FRESNO (KMJ) — Following the decision by the California Water Commission to award $171 million to the Temperance Flat Project, far below what officials originally requested, Tulare Congressman Devin Nunes described it as an “impossible situation.”
“The bottom line here is the Senators won’t do anything to help us, the Governor won’t lift a hand to help us,” explained Congressman Nunes.
The federal lawmaker said that, for those who want to stay in California, the only option is to push back.
“Much as we don’t like to lose, we have no choice but to continue to fight. We have to fight every single day.”
The comments on Friday came a day after the Commissioners made their decision in Sacramento. Officials backing the project had originally asked for more than $1 billion in state Water Storage Investment Program funds when the application was originally signed in August 2017 (click here to read more).
“We should look at locally how we can get the state and feds out of it,” added Nunes. “Possibly the locals could put together a consortium that could build Temperance Flat.
“That would probably be the fastest and easiest way to go about it. Or secondly you look at putting a bond on the ballot that builds only water projects…I believe the people of California would vote for water projects if they were on the ballot.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
