Restore the Delta (RTD) appeared at the State Water Resources Control Board in Sacramento today for the last public hearing on Phase I of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, fighting for adequate flows from the San Joaquin River to save fisheries and protect Delta people. While the public hearings are over, you can still submit written comments.
“Have you submitted a public comment on the critically important Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan yet?” according to a RTD action alert. “The State Water Board has extended the submission of written comments to March 17, 2017 by 12:00 p.m.”
If not, please plan to submit a comment today. For details on submitting a public comment or for more information on this plan, go here: http://www.restorethedelta.org/2017/01/03/bay-delta-water-quality-submit-written-comments-317/
SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS
The State Water Board will accept both written and oral comments on the proposed Plan Amendment and the SED. Written comments must be received no later than 12:00 noon on March 17, 2017, and addressed and submitted to:
Jeanine Townsend, Clerk to the Board
State Water Resources Control Board
1001 I Street, 24th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814-0100
Comment letters may be submitted electronically, in pdf text format (if less than 15 megabytes in total size) to the Clerk to the Board via e-mail at commentletters@waterboards.ca.gov. Please indicate in the subject line: “Comment Letter – 2016 Bay-Delta Plan Amendment & SED.” You may also submit your comments by fax at (916) 341-5620. Electronic submission is preferred, but not required.
Couriers delivering comment letters must check in with lobby security personnel, who can contact Jeanine Townsend at (916) 341-5600.
Here are some important points to make:
1) A permanent reduction of exports must happen to protect the Delta. What is the true efficacy of this update to SJ flow standards if water exports from the Delta are not going to be dealt with? The San Joaquin River must reach Chipps Island in order to restore, protect, and preserve the entire estuary. If unsustainable water exports are not dealt with, we worry that water quality and quantity objectives for the Delta will never be met.
2) We do not want to see a weakening of salinity standards in the South Delta. Water quality standards must be protected for agriculture, drinking water, municipal discharge, fisheries, recreation, and ground water recharge, and to reduce the future risk of increased harmful algal blooms that are toxic to humans, dogs, fish, and wildlife in south Delta channels.
3) The State Water Board must consider environmental justice communities in terms of drinking water and domestic use. Phase 1 Recirculated Draft SED fails to consider environmental justice communities in chapters 5 and 9 (hydrology/water quality and groundwater).
Photo: The San Joaquin River out of Lauritzen Yacht Harbor, just east of the Antioch Bridge. Photo by Dan Bacher.