Greg Salyer: State’s water grab would be devastating; we must stand and fight

Re “Economics of state’s water grab don’t add up” (Page 1D, Nov. 20): Over the last three months, Modesto Irrigation District staff has been hard at work educating local community groups, businesses, educators and community leaders alike, and frankly anyone who will listen, on the potentially devastating impacts of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Substitute Environmental Document (SED). I appreciate and applaud The Bee for continuing to expose this state water grab. As MID’s General Manager, I’m proud of my staff and proud of the engagement of our community – you get it and you know that what is being proposed will have irreversible consequences to you and our region.

As we head into the hectic holiday season, let’s not lose sight of the upcoming SED public hearing on Dec. 20, at Modesto Centre Plaza at 9 a.m. Let’s show the state that their attempt to bury the public hearings amid the noise of the holiday season isn’t going to work; let’s show them that our community is united; let’s show them this is worth our fight and we aren’t going to let them take what we worked so hard to build.

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Greg Salyer: State’s water grab would be devastating; we must stand and fight."