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From Fox News: Gov. Gavin Newsom is firing back at President-elect Donald Trump for comments he made Wednesday about the response to deadly wildfires currently devastating Southern California.
Trump spoke with reporters after attending meetings Wednesday on Capitol Hill and accused Newsom of not “[doing] a good job,” but noted they “worked well together” and would again when he takes office later this month.
“It’s very sad because I’ve been trying to get Gavin Newsom to allow water to come – you’d have tremendous water up there, they send it out from the Pacific – because they’re trying to protect a tiny little fish,” Trump said. “For the sake of a smelt, they have no water… It’s a mistake of the governor, and you could say, the administration.”
Newsom’s press office released a statement on social media following Trump’s remarks saying there was a reason for not using the pumps.
The statement posted on X reads:
Trump is conflating two entirely unrelated things: the conveyance of water to Southern California and supply from local storage. And again, there is no such document as the water restoration declaration – this is pure fiction.
LADWP said that because of the high water demand, pump stations at lower elevations did not have enough pressure refill tanks at higher elevations, and the ongoing fire hampered the ability of crews to access the pumps. To supplement, they used water tenders to supply water — a common tactic in wildland firefighting.
But broadly speaking, there is no water shortage in Southern California right now, despite Trump’s claims that he would open some imaginary spigot.
“In terms of water reliability and water supply at this moment in Southern California, things are looking pretty solid,” said Mike McNutt of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, which serves 75,000 people in northwest Los Angeles County.”
“Orange County Water District Chief Hydrogeologist Roy Herndon said his agency, which supplies groundwater to the north half of the county, has enough supply to carry its 2.5 million customers through the worst of any potential droughts — multiple years in a row with minimal rainfall. “Three years, no problem. I’d say even five years,” Herndon said.”
“The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — which serves 19 million people mostly with imported water — also has an abundance, “with a record 3.8 million acre-feet of water in storage,” according to Interim General Manager Deven Upadhyay, who issued a statement last week. That’s enough water to supply 40 million people for a year.”
Source: https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2025/01/california-rain-drought-north-south/
LADWP said that because of the high water demand, pump stations at lower elevations did not have enough pressure refill tanks at higher elevations, and the ongoing fire hampered the ability of crews to access the pumps. To supplement, they used water tenders to supply water — a…
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 9, 2025
In a separate post on X, Newsom sneered at Trump, writing, “People are literally fleeing. Kids have lost their schools. Communities have lost their churches. Families have lost their homes. Some have even lost their lives. And the President-Elect’s response is to politicize it. We’ll continue to focus on what matters: saving lives and putting out these unprecedented fires.”
People are literally fleeing. Kids have lost their schools. Communities have lost their churches. Families have lost their homes. Some have even lost their lives.
And the President-Elect’s response is to politicize it.
We’ll continue to focus on what matters: saving lives and… pic.twitter.com/DPJLsKxHDW
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 9, 2025
Journalist Collin Rugg fired back at Newsom, “Trump has been screaming at you for 6 years to fix the problem and you scoffed the whole time. Cut this fake outrage.”
Trump has been screaming at you for 6 years to fix the problem and you scoffed the whole time.
Cut this fake outrage.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 9, 2025
Retired Air Force pilot Buzz Patterson, who lives in California, also blasted Newsom, writing, “Trump’s been telling your stupid ass how to fix this problem for years. Instead of attacking him, listen to him and do it!”
Trump’s been telling your stupid ass how to fix this problem for years. Instead of attacking him, listen to him and do it!
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) January 9, 2025
Another X user who is an Army veteran wrote, “This is your fault ! No water in the fire hydrants falls to the leadership of the state, the same as not allowing controlled burns to reduce fuel sources. You have failed the people of California! You are a disgrace. Resign.”
This is your fault ! No water in the fire hydrants falls to the leadership of the state, the same as not allowing controlled burns to reduce fuel sources. You have failed the people of California! You are a disgrace. Resign.
— 🇺🇸 Royal AF 🇺🇸 (@IamRoyalAF) January 9, 2025
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