Restore the Delta: news of interest: 9/22/15 Insight speaks with columnist Michael Fitzgerald Capital Public Radio; September 22, 2015 Insight speaks with columnist Michael Fitzgerald about MWD purchasing Delta Islands and Westlands deal with the Federal Government. Two Major Water Agencies Consider Buying Delta Islands Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow – The Sacramento Bee September 21, 2015 …. Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta, a coalition of environmentalists and Delta farmers, said it’s not surprising that Metropolitan, with its deeper pockets, would be more interested than Westlands in trying to acquire the islands. Delta Islands Could Be Sold Alex Breitler – The Stockton Record September 21, 2015 …. The discussions were brought to light by Stockton-based Restore the Delta on Monday. Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla expressed [...]

For Immediate Release: September 21, 2015  Contact: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter:@RestoretheDelta SHADES OF OWENS VALLEY Metropolitan Water District and Westlands Water District Moving to Purchase Delta Property Parcels in Path of Proposed Delta Tunnels Project UPDATED 9/23: Westlands Water District backing out of deal to purchase property parcels — see this story UPDATED 11:22 AM: Note paragraph 3, Westlands Water District is also moving to purchase Delta property parcels Los Angeles – On Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 8:30 AM, behind closed doors, MWD's executive committee has scheduled what appears to be the purchase of parcels for the proposed massive Delta Tunnels project.   The Agenda for the MWD Real Asset and Property Management Committee contains the list of these parcels within its [...]

For Immediate Release: 9/10/15 Contact: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta, 209-479-2053 Ryan Camero, Restore the Delta, 209-683-8879 Delta Activist, Ryan Camero Wins Brower Youth Award 2015 “Using art to help save a delta” Stockton, CA – Restore the Delta is proud to announce that Ryan Camero, Delta Activist and native of Stockton, California has been selected as a Brower Youth Award winner for 2015.   Each year, Earth Island Institute (founded by environmental icon David Brower) recognizes six young activists from across North America, “for their outstanding efforts to promote ecological sustainability and social justice.” This year, one of these winners is Ryan Camero, a youth activist and artist intern staffer at Restore the Delta, based in Stockton. “I feel [...]

For Immediate Release, September 9, 2015 Robert Wright, Friends of the River, (916) 442-3155 x 207, [email protected]  Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta, (209) 479-2053, [email protected]  Jeff Miller, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 499-9185, [email protected] DELTA TUNNELS  Project Violates Endangered Species Act, Will Hurt Imperiled Salmon, Groups Warn SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Conservation groups warned state and federal regulators today that the Delta Water Tunnels project (the so-called “California Water Fix”) to build massive tunnels to divert water from the Sacramento River to the Central Valley and State Water Projects cannot be permitted under the Endangered Species Act because it would adversely affect protected critical habitat for endangered salmon runs and other imperiled fish species in the Bay-Delta and Sacramento River. “The Water Tunnels project agencies are pandering to special-interest groups while ignoring [...]

For Immediate Release: Tuesday September 1, 2015 Contact: Osha Meserve 916/425-9914 [email protected] Dante Nomellini 209/465-3956 [email protected] Brian Smith 415/320-9384 [email protected] DELTA TUNNELS CA Water Resources Control Board Gets “Fixed” Application from DWR and USBR To Take Water; Ignores Requirements and Private Property Rights Needed for Project   Sacramento, CA – Focusing on false and misleading information provided by state and federal officials to take water supplies, Local Agencies of the North Delta and the Central Delta Water Agency have filed objections to the potential perjury caused by the misinformation contained in the DWR/USBR August 26, 2015 petition filed to divert water some 35 miles of the Delta estuary.   In yet another attempt to rush building of massive underground water tunnels that would drain the Delta of [...]

For Release: August 28, 2015 Contact: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta, 209-479-2053 [email protected], Twitter: @RestoretheDelta View this release at our main website or in PDF format.    DELTA TUNNELS IMPACTS ON SF BAY-DELTA WATER QUALITY Five Questions Jerry Brown Doesn’t Want You to Ask   Operation of the proposed Delta tunnels, according to the Department of Water Resources' recirculated Environmental Impact Report, will reduce essential fresh water flows through the Delta to Suisun Bay and San Francisco Bay. Nonetheless, the State Water Resources Control Board has begun the permitting process to change the point where water will be diverted into the tunnels. This significant reduction in Sacramento River flows will degrade Delta and Suisun Marsh water quality because the Tunnels would isolate better [...]

For Release: August 27, 2015 Contact: Brian Smith, 415-320-9384, [email protected] \ Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta, 209-479-2053 [email protected], Twitter: @RestoretheDelta \ Osha Merserve, Delta Water Rights attorney, 916-425-9914 DELTA TUNNELS State and Feds Steamroll Ahead Despite Open Public Comment Period “Change Petition” Filed for New Diversion Points from Sacramento River   Sacramento, CA – The California Department of Water Resources and the United States Bureau of Reclamation today announced that they have jointly submitted permit requests to add three additional points of water diversion from the Sacramento River to supply the State Water Project and Central Valley Project. Read the petition here. The three intakes would each have a capacity of 3,000 cubic feet per second. That potential 9,000cfs is a shocking amount of water exports considering that TODAY, the Sacramento is [...]

For Immediate Release: August 24, 2015  Contact: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter:@RestoretheDelta Tunnels Opponents Respond to Gov. Brown and Presidential Candidate Carly Fiorina’s Exchange Regarding California Water Management, Delta Tunnels, and Climate Change On Meet the Press   STOCKTON, CA- Restore the Delta (RTD), the leading opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build massive underground water tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today responded to Gov. Brown’s statement and Carly Fiorina’s comments regarding the problems with drought management, conveyance, and dams in California in their interviews with Chuck Todd of Meet the Press. Restore the Delta’s Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla responded to the entire exchange with the following statement. To see the Meet [...]

**Media and public outreach cost money, make a donation to support our work.** Contact: Brian Smith, 415-320-9384, [email protected] Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, 209-479-2053, [email protected] In Case You Missed It… News of Interest Editorial: Twin tunnels plan sounds worse each day – Chico ER Every morsel of information released, discovered or leaked lately about Gov. Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels plan makes the project sound worse. Every new tidbit makes us wonder how and why this boondoggle is even a possibility. California to Seize Farms for Jerry Brown’s Water Tunnels  – Breitbart According to documents obtained by environmental group Restore the Delta, state water exporters and the Delta Design Construction Enterprise (DCE) division of the Department of Water Resources are planning to acquire 300 pieces of [...]