Diana Furchtgott-Roth
Seeing homes in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades burn to the ground while fire hydrants ran dry is bad enough, but knowing the water shortage resulted from bad bureaucratic decisions makes the horrifying sights even worse.
Water is everywhere in California. The Golden State borders the Pacific Ocean, which contains countless gallons that could be desalinated to fill reservoirs and feed fire hydrants.
But California’s bureaucracy discourages desalination plants that would guarantee additional water, and no reservoirs were built with the $2.7 billion authorized in 2014.
Environmentalists prefer blaming climate change for wildfires, just like the ancient Greeks blaming their gods when things went wrong. It’s passing the buck rather than looking in the mirror.
Heritage Senior Environmental Policy Fellow Highlights Need for Proactive Forest Management Following LA County Fires
Acres of fires burned on federal lands from 1916 to the mid-1940s, when CO2 emissions were lower, were as high as levels in the first decade of the 2000s.
In California, politicians promoted an agenda to get rid of water, energy and minerals, which increased human suffering. The question is how they retain power without people voting them out of office.
This is particularly true when considering the tragedy of the fire, which could have been prevented by water.
State agencies that must approve desalination projects include the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Coastal Commission, the California State Lands Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the National Marine Fisheries Service’s West Coast Region and the six coastal regional water quality control boards. This system is designed to slow progress.
Plus, approval depends on tribal consultation, environmental justice, consideration of marine life and energy efficiency, among other factors.
California has awarded $120 million for desalination projects, compared to $1.4 billion on charging stations and $500 million for electric school buses. » Read More
https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/californias-politicians-didnt-start-the-fires-they-made-them-worse