125 Groups Sign Letter Supporting Clean Farms - Clean Water Campaign

PRESS CONFERENCE, RALLY TARGET AG POLLUTION

Stockton, California – The “Clean Farms – Clean Water” campaign will hold a press conference and rally on April 7, 2011 when the Central Valley Water Board meets for a hearing on regulating pollution from six million acres of irrigated farmland.

One hundred twenty-five California environmental, commercial and recreational fishing, tribal and environmental justice organizations have come together in support of the “Clean Farms – Clean Water” campaign. They say that the proposed Water Board program for monitoring and regulating polluted runoff from irrigated farmland is illegal, ineffective and unfair and turns over too many regulatory responsibilities to agricultural industry advocacy groups.

Irrigated agriculture is the largest source of pollution to Central Valley waterways and the Delta. Pollution is identified as one of the principle causes of the collapse of Delta fisheries. Agricultural pollution also threatens drinking water supplies and public health and is a major source of groundwater impairment.

WHERE: Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board Regional Office, 11020 Sun Center Drive, Suite 200, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

WHEN: April 7, 2011, during the Board’s noon lunch break

SPEAKERS: Representatives from the environmental, environmental justice, sportfishing and commercial fishing communities

VISUALS: Banners, signs, organizational representatives and concerned citizens in front of the Regional Water Quality Board

For more information about the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Framework and the “Clean Farms – Clean Water” campaign, go to http://calsport.org/news/

Bill Jennings, Chairman
Executive Director
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
3536 Rainier Avenue
Stockton, CA 95204
t: 209-464-5067
c: 209-938-9053
f: 209-464-1028
e: deltakeep [at] aol.com
http://www.calsport.org