Water Crisis Prompts Groups to Ask for Pump Exemptions

The Pacific Legal Foundations' Save Our Water, Save Our Jobs campaign has ended and a petition with 12,000 signatures will be presented to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Wednesday. The campaign wants the governor to request the convening of the Federal Government's God Squad or Endangered Species Committee to save the state's economy from a worse water crisis. PLF also wants the President to make sure his administration supports the request.

The God Squad would have the authority to exempt government pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from regulations for the Delta smelt, a tiny minnow-like fish. PLF President Rob Rivett says water cutbacks from environmental regulations have caused devastation for many farmers, farm workers, rural communities and cities.