CoSu LINE PROCESS CONTINUESThe process for the building of new power lines from west to east through the Sacramento Valley continues with many landowners receiving letters asking for permission to enter onto private property. Many farmland owners had hoped that SMUD would find a way to build the lines without taking more farmland, but the letters to landowners would contradict that possibility. Family Water Alliance is hosting a series of meetings to bring affected landowners together to sort out the issues with the lines being considered. Any landowner or person interested in supporting FWA efforts should call or email me at nadine.bailey@frontier.com.SITES PROJECT TAKES CRITICAL STEP FORWARDMAXWELL, CA -The Sites Project Authority (Authority) today has submitted its application to the California Water Commission for Proposition 1 Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) funding for the Sites Reservoir Project. This important milestone marks substantial project momentum, as demonstrated by the over 170 organizations, agencies, businesses and elected officials that support the project. Representing labor, business, water and agricultural interests, and various local and statewide agencies, as well as several cities and counties, this diverse coalition views Sites as a viable, modern solution to securing statewide water supplies while benefitting critical ecosystems. … https://www.sitesproject.org/news/TUNNEL DRAMAA no vote to fund the tunnels by Westland’s Water District and an audit that accuses the Brown Administration of violating state law in both contracting and cost-benefit analysis regarding the price of the tunnels, bring completion of the tunnels into question. While both sides claim victory the plans to build tunnels to relieve the pressure on the Delta, seems to be slowing. https://mavensnotebook.com/2017/10/06/daily-digest-tunnels-audit-heaps-blame-on-state-governor-brown-visits-la-to-lobby-for-water-fix-signs-bill-allowing-water-users-to-save-money-increasing-chance-of-la-nina-and-more/INTERIOR SECRETARY ZINKE SAYS THIN MORE TREESIn a Press Release on September 12, 2017 Interior Secretary Zinke asks for more thinning to occur in fire prone areas. “This Administration will take a serious turn from the past and will proactively work to prevent forest fires through aggressive and scientific fuels reduction management to save lives, homes, and wildlife habitat. It is well settled that the steady accumulation and thickening of vegetation in areas that have historically burned at frequent intervals exacerbates fuel conditions and often leads to larger and higher-intensity fires,” said Secretary Zinke.”The lead for forest management in the past has come from the USDA Forest Service a division of the Department of Agriculture, so Zinke’s announcement from the Interior is also a departure from past strategies. Many of the urban newspapers criticized Zinke’s announcements, with claims that thinning would destroy the forest the forest habitat. Western legislators praised the announcement.