The State Water Resources Control Board has just released its controversial proposed updates to the Sacramento Delta portions of the Bay-Delta Plan. The proposal includes both the Big Ag-backed voluntary agreements on water, strongly opposed by tribes, environmental groups, fishing organizations and environmental justice organizations, and what is being described as a “regulatory pathway.” Opposition is particularly worried about how the board’s updates could effect highly threatened wild salmon populations in the Feather and Sacramento rivers, which also swim through the Delta.
Governor Gavin Newsom cheered the release of this update proposal — and, as usual, announced proposed legislation for gutting the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, to fast-track the implementation of the process.
“I am proud to see the healthy rivers and landscapes program represented in this plan update,” Newsom said in a statement. “It’s a testament to California’s commitment of a collaborative, science-driven approach to managing our water for the benefit of our communities, economy and fish and wildlife.”…