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 [...]

In case you missed it… JD Supra Business Advisor Lawsuit Filed Over State Water Board’s Temporary Modification of Water Quality Objectives 6/10/2015 by Stephanie Clark  | Nossaman LLP Consistent with Governor Brown’s Drought Proclamation and Executive Orders, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) sought and obtained a temporary modification of certain water quality objectives from the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) in order to allow for increased exports of water from the Central Valley Project and State Water Project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta).  On June 3, 2015, environmental groups, including the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network, AquAlliance, and Restore the Delta, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior [...]

“When we lack the ability to talk back to entities that are culturally and politically powerful, the very foundations of free speech and democratic society are called into question.” – Naomi Klein Articles • He Did It For Love • Drought and the False River Blues —- The TUCP Orders and System Mismanagement —- Barriers to Salt He Did It For Love By Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla It is with great sadness that Restore the Delta shares with our followers the recent passing of our friend and fellow advocate Jerry Cadagan. In addition to providing a number of us with daily media clips that included brilliant commentary and great wit, Jerry was our friend. He always had an encouraging word when we [...]

For Immediate Release: Friday, May 29, 2015  Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft;  Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta • Media Release #1: Tunnels Opponents Respond to Gov. Brown • Media Release #2: Tunnels Opponents Criticize Drought Barriers Tunnels Opponents Respond to Gov. Brown Sacramento, CA- Restore the Delta (RTD) and other 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 continued advocacy of his tunnels. “In addressing Sacramento business leaders yesterday, Governor Brown said that he is now going to call the Delta tunnels, pipes, because pipes are more popular. His reference here to pipes, and his [...]

We released a short video on You Tube to make our drought concerns accessible to the public, calling for favoritism to end in the Brown Administration’s handling of drought measures and efforts to move forward with the Delta tunnels. Watch the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k8LFfpfQhs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta Tunnels Opponents: Gov. Brown Trampling Laws, Water Quality & Habitat Under Cover of Drought Emergency No Permit to Build Barrier; No Water Quality Protection; Ineffective Effort to Protect Endangered Garter Snake Stockton, CA- Restore the Delta (RTD), 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, along with its partners today made the following statement to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) regarding drought impacts, the installation of a drought barrier in the Delta, and violations of Delta water quality standards since the [...]

For Immediate Release: Friday, May 15, 2015 Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta; Karen-Cunningham 925/354-2599 Stockton, CA – Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build water export Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today responded to California Fish and Wildlife’s celebration of the 10th National Endangered Species Day by pointing out the department’s failure to protect the giant garter snake in the Delta. “The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) states that the purpose of the Endangered Species Act is to conserve imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend to prevent extinction,’” said executive director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla. [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; [email protected]; Twitter: @shopcraft; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 [email protected]; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta   Restore the Delta’s response to the Dept. of Water Resources’ statements regarding abandoning the BDCP Habitat Conservation Plan   Stockton, CA – Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build water export Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today offered additional comments regarding the Department of Water Resource’s comment on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan from April 7, 2015.   Statement by Restore the Delta’s Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla:   “Recent reports by the Los Angeles Times and E&E News make it clear that the habitat conservation [...]

In case you missed it: several important news stories during Easter weekend about the new California drought measures and the change in the Delta tunnels plan listed below. Restore the Delta: news of interest: $25-billion Sacramento-San Joaquin delta tunnel project reexamined — Gov. Jerry Brown's administration is overhauling its proposal for a controversial tunnel project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta in the wake of doubts about whether water exporters can meet stringent federal conditions for operating the system over a 50-year period. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ — 4/5/15  Governor Brown's drought order lets agribusiness, oil companies off … Bay Area Indymedia-Apr 4, 2015 “Governor Brown has had two responses of opposite extremes to the drought crisis,” said RTD executive [...]