State water agency rescinds controversial Delta order that put fish at risk – Alastar Bland, CalMaters – 3/10/23
As storms swell California’s reservoirs, state water officials have rescinded a controversial order that allowed more water storage in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta while putting salmon and other endangered fish at risk. Ten environmental groups had petitioned the board to rescind its order, calling it “arbitrary and capricious, contrary to law, and…not supported by substantial evidence.”
…Jon Rosenfield, science director with San Francisco Baykeeper, said the water board is “acknowledging what we knew all along — that there is no drought emergency & eliminating minimum flow requirements that protect water quality, fish, and wildlife is not in the public interest.” But Rosenfield added that rescinding the waiver is a hollow gesture because salmon, Delta smelt and other fish already suffered for more than two weeks.
Derechos de Agua e Intereses Especiales. Además, Ahorro y Gestión del Agua (download show) – Línea Abierta, Radio Bilingüe 3/6/23
Restore the Delta’s Cintia Cortez spoke on national Spanish language radio this week.
Los productores agrícolas de California todavía son 90 por ciento blancos y esta realidad en el sistema de derechos de agua de California afecta los flujos de agua de la Bahía de San Francisco-Delta. Según observadores, estos intereses especiales están determinando el proyecto del túnel del Delta, y dejando a las tribus y comunidades de color fuera del plan.Invitados: Abraham Mendoza, Asesor Principal, Community Water Center, Sacramento, CA; Cintia Cortez, geóloga, analista asistente de políticas, Restore the Delta, Stockton, CA.
Comments filed on Draft Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024 – 3/10/23
On Friday, Restore the Delta and partners submitted comments to State Senator Susan Eggman on the Draft Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024
As it stands, the Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024 draft is deficient in these two aspects:
1. The Department of Water Resources must meaningfully include Delta communities in the Flood Bond Protection Act of 2024 by holding a public meeting in the Delta to evaluate the solicitation and evaluation guidelines.
2. The Department of Water Resources must make a deliberate effort to fund environmental justice groups to work on restoration projects locally.
We ask Senator Eggman to urge the Department of Water Resources to address the issues outlined above to ensure that the Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024 reflects the best interests of Delta environmental justice communities and comply with the Board’s obligation to include them in the guideline process.