Justice Department Will Pay For Westlands Settlement -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin -- Volume 10, Bulletin 6 -- March 13, 2003

The Department of Justice agreed on March 5 that it would pay for the settlement of the Westlands water dispute with federal claims funds and not take the money out of federal funding for other California water projects. The decision accedes to the demands of the unanimous California congressional delegation.

Under the settlement, the federal government will pay farmers in the Westlands Water District $107 million to settle a suit over the lack of drainage provided for farmland under the Central Valley Project (CVP). Initially, the Justice Department wanted to take the money out of federal funding for other California water projects. Affected projects could have included pumps on the American River, CVP maintenance, and some Southern California recycling programs.

A unanimous California delegation voiced its opposition to that funding plan and all 55 House and Senate members sent a letter arguing that the settlement money should come from the lawsuit settlement fund administered by the Department of Justice. See, Bulletin, Vol. 10, No. 3 (2/14/03).

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