Will Nebraska build a $500 million canal just to own the libs?

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/06/nebraska-south-platte-river-canal-colorado/

Earlier this spring, Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill authorizing construction of a canal that would siphon water from neighboring Colorado, igniting a war of words between the two states’ leaders. Nebraska’s governor, Republican Pete Ricketts, says that the canal will “protect Nebraska’s water rights for our kids, grandkids, and generations beyond.” Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, calls the scheme a “canal to nowhere” that is “unlikely to ever be built.”

The two states share rights to water from the South Platte River, and Republican politicians in Nebraska say that a new canal is necessary to guard the state’s water supply from encroachment by its fast-growing neighbor to the west.

The strange thing about the political firestorm, according to water experts, is that the canal wouldn’t really do anything. The water Nebraska wants to protect doesn’t face an immediate threat from Colorado, and in any case it’s not clear the canal would provide Nebraska any additional water beyond what it already receives. The total amount of water that could flow through the planned $500-million-dollar canal is unlikely to change the course of either state’s future.

“It’s sort of a weird claim,” said Anthony Schutz, an associate law professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an expert on water issues. “I’m not sure what exactly this thing would protect us from.”

Even if the canal doesn’t alter the balance of water between the two states, however, it does help Nebraska lawmakers spend down federal funding they received from the $1.9 trillion stimulus package passed by Congressional Democrats last year. It might also allow them to score political points by antagonizing the Democrats who govern Colorado. The episode comes as other parts of the western United States really do face wrenching, zero-sum tradeoffs in allocating water during an ongoing megadrought that has been exacerbated by climate change—and it may be a preview of how anxieties around those issues can be mobilized for partisan warfare.

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[Thomas Hurt]

1. The christofascists are highly skilled at passing legislation in search of a problem.

[TheRealNorth]

3. Seems kinda stupid

I imagine if they really want to get into a water war, Colorado could cut off the South Platte River further upstream.

[global1]

4. This Is Exactly The Kind Of Situation I Get Pissed About When Such Stimulus Money Comes Available...

The State received money from the $1.9 trillion stimulus package passed by Congressional Democrats last year.

What pisses me off about such money being doled out is that there is no criteria in place for spending such funds and for what type of projects the money should be spent on.

We heard about the need for infrastructure funds because of the faltering infrastructure that this country is suffering from (bridges; roads; airports; government buildings; etc falling in disrepair).

From the get go - there should be 1. criteria drawn up as to the proper use of such money.

2. States should need to submit their plans for the use of such funds - project by project.

3. There should be a governmental body that reviews these plans and approves the projects that the State says they need to undertake.

4. This review panel should have the power to modify or reject a plan that doesn't meet the criteria for usage.

5. Each project should also have in their plan a mechanism for preventive maintenance of their project so that their project is kept in superior condition so as not to become a future infrastructure failure (i.e., if it is a bridge - a preventive maintenance plan to keep the bridge in optimal structural condition).

Instead - the money is doled out with no controls. State governments decide what to do with the money. Where to spend it. Who to award the contracts to. No criteria for what type of project can be undertaken. No guidance as to workers assigned to the project. No monitoring or inspecting to see that the money is being spent properly.

The upshot is that - somewhere down the line maybe years later - because of lack of controls and lack of proper maintenance - we wind up with the same or maybe even worse situations with respect to infrastructure issues. And guess what - those State lawmakers - that may have benefited from the project - are out of government - retired - fat, dumb and happy - and nowhere to be found to be held responsible for any future failures.

That's a hell of a way to spend taxpayers money.

[TheRealNorth]

5. I agree - there needs to be better oversight

I know the idea is to get that money out quickly so it can stimulate the economy, but I remember seeing road construction that was perpetually under construction with no work actually being done right away when ARRA (2009 stimulus) money was given out so that Construction companies didn't have to hire anyone new - they just had guaranteed jobs with their current workforce for the next 1-2 years.

[jimfields33]

6. I like the idea, but it would take years to give out the money

I’m not sure the federal government has that amount of time. I’m sure the money expires a some short amount of time like new congress seated.

[JanMichael]

7. I thought that Rickety Cricket was nice?

You know he was originally a priest unfortunately drugs took a toll. It's good that he finally shaved his head though. Scraggly hair was getting a little annoying.

[Takket]

8. Which Nebraska politician is related to the contractors bidding this canal?

[rownesheck]

9. Can't we solve our water problems

by using the little airplanes that can push the weather around? I mean, that moron from InfoWars said President Obama had them.