Water amendment divides Feinstein, some state farmers

By Michael Doyle

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WASHINGTON -- A Central Valley water amendment that failed Tuesday night in the Senate nonetheless succeeded in driving a wedge between Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and some key California farmers.

Not to mention between Feinstein and Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia.

The amendment to a $32 billion Interior Department funding bill would have overturned two federal agency decisions and temporarily restored valley irrigation deliveries. The Senate rejected the amendment by a largely party-line 61-36 margin.

Realistically, there was little chance the Senate would ever accept the amendment offered by an archconservative South Carolina lawmaker with zero experience in California water policy. Politically, though, the ambush amendment could still have lasting consequences.

"It was something of a Hail Mary," Andrew House, spokesman for Nunes, acknowledged Wednesday.

Nunes did not write the amendment offered by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina. In the wake of its defeat, however, Nunes has been seeking maximum partisan advantage, as he quickly declared that "California farmers (were) again denied water, this time by senators Feinstein and (Barbara) Boxer."

In turn, Feinstein's spokesman, Gil Duran, on Wednesday denounced the water amendment as a stunt.

The immediate dispute revolves around two "biological opinions" that federal resource agencies are using to guide protections for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and various vulnerable species including salmon and delta smelt. Together, state officials estimate the two biological opinions issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service could result in water delivery cuts of about 30 percent.

In the House, Nunes failed in multiple efforts to block funding for the biological opinions. His vehemence eventually turned off Democrats who had previously supported him on the water issue, including Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced.

"This is baloney, to be doing this sort of thing," Cardoza said in July of Nunes' repeated water amendment efforts. "I have had a number of my colleagues tell me they are fed up with it."

Starting last week, Nunes' spokesman House indicated, Nunes quietly helped orchestrate the surprise amendment offered Tuesday by DeMint.

Feinstein was managing the Interior Department bill on the Senate floor late Tuesday afternoon when DeMint advised her of the California water amendment.

The unexpected amendment concerning her home state clearly upset Feinstein, who called the effort "a kind of Pearl Harbor on everything we are trying to do" with California water.

Some of these farm groups have financially supported Feinstein's past campaigns, and she has generally cultivated good relations with the state's agricultural organizations. Nonetheless, her office voiced clear displeasure with the farm groups that supported DeMint's surprise amendment, according to individuals familiar with the resulting communications.

Bee Washington Bureau reporter Michael Doyle can be reached at mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com or 202-383-0006.