For Immediate Release: August 15, 2019
Contact:
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director, Restore the Delta 209-479-2053, barbara@restorethedelta.org
Tim Stroshane, Policy Analyst, Restore the Delta tim@restorethedelta.org
Stockton, CA – With Governor Brown’s Twin Delta Tunnels formally dead, Stockton-based Restore the Delta has released a new forward-looking report: “Climate Equity and Seismic Resilience for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary.”
The report gives a SF Bay-Delta Estuary perspective to the “Water Resilience Portfolio” process launched by Governor Gavin Newsom this year. The report considers the latest climate and seismic science for the Delta and reveals how Restore the Delta will evaluate state water planning and any new conveyance proposal moving forward.
“After completing a broad survey a current climate change science, we believe that extreme flood events, and extended periods of drought are significant threats to the health of the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, and California’s water supply,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director for Restore the Delta. “We cannot afford to get present decision making wrong, and we feel that the state’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment does not fully address the comprehensive list of climate change impacts threatening California’s water supply. So, we are calling on the Newsom Administration and the Department of Water Resources to seriously consider and honor our water modeling requests, recommendations for further study, and no-regrets action recommendations before settling on a single tunnel. We also believe that local Delta government agencies need to help lead the way on climate change planning for the Delta. It’s no longer a ‘future’ problem that can be ignored. Change is upon us. And all California water leadership will need to pull together.”
“California must take actions now to make the state’s water supplies more resilient,” said Tim Stroshane, policy analyst, Restore the Delta. “We have an opportunity with the Water Resilience Portfolio process to inform ourselves about the true seismic risks and climate change impacts that lie just ahead of us. Delta levee renovation is a vital resilience strategy since it can provide multiple benefits. We can strengthen protection for cities against both earthquake damage and flooding risk, while also providing habitat restoration and recovery. The Governor’s process is also an opportunity to make climate equity goals integral to state water policy—especially when it comes to drinking water supplies and flood protection.”
“Climate Equity and Seismic Resilience for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary”offers findings and recommendations to improve California’s water policy framework and to ensure California’s future water needs can be met.