Trump wants to cut red tape, hasten water projects in West

DENVER – President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the government to speed up environmental reviews and streamline regulations that he says are hindering work on major water projects in California and other Western states.

Trump signed a memorandum aimed at helping the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project in California, the Klamath Irrigation Project in Oregon and California and the Columbia River Basin system in the Pacific Northwest.

“We will resolve the issues blocking the completion of the Central Valley project,” Trump said in Arizona during a swing through Western states.

The Central Valley Project is a federally managed water storage and delivery system that primarily benefits agricultural users in California’s rich farming country in the center of the state.

The State Water Project serves agricultural and urban water users, including Los Angeles and much of sprawling Southern California.

The announcement is a boost for endangered Republican lawmakers in California’s Central Valley facing tough challenges from Democrats looking to take control of the U.S. House.

But it is likely to inflame an ongoing battle in California over divvying up water among cities, farms and environmental needs like the protection of fish.

“This order stems from ignorance and election year pandering to wealthy Central Valley agribusiness interests,” said John Buse, legal director with the Center for Biological Diversity.

Buse said Trump does not understand complex water issues and ignores the need to protect the environment as well as farming and cities.

“Trump’s view that water is wasted if not used by agriculture or urban users is just idiotic,” he said.