Gavin Newsom criticized over handling of California drought as farms languish
…”These days, the Newsom administration and Legislature have done little more than engage in water shaming,” Steven Greenhut, the R Street Institute’s western region director, wrote in the Orange County Register. “Where are the plans to bolster our water-storage capacities?”
Newsom in 2021 asked Californians to voluntarily cut water use by 15%, but in March 2022, usage increased by 19%. The governor threatened to make restrictions mandatory in response.
“There’s no need to shame Westerners for their water usage, but there is reason to shame our officials for not doing their part to upgrade and build new water infrastructure,” Greenhut wrote, noting that Newsom should use California’s nearly $100 billion surplus to invest in water facilities. He also blamed former Gov. Jerry Brown for inaction during another drought reprieve when he was in office…
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