Dear friends, Today, Monday, November 9 the Senate is expected to hold it’s first floor vote on S.5653, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA). If passed, this proposed legislation would significantly alter federal environmental review processes and weaken protections for waterways, public lands, wildlife, and Tribal sovereignty. TAKE ACTION: Contact your...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

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

Dear friends, On August 19, 2026, the Water Board released a final update to the Bay-Delta Plan, a critical rulemaking for ensuring: water quality, river flows and ecosystem protections for the state’s largest and most endangered estuary and watershed. Included in the final draft is the Board’s consideration of the inequitable and deceptive Voluntary Agreements.  The inequitable and scientifically inadequate Voluntary Agreements (VAs) face potential failure as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the massive Westlands Water District indicated that they...Read More

Dear friends, As the 2026 legislative session comes to an end on August 31, we write to share some important updates. Dear Friends, On August 20, 2026, the Water Board released a final update to the Bay-Delta Plan, a critical rulemaking for ensuring: water quality, river flows and ecosystem protections for the state’s largest and most endangered estuary and watershed....Read More

By: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Our team has been working tirelessly to defend the Delta and our communities against the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP).  While we have secured victories in the courts regarding bond financing, the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) has unfortunately approved the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Certification of Consistency for the proposed the DCP, even though...Read More

Amid mounting signs of ecosystem disruption and ongoing damage to the vulnerable Bay-Delta Estuary, local advocates, Tribal leaders, and policymakers are calling for stronger water quality protections and renewed scrutiny of the Delta Tunnel proposal. Representative Josh Harder has formally urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deny the federal permits required to advance the...Read More

Dear Friends, The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) has officially released the hearing notice for the upcoming appeals hearing regarding the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Consistency Determination for the Delta Tunnel. This is a critical moment for community in our fight to protect the Delta. Click here to read the full official notice, or see below for a snapshot...Read More

Coverage on the Bay-Delta plan hearings last week continues to highlight Restore the Delta and our partners’ opposition to the Voluntary Agreements, including coverage from the San Francisco Chronicle and the Sacramento Bee. The article published by the San Francisco Chronicle details the widespread criticism California’s updated Bay-Delta Plan faced during recent public hearings. At packed sessions, hundreds of members...Read More