ICYMI, California is stepping up to defend its environment, its communities, and its long-term
water security. New letters obtained by the Los Angeles Times reveal that the Trump
administration is pushing a plan to weaken longstanding Delta environmental protections in
order to send more water to California farmland, rolling back safeguards that protect struggling
native fish species and help keep water flowing to millions of Californians.
California’s response has been swift and coordinated. Three state agencies filed strong
objections, warning that the federal proposal is scientifically unsound, environmentally harmful,
and threatens the reliability of water supplies across the state.
State officials emphasized that weakening fish protections doesn’t just endanger key species
like Chinook salmon, it destabilizes the entire water system millions rely on. The Newsom
administration has made clear that the federal plan is unworkable, noting that maximizing water
supplies and protecting the environment are not competing goals, but the foundation of a
sustainable water future.
Environmental and fishing groups echoed these concerns, underscoring that some salmon runs
are already on the brink of extinction and that California’s commercial salmon fishery has been
closed for three years. As Barry Nelson of the Golden State Salmon Association warned,
“Cutting already weak protections further would be disastrous.”
The Newsom administration’s strong pushback demonstrates that California is committed to
protecting its waterways, its fishing communities, and the long-term water supplies that millions
of people depend on.
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