UFW backs IID water transfer if it includes $70 million in aid for ‘left-out’ Imperial farm worker communities

The United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO issued the following statement today, Monday, Dec. 9, 2002:The United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO strongly urges the Imperial Irrigation District to transfer water to the San Diego County Water Authority by Dec. 31, 2002 if the terms of the agreement include $70 million of transition assistance for left-out farm worker and Latino communities in Imperial Valley.

The agricultural land that is fallowed as a result of the water transfer will result in a direct loss of farm worker and other agricultural-related jobs. These job losses will seriously harm the economy of the Imperial Valley, which is heavily dependent on agriculture. Farm workers and their impacted communities will need help to develop skills for new jobs and to assist their local communities attract replacement industries.

The UFW recognizes transferred water will be used to fuel economic development in San Diego County. Therefore, the Imperial Valley should receive financial aid in exchange that will help fuel our economy.

In addition, the UFW supports the IID-SDCWA transfers because it is the only way the public will maintain ownership of the water and benefit from the transfer. If the transfer is not approved by the Imperial Irrigation District, the federal government has the authority to immediately reduce the amount of water allocated to California, including IID, by 800,000 acre-feet and negotiate directly with landowners to carry out the transfer anyway. If that happens, only the landowners will benefit from the transfer and nothing will be done for the largely Latino communities that stand to lose so much from the transfer.

It is only under the leadership of the publicly-elected Imperial Irrigation District that these mostly Latino communities will have a voice. The UFW strongly urges the IID board to approve the terms of the agreement after it negotiates $70 million in transition assistance for local communities into the terms of that agreement. But it must act before Dec. 31, 2002.

The UFW is committed to working with the Imperial Irrigation District and the San Diego County Water Authority to secure state and federal funds to help match any outstanding funds above the mitigation money received from the acre-foot sales.

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