B5
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020
California sues Trump administration Lost my appetite
to block proposed federal water rules
By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif.
— California sued the
Trump administration on
Thursday to block new rules
that would let farmers take
more water from the state’s
largest river systems, argu-
ing it would push endan-
gered populations of delta
smelt, C hinook salmon and
steelhead trout to extinction.
The federal rules gov-
ern how much water can be
pumped out of the water-
sheds of the Sacramento and
San Joaquin rivers, which
fl ow from the Sierra Nevada
mountains to the San Fran-
cisco Bay and provide the
state with much of its water
for a bustling agriculture
industry that supplies two-
thirds of the country’s fruits
and nuts and more than a
third of its vegetables.
But the rivers are also
home to a variety of state
and federally protected fi sh
species, whose numbers
have been dwindling since
humans began building
dams and reservoirs to con-
trol fl ooding and send water
throughout the state.
Two massive networks of
dams and canals determine
how much water gets taken
out, with one system run by
the state and the other run by
the federal government.
Historically, the fed-
eral government has set
the rules for both systems.
But recently, state offi -
cials have complained the
Trump administration’s pro-
posed rules don’t do enough
to protect endangered spe-
cies. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s
administration threatened to
sue the federal government
in November, but delayed
action in the hopes he could
work out a compromise.
But the federal govern-
ment fi nalized the new rules
this week. Trump traveled to
Bakersfi eld on Wednesday
to celebrate them before a
jubilant crowd.
“We’re going to get you
your water and put a lot of
Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo
People try to catch fi sh along the Sacramento River in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River
Delta, near Courtland.
pressure on your gover-
nor,” Trump told the crowd.
“And, frankly, if he doesn’t
do it, you’re going to get a
new governor.”
Newsom
responded
on Thursday with a law-
suit, fi led in partnership
with state Attorney General
Xavier Becerra.
“California won’t silently
spectate as the Trump
Administration adopts sci-
entifi cally-challenged bio-
logical opinions that push
species to extinction and
harm our natural resources
and waterways,” Becerra
said.
The lawsuit, fi led in fed-
eral court in San Francisco,
challenges the actions of the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
U.S. Interior Secretary
David Bernhardt, who over-
sees the bureau, warned
Thursday night of unpredict-
able consequences that could
result from the lawsuit.
“The governor and attor-
ney general just launched a
ship into a sea of unpredict-
able administrative and legal
challenges regarding the
most complex water opera-
tions in the country, some-
thing they have not char-
tered before,” Bernhardt
said in a statement. “Litiga-
tion can lead to unpredict-
able twists and turns that
can create signifi cant chal-
lenges for the people of Cal-
ifornia who depend on the
sound operation of these two
important water projects.”
Wednesday, the U.S.
Department of the Inte-
rior touted the new rules for
pledging $1.5 billion of fed-
eral and state funds over the
next 10 years to restore hab-
itat for endangered species,
scientifi c monitoring of the
rivers and improvements to
fi sh hatcheries.
But state offi cials say the
rules would mean less water
in the rivers, which would
kill more fi sh. In particular,
the low fl ows would hurt
C hinook salmon and steel-
head trout, which once a
year return to the freshwa-
ter rivers from the Pacifi c
Ocean to spawn.
The
state’s
lawsuit
says the federal govern-
ment did not properly ana-
lyze the rules to see if they
would “tip a species toward
extinction.”
Lawsuits over water in
California are common, but
it’s something the Newsom
administration has been try-
ing to avoid. For the past
year, state regulators have
been negotiating with water
agencies on a set of vol-
untary agreements to set
water quality standards in
the delta. Newsom hopes
these agreements, if they are
ever reached, would avoid
decades of lawsuits that
have plagued prior water
regulations.
The lawsuit announced
Thursday could put those
agreements in jeopardy. A
representative for the State
Water Contractors declined
to comment on the lawsuit,
but pointed to the group’s
previous comments where
General Manager Jennifer
Pierre said they were “disap-
pointed” the two sides could
not compromise.
“We are concerned about
the impact any litigation
may have on the Voluntary
Agreements process,” Pierre
said at the time.
Thursday, Newsom said
his goal remains to “real-
ize enforceable voluntary
agreements.”
“This is the best path for-
ward to sustain our commu-
nities, our environment and
our economy,” the governor
said.
