In spite of the appeal by a coalition of fishing, conservation and environmental justice groups to President Obama to terminate Jerry Brown's Delta Tunnels plan before Obama leaves office, the project continues to march forward.
If you missed the live broadcast of the Restore the Delta (RTD) case against the Delta Tunnels permit request before the State Water Resources Control Board in Sacramento, you can watch or listen to the RTD team below via YouTube. RTD released the videos yesterday:
Opening statement - Watch here.
Tim Stroshane: Tunnels Modeling, Flow Alterations, Water Quality, and A New Water Right - Watch here.
Senator Mike Machado (Ret.): Salinity and Economic Impacts - Watch here.
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla: Delta Environmental Justice Communities and Poor Outreach by Tunnels Agencies - Watch here.
Esperanza Vielma: Economic Recovery and Links to Water Quality - Watch here.
Ixtzel Reynoso: A Human Story That Demonstrates Harm on Environmental Justice Communities - Watch Here.
State Water Board takes comments on Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan
Today, the State Water Board is coming to San Joaquin County to take comments on a critically important water quality plan (the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan) that will set the foundation for all future water exports and either improve or degrade our water.
Restore the Delta will be speaking on a panel. Please join them in support at the Civic Auditorium, 925 Center Street, Stockton, 9 am. More information.
Earlier this year, thousands of Restore the Delta supporters signed a petition urging the State Water Resources Control Board to update outdated water quality standards for the Bay-Delta region. Now we need your action in person!
This outdated 20-year-old Water Quality Control Plan allows more than half the water needed for the delta’s ecological health to be diverted away for unsustainable Big Agriculture on the west and south San Joaquin Valley.
The State Water Resources Control Board is currently in Phase I of updating the plan. We need to make sure that the State Water Board gets it right and is not influenced by special interests. New water quality standards that truly protect communities and species is a proactive step that helps ensure reliable water supplies for all water users of the Bay-Delta. Learn more about water quality here.
We need you to make your comments! The public comment process ends January 17, 2017, and all hearings conclude January 3, 2017. Please limit your oral public comment to 3 minutes in length.
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, and ground water recharge.
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).
For other dates and locations, click here to see the State Water Board’s notice.
If you cannot make any of the dates, you can make a written comment by following these instructions:
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 January 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.
Urge President Obama to veto WRDA bill with “poison pill” rider
“Yesterday, we were featured in the East Bay Times alongside Assemblymember Jim Frazier and Congressman Jerry McNerney in urging the President to veto the"poison pill" rider in the WRDA bill, read the articles here and here. If you haven't sent in a letter to President Obama yet, see our action alert,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta.
“You have responded to our calls for help over the years by making donations, renewing your membership, attending our rallies and events, signing our petitions, and helping to spread the word about our work. We are deeply grateful for your support in helping us raise awareness of why the Bay-Delta estuary is worthy of protection and the tunnels must be stopped. As the year is ending, will you consider making a donation to help us continue our impactful work into 2017? Make a donation here," she asked.