23 ABC Vince Fong comments on drought proclamation

NEWSOM ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT KERNAND 38 OTHERCOUNTIES WERE ADDED TO ANEMERGENCY PROCLAMATION INABOUT WATER SHORTAGES.ONE OF THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS WHOHAD ORIGINALLYCALLED ON NEWSOM TO DECLARE ASTATE OF EMERGENCYSAYS THIS DECISION MAKES HIM"CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC" ASTEMPERATURES HEAT UP.ASSEMBLYMAN VINCE FONG SAYS HEAND OTHER POLITICIANS FROMKERN COUNTY MET WITH GOVERNORNEWSOM THISMORNING REGARDING WATERSHORTAGES INOUR COMMUNITY.WHILE THE GOVERNOR DID ANNOUNCETHAT A 5.1 BILLIONDOLLAR PACKAGE TOWARD WATERINFRASTRUCTURE WITH MORE THAN100 ACTION ITEMS TO ADDRESS THEONGOING DROUGHT.FONG SAYS SOMETHING THAT HE ANDFELLOW LAWMAKERS AREPUSHING FOR--WATER STORAGE, WASNOT ONE OFTHOSE"THERE'S A LOT OF DROUGHTMITIGATIONTHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED,WE'RE REVIEWING THOSE SPECIFICS,BUTAT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEEDWATER STORAGE.

WE NEED TOCOLLECT THEWATER MOTHER NATURE HAS BLESSEDUS WITH AND BEGIN TO STORE THATWATERFOR THE LONG RUN."FONG ADDS THEY'VE BEEN TALKINGABOUT WATER STORAGEFOR A LONG TIME AND HE SAYS ACHANGE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENEDDECADES AGO.HE ALSO SAYS VOTERS INCALIFORNIA HAVE EVEN PASSEDBONDS TO INVEST IN WATERSTORAGE, WHICH WOULD HELPPREVENT FUTURE DROUGHTS.WE ARE NOW JOINED BY LOCALASSEMBLYMEMBER VINCE FONGWHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM TO TAKEA DEEPER DIVE INTO THEDROUGHT IMPACTING THE STATE ANDKERN COUNTY, ANDHOW THIS AFFECTS MORE THAN JUSTFARMERSTHANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHTASSEMBLYMAN---FIRST, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TOTHE GOVERNOR'SPLAN?-HOW WILL THIS IMPACTAGRICULTURE AND FARMS IN THE-HOW WILL THIS IMPACTAGRICULTURE AND FARMS IN THECENTRAL VALLEY?-WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOREVERYDAY PEOPLE--ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DON'T WORK IN THEAGRIUCLTURE INDUSTRY?-WILL THIS IMPACT THE COUNTY,FINANCIALLY ?SENATOR MELISSA HURTADO ALSOWEIGHED IN ON THE DECISION