Dear Annie: My parents The next time you’re in town,
live in a tiny Midwestern dine in at the restaurant. If
town with one restaurant. It’s and when this bully tries to
a mom and pop place with push his way into your con-
really delicious food, and versation, summon up the
many of the locals are reg- courage to push back (with
ulars, including my parents. words, of course). Politely
The owner, “Martina,” is but fi rmly say, “I’m not inter-
extremely sweet and accom- ested in discussing politics
modating and does most of or religion,” or “Respect-
the work including the cook- fully, my parents and I hav-
ing. Her husband, on the other en’t seen each other in a
hand, does very little except while and would like some
sit down at the tables with time to catch up on our own
customers and annoy them. here,” or something to that
He brings up politics,
effect. Once word
DEAR
religion and other
gets around, others
ANNIE
topics that repeat-
may follow suit. At
edly offend custom-
the very least, you’ll
ers. It’s the Midwest,
have given Martina
so everyone is too
something to point to
polite to say, “GO
should her husband
AWAY!” They also
insist that customers
really enjoy Martina
don’t mind his antics.
and her cooking. No ANNIE LANE
Remember: It’s
Creators
one wants to hurt her
not rude to stand up
Syndicate Inc.
to rudeness.
feelings, so no one
Dear Annie: I am
has let her know that
he’s driving away business writing in response to the
advice you gave to the letter
with his behavior.
Martina seems oblivious writer “A Little Gratitude.”
to how much he annoys peo- The letter writer was very
ple. She mentions how tight frustrated at the double stan-
money is and how hard it is dard her mother had regard-
to stay above water in her ing the giving and receiving
business, and I want to tell of packages via the mail.
In short, it’s a petty, child-
her that banning her husband
would certainly improve her ish problem and not worth
income. Is there a polite way getting upset over.
If that’s all it takes to frus-
to do so?
Personally, I can’t stand trate someone they should
him and only get carryout count their blessings. Either
when I visit my parents, but they have way too much time
I know that the locals appre- on their hands or way too lit-
ciate having a place to catch tle stress in their life. I wasted
up with neighbors and pre- way too many years on sim-
fer to eat there. Several have ilar circumstances with my
stopped going because of mother, who was suffer-
him. Is there a way to let her ing from a form of dementia
know how he’s affecting her for nearly 20 years before it
bottom line without offend- was diagnosed. There were
ing her? — Ban the Booth not the usual, obvious symp-
toms. Psychological disor-
Bully
Dear Ban the Booth ders are abundant and have
Bully: I’m sure this woman no age limits.
Confronting
someone
is aware her husband is a
thorn in her restaurant’s side. over such matters rarely
If he’s that prickly in public, results in a positive outcome.
just imagine what a bram- You can’t control what other
ble he is at home. Perhaps people do, only the way you
her seeming obliviousness react to it. — Been There,
is a coping mechanism: She Done Enough of That
Dear Been There: That is
can’t convince her husband
to change his behavior, so she perhaps the single universal
does her best to tune it out. piece of advice. It’s a point
So rather than go to her with worth reminding ourselves of
the issue, I think you ought to on the regular, and I appreci-
address it right at the source. ate your bringing it up.
Classifieds
Searching for Employees?
PLACE YOUR JOB
POSTING HERE
Special Includes:
• 2 Weeks in Print
& Online
• Logo Included
• Facebook Boost
• Featured Advertising
Call Brittany at
800-781-3211
or 503-325-3212
GARAGE SALE
SELL YOUR VEHICLE HERE!
SEASON IS HERE!
If it Drives or Floats...
ONLY
$ 25
$ 49.95
ys
for 3 da
Call 800.781.3211
or 503-325-3212
to advertise today!
184 Personals
201 Antique &
Classic Vehicles
28th Annual
Astoria Automotive Swap Meet
Vendors Wanted
Clatsop Fairgrounds
Saturday March 14th. 8am-2pm
Contact Fred 503-440-9481
Dorothy 503-468-0006
204 Automobiles
“Searching for you”
57 year old hard working man
seeking someone who likes
these words. Friendship,
respect, adventure, laughter,
love, loyalty, soul mate, fairy
tales and rainbows.
Call or text Kevin
(503)440-6693
SHOP LOCAL!
Check the Business Directory
daily to utilize the local
professionals advertising
in The Astorian.
To place an ad in our Business
Directory, call 503-325-3211.
DUST off the old pool table and
sell it with a classified ad.
ADVERTISE TODAY
800.781.3211 or 503-325-3212
If it doesn’t sell in two weeks
We will give you two weeks for FREE!
216 Vans
1989 Chevrolet G30 Van
No leaks, responsible
owner used for camping
and hunting only a few times.
Everything works inside.
Need to make room &
sacrifice the “fun house”.
Located in Jewell.
Runs great, there are a
few things that need TLC.
$1200. Call 9712959712
If You Live In
Seaside
or Cannon Beach
DIAL
2001 Saturn sl2, 4 door,
5 speed. 127,600 miles.
Silver with gray black int.
4 new tires. Road
master tow bar included.
$1,200 OBO 503-861-0952
503-325-3211
HAVING storage problems? Why
not sell no-longer-used items with
a fastworking classifed ad?
If you live in Seaside or Cannon
Beach, call 503-325-3211 to place
a The Astorian classified ad.
F OR A
The Astorian
Classified Ad
A small town
newspaper
with a global
outlook
One of the Pacific
Northwest’s great
small newspapers
www.dailyastorian.com