The U.S. House has passed a bill that may help Valley farmers get more water. Tuesday’s vote removes the goal of doubling the number of striped bass in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta which means less water has to go towards the environment. House leaders say their plan is getting a sympathetic response from the Senate and the White House. Oddly, the goal of doubling striped bass is part of the same 1992 law calling for an increase in salmon populations. The bass eat the salmon (and Delta smelt) and are blamed by some for keeping their numbers low.

Sean Michael Lisle