Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3824 Nov 8-22 | Page 24

22 F Nov 8 - 22, 2019, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 24 New Federal Water Rules Will Boost Delta Water Exports, Imperil Salmon ederal officials, led by former Westlands Water District and oil industry lobbyist and current Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, on October 22 released a new set of controversial rules allowing much greater water exports from the Delta to San Joaquin Valley agribusi- ness interests that will imperil Chinook salmon and other endangered fish species in California. Public trust advocates say the set of new Endangered Species Act permits (biological opinions) will significantly weaken existing federal protections for salmon and other endangered species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary. These biological opinions determine the long-term operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project and set the allowed levels for water exports to Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, according to Restore the Delta (RTD). Paul Souza, Regional Director for the US Fish and Wildlife Service; Barry Thom, NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator; and Ernest Conant, Director of the Mid Pacific Region of the Bureau of Reclama- tion, hosted a media call to discuss the new biological opinions. Maven’s Notebook has transcribed the call. Thom and Sousa discussed the modifica- tions to Delta operations and Shasta Dam operations in the call. “When it comes to pumping in the Delta, that has been a concern,” stated Thom. “BOR has committed to keep the pumping and fish impacts in the Delta at or below the levels we saw in the previous biolog- ical opinion. They have also committed to increased steelhead monitoring for fish coming out of the San Joaquin.” “Now turning to some of the important modifications, I’ll start with Delta opera- tions,” said Souza. “This has long been a cause for concern about fish being pulled into the pumps and also restrictions on pumping for water supply. We’ve been able to create a much smarter approach that focuses on real time management. We have tremendous new science now that we didn’t have a decade ago.” Agribusiness organizations applauded the release of the new biological opinions, while conservation, tribal, public interest and fishing groups disagreed with Souza and Thom’s assessment that the new rules would protect Delta smelt and winter-run Chinook salmon. Opponents of the new biological opinions point out that the new biolog- ical opinions increase water exports to agribusiness and manipulate science at enormous risk to imperiled Chinook salmon and other fish driven into decline by decades of already massive water diversions. Environmentalists, Tribal leaders and fishermen are expected to challenge the new biological opinions in court. Tim Stroshane, policy analyst for Restore the Delta said, “While there’s still much to review in these opinions, we see imme- diately that the Trump Administration intends to follow through on its promise to maximize exports from the Delta to San Joaquin valley agribusiness and southern California. These opinions however have the smell of manipulated science, an Orwellian finding that ‘fish don’t need water.’” While the group will be conducting an in-depth reading of the new biological opinions in the days ahead, they see that they fail to protect Delta communities and fisheries because: • They allow for increased exports in summer and autumn creating conditions for the proliferation of harmful algal blooms (HABS) which are a public health threat • ESA protections are tied to water quality in the Delta; (Bay-Delta flow standards have not been permanently set by the State Water Resources Control Board) • They are not calendar based • They do not protect salmon and smelt unless fish show up at the pumps; they are reactive not protective of species in serious decline • They allow for hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of additional water exports from the Bay-Delta and play games with carry-over storage. The Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA), formerly the Golden Gate Salmon Association, also weighed in on the new Trump administration rules. “The new rules ensure great damage The KFBK OUTDOOR SHOW 3819 1 Rated Outdoor Radio Show for 26 years! # with your host Bob Simms Fishing • Hunting • Destinations Conservation • History Dedicated to the Northern California Outdoorsman BOB SIMMS Listen Every Saturday Morning from 5 am to 8am CALIFORNIA’S LONGEST RUNNING OUTDOOR TALK SHOW! By Dan Bacher to California’s environment, especially pure and simple. If the Newsom Admin- to the state’s native salmon runs and the istration fails to fight this flawed water family jobs tied to them,” according to a plan, the next drought may very well wipe statement from the GGSA. “The new rules California salmon off the map.” could go into effect late this winter or early Even though the new water project spring of 2020 and are sure to make worse operations also impact the Trinity River, pollution and