"Within every community and in every country, citizens are going to have to take charge of this issue. We must formulate the policies and laws needed at every level of government, including the international level, and set out to make them real."
(from "Blue Gold" by Maude Barlow)
The proposal by an Alaskan company to export water from the Albion and Gualala Rivers during winter flows and ship it in 1,000Ðfoot-long bags to San Diego was brought to the attention of readers in the last issue of this Newsletter.
Some important updates and action items follow:
Alaska Water Exports' permits have not yet been released for public comment. The applicant has been asked for additional information, including engineered drawings of the project, and maps that clearly specify locations of facilities and destinations for the water.
Call! There's still time to get on the list to be notified when the application is released. Just call or e-mail the State Water Resources Board's engineer, Kathryn Gaffney, and leave your name and address: (916) 341-5360 or kgaffney@waterrights.swrcb.ca.gov. Reference the Albion River and Gualala River water export applications.
A bill by State Assemblywoman Patricia Wiggins to prevent water export to areas outside the "area of origin" of the waterÑmeaning, in our case, rivers emptying into the Pacific between the Oregon border and south to, and including, the Russian RiverÑdid not make it out of committee. She is considering other legislation.
Write! Thank Assemblywoman Pat Wiggins for her work on this. Let her know that this water-grab attempt is an issue of great concern to citizens on the north coast. Her address is Capitol Office, State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249-0001, phone: (916) 319-2007.
We are learning more about the worldwide water shortage, the ever-increasing value of water as a commodity, and the ways in which major corporations are beginning to control our water for their profit. We highly recommend the report by Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians Chairperson, called "Blue Gold." It'll make your hair stand on end!
A quote: "As the World Bank notes, 'The wars of the next century will be about water.' The report addresses: Who owns water? Should anyone? Should it be privatized? What laws do we need to protect water? How do we share water in water-rich countries with those in water-poor countries? Who is the custodian for nature's lifeblood? How do ordinary citizens become involved in this process?"
Heartening is the last section of the report which lays out ten principles of protecting our water. These start with the idea that water belongs to the earth and all species and close with the concept that the "best advocates for water are local communities and citizens."
Read! To order a copy, go to www.ifg.org or ask your favorite environmental center to add it to their library.
We are also learning more about the international trade agreements that are globalizing trade and taking away the rights of countries, and their states and local municipalities, to protect and manage their precious fresh water supplies. Multinational corporations are filing lawsuits against countries that threaten to diminish their revenues by enacting laws that protect a country's citizens and its environment.
Watch! Bill Moyers' video "Trading Democracy" focuses on how Chapter 11 of NAFTA is being used by corporations to undermine our environmental laws and even our jury system. We can loan our copy.
New acronyms are being heard in the community as local people organize in opposition to the water-grabs. Here they are:
FLOW (Forget Lifting Our Water) is an Albion group that meets regularly with the primary intent of educating ourselves and the public in readiness to comment on the Albion and Gualala applications that are before the State Water Resources Board, and on permits that must be filed with other responsible agencies. This will include getting expert scientists to help inform our comment. Check the website www.albionnation.org. You'll find lots of interesting stuff on this issue; or call Linda Perkins at 937-0903.
FOGR (Friends of the Gualala River) has monthly public meetings in Gualala to pursue similar endeavors. Both groups stay in close touch to streamline and share the workload; both have non-profit umbrella groups to allow for tax-exempt donations. For further information and for meeting dates and speakers, check their website at www.gualalariver.org.
NO BAG (Northern Californians Opposed to Bagging the Albion and Gualala) is an alliance representing a wide spectrum of community members, registered with the Secretary of State as a lobbying organization. Their mission is to promote legislation that will secure protection of these rivers against this international water-grab. For further information, contact Rachael Binah at 937-0088 or 937-3620.
Join! Help out by informing yourself and joining the efforts of any of these groups. Also active on this issue are the Sierra Club, the Alliance for Democracy and the Green Party.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2002
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited