Water Grab Threatens Mojave -- Help Stop It
Center for Biological Diversity
<kieran@biologicaldiversity.org>
Water Grab Threatens Mojave -- Help Stop It
In the Mojave desert, a politically connected company called Cadiz Inc. is trying to steal waterfrom a place where every drop counts --
to local people, as well as to desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, Mojave fringe-toed lizards and other rare species in the region
that need that water to survive. The project would drain a 14-million acre-foot aquifer underlying eastern San Bernardino County
and pump the groundwater 200 miles away to suburban Orange County.
The water-grab site is just 15 miles away from the Mojave National Preserve, precious protected public land.
San Bernardino County was required to lead environmental review for the project, but let a water district nearly 200 miles away do it instead.
Worse, in early May the county also exempted the project from its own groundwater law, replacing it with
an unenforceable agreement that, among other things, forces the county to wait a decade before even learning
of damage to the aquifer. The Center and allies submitted 80 pages of comments opposing the project,
and we're demanding that San Bernardino County take control and stop this dangerous water grab.
Check out our brand-new Cadiz project web page, take action by writing letters and see our own
Ileene Anderson's letter to the editor in the Los Angeles Times.
