Professor Frank Comments for Greenwire on Bruce Babbitt and California Water Plan

Professor of Environmental Practice Richard Frank commented for Greenwire on the involvement of former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt in the effort to build consensus with regard to California Governor Jerry Brown's plan for a massive water project that would build tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.  The project is designed to move water to urban and agricultural users south of the Delta.

Though the plan has been controversial, "Babbitt has enormous credibility with the environmental community, which I assume is part of Gov. Brown's motivation for bringing him in," Frank said.  During 1990s, Babbitt had success as Secretary of Interior in forging the so-called CALFED agreement, which organized state and federal agencies to manage delta water.  Though that plan has been abandoned, Babbit's participation in the current debate may be cause for optimism, Frank said. 

"I'm glad with Babbitt's involvement you have that sense of continuity," Frank said. "A lot of the progress that was made with CALFED, I hope some of that momentum can be generated this time around. A key caveat, though, is that a component of any future success is going to be the involvement of the federal government."

Frank, a 1974 graduate of King Hall, is a leader in the field of environmental law and the founding Director of the California Environmental Law and Policy Center at UC Davis School of Law.