ecosystem health problems the largest tributary of the Klamath River, in SF Bay and the Delta,” this Biological Opinion does not disclose “The Trump administration’s new rules impacts or solutions for ailing Klam- conclude that operation of the massive ath-Trinity River salmon, according to system of dams, canals, and pumps that the Save California Salmon organization. capture water from northern California The group urged Newsom to file a lawsuit salmon rivers and channel and divert it to against the new Trump rules. the western San Joaquin pose no jeopardy “Last month on California Native to endangered and threatened wildlife, American Day the governor vetoed legis- including salmon. This directly contradicts lation (SB 1)that could have helped the a previous jeopardy finding made by the state protect our salmon from this plan,” National Marine Fisheries Service in July.” said Morning Star Gali, the Tribal Water GSSA pointed out that the scientists who Organizer from Save California Salmon. wrote that July document were reas- ”This veto came just months after he apol- signed and prevented from working on ogized for the state’s treatment of native the documents release. “No one disputes people. We need more than lip service the new rules are the Trump administra- to California’s Tribal people’s and our tion’s attempt to make good on a promise declining salmon populations. Governor to growers in the San Joaquin Valley to Newsom campaigned on fighting the maximize water diversions to them, no Trump administration’s environmental matter the environmental and economic rollbacks. We need him to walk his talk consequences to others,” GSSA said. and fight for our salmon by filing a lawsuit “This decision weakens all of the against this bad plan for California’s envi- existing federal rules to protect Bay-Delta ronment,” she concluded. salmon runs. We’ve seen this movie House Natural Resources Chair Raúl before. In 2004 federal salmon biologists M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Chair of found that operating this massive water the Natural Resources Subcommittee diversion project jeopardized various on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Jared native species, including the salmon our Huffman (D-Calif.) released the statements jobs and communities depend on, that strongly criticizing the proposed Biolog- are supposed to be protected,” said John ical Opinion for CVP operations, affirming McManus, president of the Golden State that “even by the low standards of this Salmon Association. “The Bush Cheney administration, the corruption and political administration stepped in and overruled ham-handedness reflected in the proposed and reversed those findings which led to Biological Opinion for CVP operations is catastrophic water diversions that killed stunning.” untold millions of salmon and shut down “The Trump administration’s ‘favor our industry entirely in 2008 and 2009. It factory’ is at it again, weakening Endan- looks like this administration is trying to gered Species Act protections in order to shut us down again – permanently.” maximize water deliveries to Secretary’s After Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Bernhardt’s former clients,” said Repre- Senate Bill 1, legislation to help block sentative Huffman. “Federal scientists Trump attacks on the Endangered Species warned that these pumping increases could Act and other federal laws in California, doom California’s endangered salmon runs fish advocates are worried that he won’t to extinction. Instead of listening to them do anything to protect the state’s salmon, and fixing the flawed pumping plan, the other wildlife and salmon fishing jobs from Trump administration replaced them with this decision. a new team that did scientific cartwheels to “Fishing and conservation advocates give Westlands what they wanted.” across the state are watching closely to see if Governor Newsom stands up for California in the face of yet another Trump administra- We carry Lead Free Pistol ammo for tion assault on our the hunter who wants to carry his environment and handgun in Lead Free Hunting Zones. on salmon fishing jobs,” concluded Available in a variety of calibers... McManus. CALL FOR DETAILS! Noah Oppenheim, executive director THE LARGEST SELECTION OF AIR GUN PELLETS of the Pacific ON THE WEST COAST – GUARANTEED!! Coast Federation 10% of Fishermen’s OFF! Associations (PCFFA), responded “Burst Fire” .20 gram premium high grade airsoft bb’s 5000 count - now only $12.99 to the release of AIRGUN Largest selection of the new rules by REPAIR Quality Pellets in California We are a stating, “The servile .177 to .45 cal Crosman Authorized Interior Depart- JSB, H&N, CROSMAN, BEEMAN Repair & Service Center ment has hijacked Call for details! GAMO, DAISY, PREDATOR and subverted the SAM YANG, EUNJIN, MENDOZA, SHOOTING scientific process. TECH FORCE, DGS, BIG BORE 3619 RANGE Fishing jobs are & AIRGUNS being sacrificed to AIRSOFT SUPER STORE benefit the corporate 916-564-5225 agriculture lobby, LEAD FREE PISTOL AMMO! ALL PELLETS AND SUPPLIES 5207 Madison Ave, Ste. H, Sacramento, CA 95838