Dear friends,
2016 is shaping up, unfortunately, to be a tough year for the Delta. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has voted to purchase five Delta islands to use as a staging ground and location site to begin construction of the Delta tunnels.
This, however, is only one battle in what is going to be a difficult fight for the next twelve to twenty-four months. That is why we are sending you a spring appeal for additional funding. Our expenses are simply going to be higher during this crucial period, and we need your help.
Restore the Delta is the only Delta public interest organization that will be representing all the beneficial uses of water with the State Water Resources Control Board to stop the tunnels permitting process. That means that with our membership partners we are representing the water needs of everyone in the Bay-Delta region: from growers to farm workers; from urban businesses to in-Delta businesses; from Delta drinking water users to lovers of the San Francisco Bay; from boaters to recreational fishermen; from wealthy landowners to members of the environmental justice community; from Sandhill cranes to Delta smelt. We believe that our case, the statistical and narrative facts of the millions of people tied to the estuary, in addition to necessity for species protections, will be the most compelling factual stories made to the State Water Resources Control Board.
In addition, Restore the Delta is the only in-Delta organization with members in outside water districts that are voting as to whether or not to support and fund the Delta tunnels. We are working with our members outside the Delta to show them how to tell tunnel proponents no to supporting the project in person and in writing.
Restore the Delta is the only in-Delta organization working media and social media twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to tell the world why the Delta is worthy of protection and why the tunnels must be stopped for a sustainable California future.
Restore the Delta is the only in-Delta organization with a healthy millennial base that does outreach through arts, education, festivals, and youth oriented events to engage the energy of the next generation in protecting the Delta.
Our plan is to work every last possible thread, angle, and story in the public sphere through education, protests, events, media, and in government processes to stop the tunnels before litigation becomes a necessity. It is always best, and more cost effective, to stop bad things from happening before litigation begins.
It is not Restore the Delta's intention to grow the organization permanently in a manner in which we are always looking for extra funding from our supporters. However, we need additional funding and consistent contributions over the next two years so that staff can stay focused fully on the battle at hand. We need to keep construction from happening. If every one of our members donated $25.00, we would be financially sound until his term finishes.
We appreciate your past help and generosity. Whatever you can give during this period of ramping up for the fight, we appreciate greatly.
Make a donation by clicking here.
Thank you for your support!
Yours in service,
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director