Native American and Salmon Activists asks Governor, AG to Stand Against Trump Water Plan

Even though the new water project operations also impacts the Trinity River, the largest tributary of the Klamath River, this Biological Opinion does not disclose impacts or solutions for ailing Klamath-Trinity River salmon.

“This fisheries review replaces the one that concluded Trump’s Water Plan to maximize water deliveries for Central Valley agriculture jeopardizes every ESA listed fish species in the Delta and San Joaquin and Sacramento River systems. The plan could also harm the state’s drinking water supply and harm Trinity and Lower Klamath River Salmon.” said Morning Star Gali, the Tribal Water Organizer from Save California Salmon. “ Last month on California Native American Day the governor vetoed legislation (SB 1)that could have helped the state protect our salmon from this plan. This veto came just months after he apologized for the state’s treatment of native people. We need more than lip service to California’s Tribal people’s and our declining salmon populations. Governor Newsom campaigned on fighting the Trump administration's environmental rollbacks. We need him to walk his talk and fight for our salmon by filing a lawsuit against this bad plan for California’s environment .”

This Biological Opinion negatively impacts the Sacramento, Trinity, McCloud, San Joaquin, Yuba, American, and Feather Rivers through increasing water deliveries by 23%-39%. Gali says the description of the plan says it all “This EIS evaluates alternatives to maximize water supply deliveries and optimize marketable power generation”.

Tom Stokely with Save California Salmon said, “Attorney General Becerra has a great track record litigating against Trump’s environmental rollbacks. We encourage him to pursue litigation against this Biological Opinion that wrongly concludes no impacts to California’s water quality and fisheries. Governor Newsom’s veto of SB 1 was extremely disappointing, but he has a golden opportunity to redeem himself by joining Becerra in litigating against this latest assault on California’s environment.”

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Save California Salmon is dedicated to restoring rivers though restoring flows and salmon habitat, removing dams, and improving water quality throughout Northern California. We are also dedicated to fighting new threats to our rivers such as new dams, diversions and pipelines and empowering people to fight for rivers and salmon. We are dedicated to protecting and restoring the salmon Klamath, Trinity, Sacramento, Eel, and Smith Rivers. See https://www.californiasalmon.org/about and https://www.facebook.com/SaveCaliforniaSalmon/