Governor Schwarzenegger Again Misses the Mark on Protecting the Delta Smelt

For Immediate Release: July 17, 2007

Restore the Delta Contact: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla
PO Box 691088 Phone: 209-479-2053
Stockton, CA 95269 Email: Barbara [at] Restorethedelta.org
http://www.restorethedelta.org


Governor Schwarzenegger Again Misses the Mark on Protecting the Delta

Today, Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference at Twitchell Island where he announced several directives for the Department of Water Resources to implement in order to solve the Delta’s ecological crisis.
While several of these items including emergency preparedness and levee maintenance are endeavors that Restore the Delta supports, Restore the Delta supporters are stunned that the Governor, who recently said that water projects have been studied to death, is simply calling for more research on the Delta Smelt without taking more decisive action to save the fish from extinction.

First and foremost, fish screens need to be installed on the State Water Project pumps as mandated in the CalFed record of decision. While installing fish screens on state agricultural projects, as called for in the Governor’s directive, may help to protect some fish, Sherman and Twitchell Islands are not where the majority of Delta Smelt are being killed by pumping.

In addition, as Restore the Delta President Bill Loyko notes “A permanent reduction in water exports and operation of the state water pumps in a way that will protect endangered fish species is essential to curtailing the present pelagic crisis. While the Governor is calling for studying the fish situation to death, he is not taking the needed action to stop the crisis.”

Restore the Delta Campaign Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla adds that while “restoring natural habitat and improving Central Delta water flow patterns are productive steps, they will not bring about true restoration for the Delta without a reduction in water exports. And when one considers the environmental effects of diverting the last major source of fresh water from the Delta via a peripheral canal, it makes us wonder if these stated environmental mandates are nothing more than a smoke screen for the Governor’s special interest water plan. If the Governor is serious about restoring the California Delta, then he needs to lead California’s development of a first-rate water conservation plan which could serve as the model for water conservation throughout the world.”

Restore the Delta parties are available for interviews.