Fracking, Environmentalists On Blame List
As scientists, farmers, small business owners, and lawmakers grapple with the long-term implications of the worsening California drought, the historic nature of the regional calamity is becoming clear. California State Climatologist Michael Anderson recently compared conditions to the “Dust Bowl” era of the 1930s, when dehydrated topsoil from devastated farms blew across the nation in billowing clouds. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) recently announced the state’s first mandatory water restrictions, which he said were in response to “unprecedented” dry conditions. While experts and pundits alike agree that California faces a mounting water crisis, there are sharp disagreements over whom to blame. Some environmentalists target hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, which uses water to break up underground rock deposits and free trapped oil and gas. Others blame farmers, recently illustrated when social media outlets buzzed with news that producing a single almond requires a full gallon of precious water. Members of another camp cite the environmentalists as the real cause of the exacerbated water shortage, claiming that policies designed to protect the state environment have wasted water. Carly Fiorina, the former corporate executive and potential future candidate for high office, blamed “liberal environmentalists willing to sacrifice other people’s lives and livelihoods at the altar of their ideology.” Similarly, State Assemblyman Travis Allen (R) blamed what he called “failed federal and state policies that have exacerbated the current drought into a man-made water crisis.”
What Happens Next
Governor Brown’s order to reduce water usage will soon be translated into specific regulations by local water authorities. Different areas have differing levels of mandatory water use reduction, and San Francisco is in a category that requires some of the smallest additional cutbacks.
What This Means For Small Business
As drought conditions continue, members of different business sectors are being targeted for unwanted attention. Family farmers—especially those growing almonds—have already received harsh criticism, and other businesses will likely be next. It’s impossible to know how the drought and its consequent government rules will affect different organizations, but small businesses of all kinds have to adapt to a shifting environmental and regulatory landscape.
Additional Reading
The drought continues to attract massive news media coverage, including from outlets that attribute the cause to a single group. A sampling: Slate and Mother Jones helped launch the anti-almond bandwagon; RT News blames marijuana; Business Insider said it’s really cattle’s fault; National Geographic cites agricultural exports to China; The Blaze carries Fiorina’s comments blaming environmentalists; and the Washington Times opens its coverage with Allen’s position. Meanwhile, NPR offers a scorecard of the different groups currently being blamed.
