Giving the Delta a voice

Assembly members, state senators form Delta caucus

Area lawmakers are taking the protection of the California Delta into their own hands.

On Monday, Assemblyman Jim Frazier, D-Oakley, and State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, delivered a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown announcing the formation of a Legislative Delta Caucus.

Initial members include State Sen. Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton, and Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, who both represent the Lodi area.

Galgiani is pleased to be working with other legislators to represent the Delta region.

“As a lifelong Delta resident, I have an in-depth understanding of the need to maintain a sustainable Delta ecosystem while also promoting a strong agricultural economy,” she told the News-Sentinel. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on issues important to the Delta region and hope that the Delta Caucus will allow for a coordinated response to issues which impact our community.”

Frazier and Dodd will co-chair the caucus.

Other caucus members are State Sens. Richard Pan and Steve Glazer; and from the Assembly, Susan Eggman, Timothy Grayson and Cecilia Aguiar-Curry.

Together, they represent four counties and more than 4 million Californians.

“Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable Delta is critical for our region and the entire state,” Dodd wrote in a press release. “I look forward to working closely with my fellow Delta Caucus members to protect and strengthen the Delta’s economy and environment. We will be fighting to protect this precious resource and region for our residents, visitors and wildlife.”

The move comes after five years of

drought — and a few weeks of flooding — in the Delta region. Local residents and leaders are looking at topics like water storage and the Delta WaterFix, better known as the Twin Tunnels project, from a fresh perspective.

No specific mention of the tunnels was made in the letter sent by Frazier and Dodd, but the formation of the caucus comes at an important time. Not since the early 1980s has the state been this close to fundamentally changing the plumbing of the Delta — back then, with the Peripheral Canal, and today with the Twin Tunnels.

Among other issues facing the Delta are invasive species such as water hyacinth and zebra mussels, pesticide and mercury levels in the water, and an aging system of levees.

The goal of the caucus is the keep members educated about Delta issues, so that they can develop a unified response that is best for the region’s residents. It will also allow them to collaborate more easily with public and state agencies, according to Frazier.

“The Delta has been my home for the past 39 years and I take great pride in representing a district that signifies the heart of the Delta,” Frazier said in the news release. “I am excited about taking on this new leadership role to expand my efforts to protect the interests of my neighbors and ongoing preservation of the Delta.”