The data show thats already happening. The Kings River Water Association, including the Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District, where Boswell is the majority landowner, are fighting the plan tooth and nail. Even if I were to move water and sell it, it would be to farming operations.. John Vidovich - President for De Anza Building & Maintenance Now Boswell is. While he was just starting out, he also enlisted in the Navy and served in the reserves for six or eight years, he cant recall the exact term. At the time, I was heavy with state water but the state water had low allocations and I had no other water source over there (Dudley Ridge land in western Kings County).. Both GSAs, along with three others in the Tulare Lake subbasin, submitted a single joint groundwater plan. Zakaria: These Revolutions May Help India Really Take off at Last, Future of California at Risk if CEQA Environmental Law Remains Unchanged, NBA Playoffs: Star-Studded Round 2 Has Big Names, Intense Rivalries. John Vidovich General Partner Contact 2 Contact 3 Contact 4 See All Contacts Dynamic search and list-building capabilities Real-time trigger alerts Comprehensive company profiles Valuable research and technology reports Get a D&B Hoovers Free Trial Financial Data The fight between the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the J.G. Sunridge Partners actively seek investment opportunities that address the growing challenges in food and agriculture. Farming runs deep in the blood of growers like Jeff and Karen Gilcrease. Both entities are large growers in Kern County as well. Satellite images from NASA show the area around the well fields Angiola was pulling from is the epicenter for land subsidence in eastern Tulare County from overpumping. According to news reports, he owns Sandridge Partners, LP, a farmland investment firm that has accumulated more than 100,000 acres of Valley farmland in recent years. Now the land is covered with huge almond and pistachio orchards, permanent crops which account for more than 66,000 acres of Kings total 782,731 harvested acres, according to county crop reports. Sunridge Partners (UK), LLP (FRN: 821518) is an Appointed Representative of Kroll Securities Limited, (FRN: 466588) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Copyright 2023 SunnyGem. Vidovich dismissed the Boswell letter as "throwing rocks" to distract from the larger issue over-pumping. Kings County approved 1,238 new agricultural well permits between the start of the last drought in 2012 and 2021, according to county records. Either way, Judge Chrissakis ordered the pipeline halted until she decides whether it should come under CEQA review at a March 23 hearing. And, in a rare break with tradition, theyre doing it in public. I understand the fear, but its not based on reason.. None of that has been discussed yet, he stressed. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Since 2009, the company has transferred or sold 102,000 acre feet of its surface water out of the county, according to records from DWR, Tulare Lake Basin Storage District and the Kern County water agency. Levees were built in 1983 to protect Corcoran from Kings River floodwater. The project was made possible by a grant from the Water Foundation with additional support from INN and the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). What is clear is that over the past 12 years, Boswell and Sandridge have moved a combined 239,000 acre feet of State Water Project water out of Kings County all with approval from the states Department of Water Resources (DWR). All right reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (function() { Litigation is pending with respect to some of the suspected transfers, but not all., Sandridge is being sued by the Kings River Water Association, which claims it is moving river water outside its rightful place of use.. Second, Im a farmer, Vidovich says. U.S. And the company maintains positions on just about every ag and water related board and commission in Kings, giving it considerable political heft. Whether those pipes end on Vidovich lands or Resnicks is hard to know. Legally? Where is the water going? - Ghana Business News But comments made during a hearing Monday on Sandridges restraining order pulled back the curtain on the real concern. The SDGs where we. He sold rights to more than 14,000 acre feet a year to the Mojave Water Agency in San Bernardino County for a headline-grabbing $73 million. Kings County judge orders both sides to neutral corners in Boswell We further understand that Mr. Vidovich has caused both surface and pumped groundwater to be physically moved via pipeline and canals from and to lands controlled by him, thereby crossing boundaries of counties, GSAs, water districts, subbasins, defined places of use, and perhaps areas that are otherwise regulated.. John Vidovich, ultimately, followed in his fathers footsteps after obtaining a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. Though he did sell a chunk of water rights to southern California in 2009, Vidovich scoffed at the idea that hes currently selling water to the southland. These 12 secret power players are shaping SF Bay Area housing market Exactly what groundwater would be moved? They have the original 1881 homestead certificate signed by a secretary in the James Garfield administration for 80 acres southeast of Lemoore, where they still live and farm. We help agribusiness owners, operators, and entrepreneurs grow their businesses into industry leaders with the help of our capital and strong industry focussed expertise, globally, Our unique focus on food and agriculture, allows us to better understand particular agribusiness needs faster and have in-depth sector and sub-sector