Conference Committee Rejects Westlands Drainage Settlement Rider

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Big Ag will keep trying to add rider to bills In a victory for salmon and the Delta, a Conference Committee rejected Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s attempt to add H.R. 1769, Representative David Valadao’s rider approving the Westlands Water District settlement … Continued

Delta Plan amendments marginalize environmental justice and Tribal communities

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Two groups, Restore the Delta (RTD) and the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water (EJCW), on April 18 sent a joint letter opposing the Delta Stewardship Council’s proposed amendments to the Delta Plan that marginalize environmental environmental justice communities and Tribes. The amendments … Continued

Jerry Brown Calls For Fast-Tracking of River Agreements To Build Delta Tunnels

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As The Winnemem Wintu Tribe proceeded on their historic 300-mile long Run4Salmon from Vallejo to the McCloud River, Governor Jerry Brown called for the expediting of a river flow agreement in order to build his Delta Tunnels to export more water … Continued

Westlands Board Strips Tom Birmingham of General Counsel Duties

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Are you looking for a job? The scandal-ridden Westlands Water District, considered the “Darth Vader” of California water politics by Tribes, fishermen and environmentalists, is hiring a new general counsel. The announcement came after the Westlands Board of Directors reported … Continued

Sacramento Judge Tosses Out Delta Plan

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Judge Michael Kenny of the Sacramento Superior Court on June 23 ruled that the Delta Plan is “invalid” after a successful legal challenge by multiple Delta parties who argued that the controversial plan doesn’t protect water quality or the many … Continued

Delta Group Challenges Brown Administration Case For Twin Tunnels

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The state and federal governments pleaded their case for Governor Jerry Brown’s controversial Delta Tunnels plan in testimony submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board on May 31 and in a media teleconference held on June 1, claiming that … Continued

Is Brown Administration Official Admitting Delta Tunnels Plan Is Collapsing?

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In the video from a recent hearing in the California Legislature, it appears that a Brown administration official is admitting that financial support for Governor Brown’s controversial Delta Tunnels Plan is rapidly collapsing. On March 11, Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird spoke … Continued

Metropolitan Water District Authorizes Purchase of Four Delta Islands

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As Delta smelt and other fish species reach record low population levels and fishermen and fisherwomen brace for salmon restrictions this season, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California authorized the purchase of four islands in the San Francisco … Continued

Groups file formal protests with State Water Board over tunnels permits

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As Delta smelt, longfin smelt and other fish species continued to plummet to record low population levels in 2015, Governor Jerry Brown forged ahead with his salmon-killing plan to build the Delta Tunnels. In 2016, the long battle to stop … Continued

Governor Brown’s budget DOES include $3.6 million for Delta Tunnels

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In a media teleconference on January 7, three Brown administration officials claimed that no money in the $122.6 billion General Fund budget for 2016-17 unveiled by Governor Jerry Brown would be used to implement the Delta Tunnels under the “California … Continued