California plan would pay farmers to grow less to save water

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California would pay farmers not to plant thousands of acres of land as part of a $2.9 billion plan to let more water flow in the the state’s rivers. The agreement was signed Tuesday by state and federal officials and some of California’s biggest water agencies. The money will come from the state and federal governments plus water agencies themselves. The agreement still must be approved by state regulators. Newsom said the agreement shows the state doesn’t have to choose between healthy ecosystems and a healthy economy. But environmental groups say the extra water is about half of what’s needed to fully protect the environment.