Dear Restore the Delta friends,
For an update on the federal drought legislation, click here. No Delta representatives or fishery experts were invited to the panel hearing scheduled for June 2, 2015.
It's back! We've been keeping track on federal drought legislation that will have horrible impacts on the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, the largest estuary on the west coast of the Americas. We need to act fast.
We do not have bill numbers/titles yet for the House or Senate versions of the two bills, but we do know that the most recent House draft will harm west coast salmon, override key environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act, and will ruin Delta water quality for all Bay-Delta users (farmers, drinking water, native fish, wildlife refuges).
The House bill is fast tracked in the Natural Resources Committee for quick passage. While there is no bill number yet, we need you to move quickly in letting U.S. senators and our own senators aware of your position on federal drought legislation.
Please call these Senators of the Senate Energy Committee:
Chairman/Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK): 202-224-6665
Senator Maria Cantwell (WA): (202) 224-3441
Senator Ron Wyden (OR): (202) 224-5244
Senator Mazie K. Hironi (HI): (202) 224-6361
Senator Cory Gardner (CO): (202) 224-5941
And of course:
Senator Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA): (202) 224-3841
Senator Barbara Boxer (CA): (202) 224-3553
Tell them: "The San Francisco-Bay Delta estuary, the nursery for coastal fisheries, the San Francisco Tourist Economy, and the source of life for 4 million Delta residents must be protected from over pumping." Watch this video for more details on what you can say and to understand the background of this issue.
Yours in Service,
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director