expertise bringing solutions to your business, Our stewardship and value creation track-record is unparalleled and our investing, operations and business development skills add value beyond just capital, We are driven by the highest environmental, ethical and socially responsible principles and work with you to achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders during the whole lifetime of our ownership, As we are family backed, we pride ourselves on providing patient and long-term capital, We can provide owners and operations with the following solutions, We have flexible mandate to create custom solutions for owners and operators wishing to either fully transition a business yet also have the ability to form mutually beneficial partnerships for ownership and growth, Growth capital (organic and acquisitions), Financing for management buy-outs/buy-ins, Real estate and agriculture tourism development (full in-house design & construction teams). Boswell Company and Sandridge Partners. Typically, irrigation pipelines taking water from one portion of a farmers land to another dont require permitting. For his part, Vidovich said the issue isnt about water transfers, its about over-pumping. Those figures dont include recent land purchases hes made in the Kern Delta Water District and Fresno Irrigation District both areas Sandridge is targeting for even more land purchases because of its solid rights to the Kern and San Joaquin rivers. And I want to keep farming.. The association contends that even though those lands are in the county, they are beyond whats considered the rivers service area. And river water cannot be taken outside that service area, according to the lawsuit. In the meantime, Boswell and Vidovich have brought their concerns to Californias DWR, which oversees transfers involving state water. The titans behind the comments are J.G. Transportation, Education Local News, Politics After all, Vidovich, water and pipelines have a history in Kings County. SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. Weather. And thats the biggest issue. But everybody talks about it, and were all concerned.. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, will be back in court March 23 where Judge Valerie Chrissakis will decide whether the Sandridge pipeline is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Understanding water, water rights and the often complex structures of water districts has become a Vidovich hallmark. When asked about the pipeline Wyrick mentions in his June 2020 letter, Vidovich says only floodwater from the Kings River may have been shipped out of the county. In any event, Vidovich fallowed his Angiola land and took its groundwater about 25 miles west to his Dudley Ridge lands. And, you know, at some point in time that water is in risk of going to an urban area. Get inside access to SJV Water by becoming a member. The association contends that those lands arent in the rivers service area.. After all, Vidovich, water and pipelines have a history in Kings County. Michael began his career in commodities trading at Dominion Resources, one of the largest physical and financial traders of natural gas in the US. That shadow drove him to work hard in an effort to be useful to De Anza. It specifically set aside $2.7 billion for water storage projects. Philipp holds a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.. We are a specialist agribusiness investment group, with deep industry expertise and hands-on operating experience, helping mid-sized food and agriculture companies grow to become clear industry leaders. Angiola agreed not to pump more than 36,000 acre feet a year, or more than 130,000 acre feet in any consecutive five-year period. If we had water transfers that we know dont mesh with an approved groundwater sustainability plan, thats going to be a problem for DWRs continued approval of those transfers, Nemeth said, adding that the department will be reevaluating its transfer program to add greater oversight and transparency. Local And the consequences of this could be far reaching. That was the last straw for Pixley, which sued in 2013. This case was filed in Kern County Superior Courts, Kern County Metropolitan Division located in Kern, California. Both letters, andone submitted by the Angiola Water District, also controlled by Vidovich, stop short of asking DWR to find the plan inadequate. Sandridge Partners plans new beef processing plant | John Lindt Muriel started her career in the US as a personal assistant and then, 14 years was an Executive Assistant working with a large team at Eurostar International. Comments from the Boswell camp got downright personal, calling out Vidovich by name and all but accusing him of hiding groundwater usage by moving it through pipes outside the area. Indeed, as president of the board, Vidovich has a great deal of influence in directing much of the water districts business. He does enough farming in the area to make it look like hes a farmer. He and his son know their land so well they can point out which areas retain more water in which seasons and the direction the water moves underground. Though Boswell and Vidovich both have access to large shares of water, their relationship over this precious resource is downright antagonistic. It is an administrator, delivering supplies on direction of its landowners, such as Sandridge, said Sandridge attorney Marshall Whitney. