support dwindles to 21%.  Indeed, as the facts are revealed, opposition to a peripheral canal spans the breadth of California: 71% in LA/Orange County; 69% in San Diego; 88% in SF Bay Area; 83% in Sacramento; 68% in Fresno; 81% in South Bay and 93% in Eureka.

The poll results were unveiled as the California Legislature is attempting to push a last-minute package of water bills in the final days of the session that would overturn 130 years of California water rights law and legal precedent and pave the way for construction of a peripheral canal.  In particular, the bills would establish a seven member politically appointed Delta Stewardship Council, the majority of which would be appointed by the Governor, that would have the power to authorize construction and issue fees and bonds to pay for a peripheral canal.    

Opponents have characterized the water bill package as a backdoor attempt to reroute the Sacramento River around the Delta in order to provide increased quantities of subsidized water to grow subsidized crops on vast tracts of desert land in the southern San Joaquin Valley.  A peripheral canal would further degrade water quality in the Delta estuary and send endangered salmonid and pelagic fisheries into extinction.  And, the general public would be tagged with paying for this scheme to benefit industrial-scale corporate agriculture at the expense of almost 500,000 acres of family farms in the Delta.

A broad array of fishing, environmental, farming and community organizations and individuals are calling upon the Legislature to put the brakes on the present Mad Hatter's rush to enact water legislation in the remaining few days of the session and to carefully deliberate the issue next year. 

Unfortunately, Senate Leader Steinberg seems to believe that, given the Legislature's current 9-11% approval rating, a water package is essential in order to improve the public's perception of the Legislature - regardless of merits of the bills - regardless of their effects on one of the great estuarine treasures of the world.  It is sadly reminiscent of the mad rush to the $50 billion energy deregulation fiasco.  If Steinberg wishes to avoid becoming the Senator Peace, of energy deregulation fame, perhaps he should consider that a vast majority of his constituents are opposed to a peripheral canal.

 

EMC Research: Statewide telephone poll results