By: Morgen Snyder, Director of Policy and Programs On September 30, 2026, Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Mike Lee, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Martin Heinrich introduced a sweeping permitting reform bill that threatens to undermine the bedrock environmental laws protecting tribes, communities, and ecosystems across the country. The “Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026” would...Read More

Following two days of public comments opposing the proposal, the State Water Board approved Governor Newsom’s updated Bay-Delta Plan centering voluntary agreements.  As the Los Angeles Times reports, environmental and Tribal representatives condemned the exclusionary framework and lack of transparency surrounding the decision-making process. They criticized “what they described as backroom deals intended to help...Read More

Groups condemn the Newsom administration’s voluntary agreement framework, pledging to fight for water rights, environmental protections, and due process For Immediate Release: October 39, 2026 Contact:Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org SACRAMENTO — In anticipation of the State Water Resources Control Board’s vote to adopt the updated Bay-Delta Plan, tribal leaders, environmental advocates, and Delta residents gathered at a...Read More

As the State Water Board prepares to adopt the updated Bay-Delta Plan this week, San Francisco Chronicle reporting reveals significant flaws surrounding the proposal’s implementation and funding.   The article points to the lack of buy-in from major water suppliers, including East Bay Municipal Utility District and Santa Clara Valley Water District, as a source of...Read More

The Los Angeles Times took a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the Newsom administration’s agreement to pay a private investment firm $180 million for a relatively small amount of additional water for Sacramento River salmon. At roughly $36,000 per acre-foot, dozens of times what cities pay for a single year of water on average,...Read More

Restore the Delta and the Mormon Slough Restoration Association release cost-benefit analysis and detailed restoration plans For Immediate Release: October 19, 2026 Contact:Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org STOCKTON, CA — Today, Restore the Delta and the Mormon Slough Restoration Association reached a new milestone through the release of the Mormon Slough Restoration Project Economic Cost-Benefit Analysis alongside an...Read More

Dear friends, Restore the Delta’s Delta Science Program officially wrapped up its summer water quality monitoring at the end of September. Since 2022, our water quality monitoring program includes: Recording water temperatures and weather conditions Testing for harmful algal blooms (HABs) Assessing salinity levels New this year, in collaboration with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Region...Read More

Governor Newsom recently vetoed SB 872, the Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund, missing a critical opportunity to protect the state’s water resources and Delta communities.. The Governor’s veto message pointed to more than $170 million allocated for repairing levees, aqueducts, canals and other projects, calling SB 872 “unnecessary”, but the state’s own data emphasizes...Read More

California state agencies used a confidentiality agreement to keep some communications regarding the scientific basis for the updated Bay-Delta Plan hidden from public knowledge, as revealed by Ashley Zavala on KCRA’s CA Politics 360 show. The agreement between the State Water Resources Control Board, Department of Water Resources, and Department of Fish and Wildlife was discovered...Read More

Native tribes denied greater say in water decisions with Newsom veto Newsom Vetoes Sacred Sites and Tribal Water Bills Despite Overwhelming Votes Tribal advocates say Newsom apologized for state history, then vetoed their bills Governor Newsom Ignores Water-Sector Consensus and Fails to Make Water Affordable in California  Newsom’s final legislative session has ended with broken...Read More