OVERNIGHT ENERGY: California Republicans offer drought bill

by Timothy Cama and Devin Henry - 06/25/15 5:49 PM ET

GOP UNVEILS DROUGHT BILL: California’s House delegation offered their latest attempt Thursday at loosening the grip of the ongoing drought.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), seeks to prioritize farmers and other water uses over endangered fish species like the salmon and the delta smelt.

It confronts Republicans’ longstanding contention that the drought is being caused by environmentalists and by federal and state decisions that put the environment and animals above humans.

{mosads}”California’s drought has devastated communities throughout the Central Valley and now the consequences are extending throughout the country,” Valadao said in a statement.

“Congress cannot make it rain but we can enact policies that expand our water infrastructure, allow for more water conveyance, and utilize legitimate science to ensure a reliable water supply for farmers and families,” he added.

The bill has the support of all of California’s House Republicans, including Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

It would set explicit rules to get federal agencies to pump more water through the Central Valley Project. Agencies would have to prove specific harms to the fish species to slow pumping.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) had a dim view of the effort.

“It’s unfortunate that House Republicans — with much fanfare — are rolling out a bill that is the same-old, same-old and will only reignite the water wars,” she said in a statement.

Read more here.

ON TAP FRIDAY I: The Center for Strategic and International Studies will host a discussion on the International Energy Agency’s 2015 world energy outlook. Fatih Birol, IEA’s chief economist and upcoming executive director, and David Turk, the Department of Energy’s deputy assistant secretary for international climate and technology, will participate.

ON TAP FRIDAY II: The Environmental Law Institute will hold an event on the threat of pesticides to honeybees.

AROUND THE WEB:

The top climate diplomat at the United Nations is asking major oil companies to plan for a fossil fuel phase-out by 2100 and help work toward cleaner energy, Bloomberg Business reports.

New research shows that coral is adapting quickly to global warming, Reuters reports.

The governors of Missouri and Iowa joined farmers at a field hearing in Kansas City, Mo., to defend the ethanol-blending mandate, the Kansas City Business Journal reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out Thursday’s stories …

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