COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF AB1000, THE CALIFORNIA DESERT PROTECTION ACT, IN RESPONSE TO THE CADIZ INC. WATER MINING PROPOSAL THREAT July 2017 U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein “Cadiz wants to rob the Mojave Desert of its most valuable resource—water. Cadiz has ignored independent scientific analysis that shows this project would decimate a lifesustaining desert aquifer. Now it’s using allies in the Trump administration to try to circumvent any federal environmental review. Assemblymember Friedman’s bill shows that California is united at the state and federal level against any threats to our protected desert lands. I urge and support its adoption as soon as possible because time is wasting.” David Lamfrom, California Desert Director for National Parks Conservation Association “National Parks Conservation Association and desert communities and stakeholders strongly support Assemblymember Friedman’s commonsense legislation to require the State to review water extraction projects that would harm the springs, national parks, and national monuments in this beloved land. The California desert is one of the world’s most spectacular and iconic landscapes, home to unique wildlife, expansive Joshua tree forests and superblooms that attract visitors from across California and beyond. It is also a fragile and imperiled landscape. The passage of AB 1000 is vital to protect sacred lands and what we collectively worked for generations to protect.” ____________________________________________________________________________

Maite Arce, President and CEO, Hispanic Access Foundation “The Latino community has such an important voice in the protection of our public lands, and has played a critical role in encouraging stewardship of our outdoor and cultural heritage. Such stewardship includes ensuring the diverse social fabric of our region is left intact and not threatened by ill-advised proposals such as the Cadiz project. Our community helped designate Mojave Trails National Monument and do not want to see it drained by Cadiz. Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s legislation strengthens that promise to protect our public lands.”

Megan Brousseau, Associate Director, Inland Empire Waterkeeper As the leading voice to protect the upper Santa Ana River through advocacy, education, research, restoration, and enforcement, our organization and communities oppose the Cadiz project due to the devastating impacts it proposes to the water resources, wildlife, and rural communities in the East Mojave. This project represents bad science, and we stand in solidarity with the tens of thousands of voices from Southern California and beyond, who have called to stop this unnecessary and harmful project. Sarah Rose, CEO, California League of Conservation Voters The California League of Conservation Voters applaud Assemblymember Friedman for taking a stand against the Trump-administration's fast-tracking of the Cadiz project,

which would cause real harm to desert springs and to California's largest National Monument, Mojave Trails. Cadiz has been widely opposed for decades by tribes, communities, businesses, veterans, and organizations in the California desert. This project is one of the first examples of how the Trump Administration is changing the rules to allow bad projects to move forward without adequate federal review. California must resist this agenda that imperils our beautiful public and state lands. Michael Madrigal, Native American Land Conservancy President and member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians “Water is life, and in no place is that more clear or important than the desert. That is why the Native American Land Conservancy continues to lead efforts to resist threats to our finite resources, especially our sacred desert springs. We must defend the desert lands and waters for our heritage and for our future generations.” Steve Dunwoody, California Director, The Vet Voice Foundation “The Vet Voice Foundation would like to thank Assemblymember Laura Friedman, for seeking a commonsense solution that will ensure the long-term protection of our public lands, which provide immeasurable benefits to millions of Americans including veterans, active-duty military and their families. We must defend the fragile water resources that sustain life in places such as Mojave Trails National Monument and Mojave National Preserve – places that we as veterans return home to, in order to find peace and healing in the outdoors.”

Ray Hiemstra, Associate Director of Programs, Orange County Coastkeeper “Having worked to protect Orange County's world famous coasts and waterways for decades, I understand the importance of protecting California's water resources from exploitation. I oppose the Cadiz water mining project and the harm it would cause to the beautiful California desert and its public lands and springs. Orange County Coastkeeper supports Assemblymember Friedman's action to protect desert water and to ensure there is an unbiased review of this project's impacts.

Mary Martin, Former Superintendent, Mojave National Preserve “I served as Mojave National Preserve’s superintendent for 11 years, and know the antics and misrepresents by Cadiz intimately. I applaud Assemblymember Freidman for taking a stand to protect these fragile resources and ensuring the interests of California’s citizens are met – not just those who seek financial benefits. We must sustainably and sensibly manage California’s groundwater and keep our public lands safe.” Pastor Frank Ruiz, Indio “We have a moral responsibility to care for our desert land, water and wildlife. I had the privilege of working with communities across the Eastern Coachella Valley to stand up for and designate Mojave Trails National Monument, which is now being threatened by the Cadiz project. Assemblymember Friedman’s legislation takes an important stand in

preserving the national parks and monuments that our communities value and actively work to protect.” Mark Butler, Executive Council, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks & Former Superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park "The over 1,300 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks are all current, former and retired employees of the National Park Service with more than 30,000 years of experience providing stewardship of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources. Based on this experience, we strongly support A.B. 1000 that will protect the springs and aquifers serving Mojave National Preserve, Mojave Trails National Monument and California's desert landscape from unsustainable groundwater extraction." ______________________________________________________________________ Eric Mueller, President, M Design Global (Yucca Valley) “On a human scale, the Mojave Desert is a respite for urbanites from around the world. On a business scale, M Design Global employees appreciate not only being able to make a living while residing here, but also the added recreational and cultural benefits that fill out their lifestyle. This is a dynamic that has aided the company in hiring and keeping happy and highly qualified persons for almost 40 years. To mistreat the natural environment on the suggested scale of the Cadiz project, for short term exploitive gain, runs absolutely contrary to our local and treasured values as business people.” All quotes are available for media use Questions? Contact Alison Heis, National Parks Conservation Association: [email protected]