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. First of all, the myriad laws and rules that govern water wouldnt allow that to happen, they say. A large water pipeline being built near Lemoore in Kings County is raising eyebrows as much for its possible uses as for the name associated with its construction John Vidovich. The land in and around the city of Corcoran has been subsiding for many years, the Southwest Kings GSA comment letter states. He specialised in product and growth strategy projects within the consumer and food space. But a pipeline, which Vidovich is allowed to build under the Semitropic agreement, could span that distance. He demanded Sandridge provide more data to the other groundwater sustainability agencies. Water War New Money Vs. Old Power in Parched California Its principals and employees are rarely quoted in the media. For his part, Vidovich is ready for the water pinch. In contrast, John Vidovich, who helms Sandridge, comes from a Silicon Valley farming-turned-developer family. In fact, his detractors call him the single greatest threat to Central Valley farming ever to come down the pike. Vidovich owns that land, and Semitropic has already paid him $40 million for an easement. We are one of the largest vertically integrated almond suppliers in the world. Judge temporarily halts controversial Kings Co. water pipeline He said Sandridge is controlled by developer John Vidovich of Los Altos Hills and others. Nor for the man who runs it, John Vidovich, nor for his current pipeline project that will move water from various places in Kings County to various other undisclosed locations. Water fight between two of Valley's largest growers heads to court Boswell has also been moving water out of Kings. We amalgamate our water to use on our most productive land. Over the past 12 years, hes moved about 137,000 acre feet of his state water from Kings County south to nut orchards he owns on the west side of Kern, according to state and other water district records. When you first meet John Vidovich, everything from his ball cap to his dirty boots tells you hes a farmer. Anything that has water on it, youre going to contend with big money. That includes land with river rights, state water contracts or even just groundwater. Designed with by Trinity Mobile Apps, use of the heavy equipment to stop the pipe project is not a protected tactic under the law., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Gov.s proposed $40 million for farmland retirement is welcome but more needed, Boswell bulldozers allowed to stay put, blocking Kings County pipeline project, SJV Water about this new pipeline, Vidovich. But that money enabled me to go into Angiola (a water district in Tulare County) and have other water sources.. Semitropic has paid him $40 million for an easement and Vidovich would also get a cut of the flood water and be allowed to use the facilities to move groundwater, per the project contract. For the portions that can be tracked through state and other water district records, the water is mostly flowing south to Kern County, much of it from Kings Countys two largest and most powerful farming operations J.G. Related Story: Groundwater Plan Could Give Corcoran More of a Sinking Feeling. I did sell water out of Kings County to an urban user and people didnt like it, Vidovich said. declaration by Angiola General Manager Mark Grewal. The judge on Thursday may find in Sandridges favor as she already issued a tentative ruling last week which noted that, The use of the heavy equipment to stop the pipe project is not a protected tactic under the law.. Four years ago, Dudley sold several thousand acre-feet of its annual State Water Project contract to. SGMA refers to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed in 2014 that mandates water basins be in balance by 2040. One of Angiolas main well fields is actually inside the Pixley Irrigation District boundaries where water managers were concerned by the amount of water leaving their district. Boswell Company and Sandridge Partners, owned by John Vidovich. In addition to inshell and raw natural almonds, a state of the art processing facility provides manufacturing and roasting to your specifications. As the processing and sales branch of the organization, SunnyGem almonds are sorted, processed and sold to the wholesale ingredient industry. And if its not economical, you dont have to question the morality.. Known Addresses for Sandridge Partners, L.P. 960 N San Antonio Rd Los Altos, CA 94022 920 W Fremont Ave Sunnyvale, CA 94087 PO Box 719 Kettleman City, CA 93239. Boswell repeatedly declined requests for interviews on this story. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. A judge found this past March that the initiative was flawed because Vidovich used his own project description instead of the neutral description by the Cupertino city attorney. Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth acknowledged she had met with representatives of groundwater agencies regarding allegations that Boswell is aggressively pumping its Kings County lands, because its selling off its state water. My business approach right now is to acquire as much water as I can to be diversified in water. Validated processes that pasteurize the almonds are performed in-house. Boswell has employed generations of Kings County families, mostly in the small town of Corcoran where a high school stadium and park bear the Boswell name. Ive learned that I have to be diversified in my water, Vidovich said. For example, Westlands Water District, which borders Kings County, plans to gather water in heavy rainfall years and inject it into the aquifer to safeguard water levels. It got to a point where the only way we could get an approval was to go to the voters, he told the Silicon Valley Business Journal hours after filing the initiative paperwork in April 2016. Were preparing for SGMA. Its unclear if Boswell is selling surface water on a regular basis, but according to invoices obtained by SJV Water, the company did sell 49,000 acre feet of its Kings River water out of the county for $47.5 million in 2015 and 2016 and another 35,000 acre feet of river water for an undisclosed amount in 2019. At this point, he said, he uses about 30 percent of his land for farming and 70 percent for water. The fight between the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the J.G. Angiola was rehabbing old wells, drilling new ones and installed a large pipeline. Semitropic Water Storage District in Kern County has applied for the flood water which it plans to store on land owned by Vidovich near Kettleman City, between the Blakeley Canal and California Aqueduct. If the State Water Resources Control Board determines that the Kings River Water Association isnt fully using its water rights, it could give those rights away. