Water Resources Board Delaying Public Workshop After Proposed Delta Plans Fall Through
On the heels of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s divisive Delta Tunnel plan’s failure to advance in the State Legislature, the California State Water Board has delayed another public hearing to discuss what the future of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could look like amid recent crashes for the Central Valley salmon that utilize the Delta to reach spawning grounds upstream.
The following is courtesy of the Golden Gate Salmon Association:
State Water Resources Control Board Cancels Public Workshop on Proposed Update to Failed Bay-Delta Plan
SANTA ROSA, CA — In a remarkable development, the State Water Resources Control Board has cancelled workshop dates (State Water Board announcement) scheduled for next week to allow public comment on the proposed update to the failed 30-year-old Bay-Delta Plan.
“Clearly, the Board was assuming that the legislature would pass Governor Newsom’s trailer bill, which would have waived the state law requirement for the Board to prepare an analysis under CEQA of the likely environmental impacts of the draft Bay-Delta Plan update,” said Barry Nelson, senior policy advisor for Golden State Salmon Association. “Those potential impacts are severe, given that the Board proposed to adopt the flawed Voluntary Agreements. And, also clearly, the State Board staff believes they need more time to comply with this legal requirement.”
This is the second time the State Water Resources Control Board has reschedule this hearing. Initially, they had scheduled one of the hearing dates for September 26, California’s Native American Day, which was not a good look given the unanimous opposition to the Voluntary Agreements from Central Valley Tribes involved in Bay-Delta issues. Additionally, those Tribes and their environmental justice partners have a pending civil rights petition against the State Water Resources Control Board.
“Given the ongoing collapse of Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon runs, listed Central Valley salmon runs, the California salmon fishing industry, other listed fish, and harmful algae blooms in the Delta, this is a spectacular and inexcusable example of the Newsom Administration fiddling while Rome burns,” said Scott Artis, executive director of Golden State Salmon Association.
Since 2023, commercial salmon fishing in California has been shut down due to low adult returns caused by irresponsible water management during the last drought. Excessive agricultural water diversions led to lethal river temperatures and disastrously low flows when baby salmon were trying to make it from their spawning beds to the ocean.
The Golden State Salmon Association (www.goldenstatesalmon.org) is a coalition of salmon advocates that includes commercial and recreational salmon fishermen and women, businesses, restaurants, native tribes, environmentalists, elected officials, families, and communities that rely on salmon. GSSA’s mission is to restore California salmon for their economic, recreational, commercial, environmental, cultural, and health values.
Background
For more information, read the full article in the Los Angeles Times here: Newsom’s push to fast-track Delta water tunnel stalls in the California Legislature
