The federal government has promised Central Valley agribusinesses that it will increase the amount of taxpayer-subsidized irrigation water by 44 percent over the next 25 years, well beyond what the state's infrastructure can reliably supply, according to Bureau of Reclamation documents obtained by EWG. This much additional water can't be supplied without costly new dams or severe damage to fish and wildlife. But in blatant disregard of federal law, the contracts are being extended for 25 to 50 years without consideration of the environmental impacts of storing and delivering the extra water.
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