Restore the Delta responds to Gov. Newsom’s $50 million salmon population spending plan
Restore the Delta’s latest opinion piece sheds light on Gavin Newsom’s divisive tactics in pitting marginalized communities and tribes against each other to fight over water resources, particularly regarding the controversial Delta Conveyance Project. Newsom’s administration, along with State Water Contractors, are accused of appropriating environmental justice rhetoric to favor the interests of Southern California and Silicon Valley, while disregarding the harm to tribal and disadvantaged communities along California’s rivers and Delta watershed.
In particular, the Newsom’s divide and conquer tactics aim to confuse the public when he takes steps to restore salmon runs to our rivers by distracting from the role the Delta plays in salmon population health.
Yesterday, Newsom announced another $50 million to boost the salmon population in the “long-term”, but it fails to address the key driver of healthy salmon runs, the health of the Delta.
In response to Governor Newsom’s $50 million salmon population spending plan, Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director with Restore the Delta, released the following statement:
“Governor Newsom’s expressed desire to restore salmon populations in rivers is commendable, but ignores an essential step needed to truly revive salmon in the Delta, and that is to stop the Delta Conveyance Project. Newsom’s Delta Conveyance Project isn’t pro-salmon; it’s a death sentence for this vital species. Without comprehensive action to restore the Delta’s ecosystem and ensure adequate water flows, salmon populations will continue to languish. It’s crucial to recognize that restoring salmon solely in rivers neglects the interconnectedness of the Delta ecosystem, where many salmon spend a significant portion of their life cycle. We must abandon this misguided tunnel plan and instead prioritize actions that will genuinely protect and restore salmon habitats in the Delta.”