For Immediate Release: May 14, 2025
Contacts:
Scott Artis, Executive Director, Golden State Salmon Association, 925-550-9208, scott@goldenstatesalmon.org
Newsom’s Budget Proposal Fast-Tracks Salmon-Killing Water Project
American Canyon, CA – If you’re writing about Governor Newsom’s press release today that calls for fast-tracking the Delta Conveyance Project in his state budget at a time when water policies have caused the number of Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon to plummet, please consider the following statement from Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association.
“The Governor’s proposal is a Trump-style attack on the salmon fishing industry and the state’s biggest rivers. Commercial salmon fishing has been shut down for three straight years because of crashing salmon runs. Now the Governor is proposing to slash protections to build the biggest salmon-killing project in the state.”
“Climate change is making our state hotter and drier. Spending $20 billion on the Delta tunnel for climate resilience is like building more horse drawn buggies to make transportation more climate friendly. Smart water agencies know that there’s a far better source of abundant climate-smart water supply — water recycling, water use efficiency, stormwater capture, groundwater storage, and more.
All of Central Valley agriculture decided years ago that this project was not worth the astronomical cost. The Governor and Big Ag are hoping they can sucker Southern California and Silicon Valley ratepayers into paying for this boondoggle.”
“At the end of the day, this proposal is a nail in the coffin of California’s once mighty salmon runs, a stake in the heart of the Delta, and a raid on the pocketbooks of the people of Southern California and Silicon Valley.”
Scott Artis, Executive Director of Golden State Salmon Association
Golden State Salmon Association (www.goldenstatesalmon.org) is a coalition of salmon advocates that includes commercial and recreational salmon fishermen and women, businesses, restaurants, native Tribes, environmentalists, elected officials, families and communities that rely on salmon. GSSA’s mission is to restore California salmon for their economic, recreational, commercial, environmental, cultural and health values.
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