FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2025
MEDIA CONTACTS: Scott Artis, Golden State Salmon Association, Scott@goldenstatesalmon.org
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta, Barbara@restorethedelta.org
Gary Bobker, Friends of the River, GBobker@friendsoftheriver.org
Dr. Jon Rosenfield, San Francisco Baykeeper, jon@baykeeper.org
Chris Shutes, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, blancapaloma@msn.com
Stockton, Calif. – In response to reports that Governor Gavin Newsom will meet with President
Donald Trump and Republican leaders tomorrow, February 5, 2025, to discuss the Los Angeles
fires and California’s water management, we urge the Governor to defend California’s people,
environment, and laws in these discussions.
The President’s recent executive orders (EOs) attempt to undermine California’s right to
manage its water for the benefit of all Californians. By leveraging the urgent need for federal
disaster relief in Los Angeles, the administration is pressuring the state to accept changes in
water policy that would devastate California’s watershed communities. Federal aid should not
come with conditions that force California to sacrifice its clean water, cultural resources, and
ecological health. The pain and suffering of Los Angeles residents must be addressed
immediately — just as in any other natural disaster across the United States — without tying it to
unrelated, harmful policy changes.
The Federal EO seeks to override state law, harming Tribes, cultural resources, vulnerable
riverside communities, and clean water throughout San Francisco Bay’s watershed and Central
Valley river systems. Moreover, the President’s policies threaten to devastate coastal
communities that rely on California’s commercial and recreational fishing industries.
Implementation of this unlawful EO would ensure further degradation of California’s clean water
and living rivers, and may lead to extinction of native species, including the state’s iconic salmon
runs. Destroying river and coastal economies worth billions of dollars to repair the damage in
Los Angeles does not solve any problems for California.
On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, we stand ready to defend California’s
people, environment, and laws. We call on Governor Newsom to defend all California regions
and uphold our State laws on behalf of all people.
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