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Are They as Bad as Reported? Boswell has declined to answer questions about its water transfers as well as the amount of groundwater it pumps. As the processing and sales branch of the organization, SunnyGem almonds are sorted, processed and sold to the wholesale ingredient industry. All right reserved. Bilyana is involved in the financial oversight of Sunridge Parners and its portfolio companies. However, Vidovichs comments do not address whether all the river and groundwater is being used in Kings County or sent elsewhere a question that has become nearly impossible to answer. Looking back, he said he wouldnt make that sale today. As for making a major water grab in the Central Valley, Page said Vidovich has nothing on the Wonderful or JG Boswell companies, both of which have far larger land holdings than Vidovich. When pressed, though, they acknowledged it could be done. Some farmers cant afford to do either, making the difficult decision to get out of agriculture all together. Court reverses $73.4 million verdict in Kings County land, water sale Water, Latest Thats partly due to drought but also greater use. Powell Warns That Long Downturn Would Mean Severe Damage, Poll: Americans Are the Unhappiest They've Been in 50 Years, Valley Hospitals Overwhelmed and Over Capacity As COVID-19 Cases Surge. But its just a cover for taking water out, Pace said. Ghana Business News - The first place for your business news. Absolutely not. This article published earlier by our partners Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ) is part of a collaboration that includes the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), California Health Report, CCIJ, Circle of Blue, Colorado Public Radio, Columbia Insight, The Counter, High Country News, New Mexico In Depth and SJV Water. Some of that state contracted water appears to have been used in multi-million dollar deals by Boswell, based on the few records that could be tracked, and some has gone to Sandridges own fields in other counties, according to the companys owner. So, it went old school and blocked the pipeline with bulldozers, trucks and excavators. When you have a bowl and only three straws, it takes longer to empty, Walker said. The only water Green Valley got was some surplus state water and natural groundwater, Pace said. Click here to read all the comment letters on groundwater sustainability plans submitted to the Department of Water Resources. Weve all seen it, said walnut farmer Steve Walker. Hugues Marchand is an investment professional with more than 15 years of principal investing experience, primarily in the infrastructure sector across Europe, North America and Africa. Not according to Jeoff Wyrick, Chairman of the El Rico GSA, the largest GSA in the Tulare Lake Subbasin. Vidovich fires back: Kings Co. water pipeline battle picks up steam Its an unusual letter and I was surprised to see it, Chrissakis added. In terms of special enforcement to shut things down, thats not what SGMA provides to the department, she said. And in 2017, the levees had to be raised another two feet at a cost of $14 million to residents, according to the letter. Strafford PUD attorney Ray Carlson said during the hearing that the district had been in very preliminary talks with Sandridge about the future possibility of moving its wastewater through the pipeline. His pumping and movement of groundwater out of its home district has also landed him in a dubious spotlight, according to media reports. (See sidebar online.). Theres a lot of people who dont like me, but nobody didnt like my dad.. Later, Page would run for and win a seat on the Kern County Water Agency board. Often an equal amount of water splits south, wreaking havoc on farmland in the old Tulare Lake bottom, about 60 miles northwest of Bakersfield. What Will Become of Fallowed Valley Farmland? The SDGs where we believe Sunridge can have the greatest impact are: We are a proud signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment, the leading global proponent for incorporating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles in investment activities. News, Latest News, California Attorneys for Sandridge and Angiola argued the pipeline isnt an Angiola project as it lies outside the districts boundaries. A judge is set to consider the restraining order at a hearing Thursday. Yeah, hes got a lot of money and hes been buying up land, makes some people nervous, Page said. Water is a key variable smaller farmers have little to no control over. Vidovich says his quote was clipped and sewn back together to make it sound bad. Boswell farming company pumps there too. . Mortgage Fees Increase Today. All rights reserved. SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. 2023 www.visaliatimesdelta.com.
West Elm Dennes Vs Article Sven,
Arizona Death Notices 2020,
Talladega Busted Newspaper,
Waffle House Associate Hotline,
Deep Love Messages For Her Long Distance,
Articles J
