Now is the time for brave Delta souls to rise up, to roll up their sleeves, to keep the faith in the rightness of their cause, and to get to work to save the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary for our children and future generations.
Backroom deals are being cut to take as much water as possible out of the Delta right now in exchange for federal support to build the Delta Tunnels.
This week at Restore the Delta, we did the following:
- We tracked and made public comments at the State Water Contractor hearing on contract extensions for CA WaterFix. We are also preparing extensive comments for this Environmental Impact Report as another opportunity to stop the tunnels.
- We launched a public campaign to push back against the WIIN ACT, a backroom deal — between Governor Jerry Brown, SJ Valley Republicans, Senator Feinstein and the Trump Administration — to allow more pumping from the Delta in exchange for keeping the Delta tunnels project alive after Governor Brown leaves office.
- We updated the media on various permitting processes around California WaterFix so the public has an understanding of what is happening around water management decisions for the state.
- We worked on communications and planning to prepare for a myriad of hearings the remainder of this month that will impact the fate of the Delta.
- We continue working to support the State Water Resources Control Board to make a ruling for improved Delta flows.
To continue this work, we ask that you take a few minutes, find the year-end mailer that we sent you, and make your donation to Restore the Delta today. But we also need your help making calls and writing emails daily because December is shaping up to be a hard, hard month. We need talent and treasure in equal amounts right now.
Below you will find the links for two important articles. The first article by Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow explains where our coalition is at regarding the permitting process for the Delta tunnels. The second article by Dale Kasler captures the breaking news of Friday afternoon where Governor Brown announced his dangerous deal for the Delta cut by between his administration, SJ Valley House Republicans, Senator Feinstein, and the Trump Administration.
Could this obscure California agency derail Jerry Brown’s Delta tunnels? – Ryan Sabalow, The Sacramento Bee
Huge Delta water deal backed by Dianne Feinstein, Jerry Brown, Kevin McCarthy – Dale Kasler, The Sacramento Bee
It is going to take a huge effort this coming week for us to fight back against the WIIN ACT. We need help with emails, daily calls, and tweets sent to Senator Feinstein and Senator Harris telling them that Governor Brown is trading away Delta flows to keep his silly Delta tunnels alive. Both are bad for the Delta, and, furthermore, Delta representatives MUST be at the table for solving California’s water problems. Anything less is anti-democratic, and un-American.
Senator Feinstein’s D.C. Office:
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Senator Feinstein can also be reached via email
Senator Harris’s D.C. Office:
Phone (202) 224 – 3553
Senator Harris can also be reached via email
Second, we need you to sign our petition directed toward Governor-Elect Newsom. We want to remind people that we are going to have to work on these issues with his new administration for at least the next four years. Thus, attempting to start a positive communication process is in the Delta’s self-interest.
As often is the case, Shakespeare said it best:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour’d rage…
We are reaching a fulcrum point in this long battle. The game is afoot. Will you be remembered, as a hero, for fighting to save the Bay-Delta estuary? Will you be able to tell your children and grandchildren what you did to protect the estuary?