Steve Knight Signs Letter Asking For El Nino Help From The President
KHTS AM 1220 – October 23, 2015 –
A letter signed by Representative Steve Knight, CA-25, was sent to President Obama and Governor Brown Thursday, urging them to take all necessary steps to make the most of El Nino-related rainfall that likely to arrive this winter.
The letter, written by Representative Kevin McCarthy, CA-23, states that California has a high chance of receiving significant increase in precipitation in the 2015-16 winter due to the weather event known as El Nino.
It suggests that the extra rainfall has the potential to alleviate some of the harms caused by the Golden State’s prolonged drought if urgent steps are taken by the federal and state governments.
“If El Nino-related precipitation materializes and we are able to capture it for human use, this could provide some much needed water to our constituents” the letter said. “No one can know for certain how much rain or snow could occur this winter, but it is imperative that we are prepared to maximize the benefit to all Californians that El Nino could bring.”
Thursday’s call to action is the most recent development in Rep. Knight’s pursuit of relief for his drought-stricken state.
In July, the House passed H.R. 2898, the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015, a bill Knight co-sponsored that would set up a much-needed framework to capture, store, and transport water throughout California.
The letter alludes to the legislation, and notes that as it works its way through the Senate it is important for government agencies to ensure that the benefits of El Nino are fully realized.
“El Nino could be an opportunity for Californians to see some real relief from this drought if we act quickly,” said Rep. Steve Knight. “We are not in a position to let a single drop go to waste, so we must put ourselves in a position to take full advantage.”
Rep. Knight was joined in signing the letter by thirteen other California Representatives. The letter was sent to the President and California’s Governor on Thursday afternoon.
