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Representatives Respond to New Reports on Bay-Delta Estuary
by Dan Bacher
Five Bay-Delta area Democrats responded to a spate of reports on the California Delta by reiterating their calls for "prompt and aggressive steps" to protect the health of the Bay-Delta ecosystem and restore the state's salmon fisheries, as advocated in reports released by Environmental Defense and the Natural Resources Defense Council on Wednesday and Thursday. They also took aim at the controversial Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, released last week, that advocates the construction of a peripheral canal. The PPIC report is partly funded by the Stephen Bechtel, Jr., the co-owner of the Bechtel Corporation, known for its attempt to privatize the water system of Cochibamba, Bolivia and other destructive and costly boondoggles around the world. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) blasted the PPIC report for pushing Schwarzenegger's peripheral canal. "Now the State is considering a peripheral canal, which the PPIC report states could have ‘major (negative) effects on salmon?" said Thompson. "This is ridiculous. We are only now starting to right the wrongs of the Bush Administration’s illegal water plans. The debate about the peripheral canal is adding insult to injury to California’s fishing communities.” Salmon fishing is closed in ocean waters off California and Oregon and in Central Valley this year, due to the collapse of Sacramento River fall run chinook salmon. Although the Bush and Scharzenegger administrations blame the collapse on "ocean conditions," a coalition of recreational anglers, commercial fishermen, Indian Tribes and environmental groups point to massive increases in California Delta water exports and declining water quality as key factors behind the decline. Here is the news release from Representative George Miller's office: