We’ve reported here about the severe drought in California; the worst in decades. It is believed to be partially man-made because of California’s extreme environmental regulations that are literally flushing fresh water out to sea. 

Now, a new report by CNS News reveals the shocking reason for the drought.

Since California Democratic Governor Jerry Brown imposed water restrictions on the state’s residents on April 1, people have suddenly become interested in what government officials have described as “one of the most severe droughts on record.”

But for months, Republican Assemblywoman Shannon Grove — who represents part of Kern County, the second largest agricultural sector in the country – has been trying to get the word out about how Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations apparently are literally draining water into the sea all for the sake of a three-inch fish.

The truth, Grove said, is that the Endangered Species Act and its effort to protect the tiny delta smelt has taken essential water away from farmers.

 That’s right, the worst drought in a century in California is because environmentalists want to be sure a 3 inch fish – the Delta Smelt – has enough water to swim in.

“All in all, California farmers fallowed about 500,000 acres of land this year,” reported by the WSJ in June 2014.

“But here’s the thing: much of this land could have been productive had the state stored up more water from wet years and not flushed 800,000 acre-feet into the San Francisco Bay last winter and an additional 445,000 acre-feet this spring to safeguard the endangered delta smelt.”

“That’s enough for roughly three million households to live on and to irrigate 600,000 acres of land,” the WSJ reported.

According to the University of California-Davis, this represents the “greatest water loss ever seen” for California agriculture and resulted in the loss of 17,000 seasonal and part-time jobs.

This policy is the height of irresponsibility.  These extremists have no clue how many lives they are ruining due to their fanaticism.  But, California’s farmers know all too well just how damaging these policies are to California’s food supply (and the food supply for many other states as well).

The reporter went to talk to farmers about the drought, including Larry Starrh, the third generation in his family to work the land.

“It’s funny how back in the day drought was, you know, you would see dry conditions and you’d deal with it,” Starrh said. “But now you got added conditions … and I don’t think we can blame the weather for it.

“Today’s drought I think is more politically driven than weather-related,” Starrh said, and added that he doesn’t remember these kinds of problems until Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973.

“Until that happened we were fine,” Starrh said. “We got through all our droughts with no issues.”

Ah, California – the place where liberalism is wreaking real world havoc on the people who live there and voted for it.  Thank you, Gov. “Moonbeam”, for showing the world in real terms just how silly and dangerous the environmentalist movement is for all of us humans!

http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/leaked-environmentalists-caus...