Yeah, the Usual Suspects are at it again.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The city of Salem has agreed to sell part of its water rights on the Willamette River to the city of Hillsboro. If the deal is approved, Hillsboro will pay Salem $16.2 million.
Salem has water rights there, but they don't use them; they get their water out of the North Santiam River, but Hillsboro needs to expand their city supplies. It's a good deal all around, since Salem would like to upgrade its water supply infrastructure, and that $16 million would certainly help.
Oh, but not so fast! Professional gadfly John DeVoe doesn't like it:
But one conservation group says the deal is the latest in a series of municipal water grabs that eventually could endanger fish and river health.
“What’s happened is encouraging speculation in water in the Willamette Valley and across the state,” said John DeVoe, executive director of WaterWatch of Oregon. “These entitlements should not be permitted.”
Oh, Dearie, Noes! Why this sort of thing could eventually endanger something. Not that it will, and he has no evidence to back his view, but he doesn't need any - he's an environmeddlist. Feelings are all that matter - well that, and publicity.
Where does DeVoe get his water from? Maybe he just goes outdoors when it's raining, lies on the ground, and opens his capacious mouth.
According to him, water rights should be illegal.
Seems like he'd fit right in at Nestle.