GSSA participated in a Stop the Delta Tunnel press conference on August 28th at the Capitol that was organized by Congressman Josh Harder and included partners Restore the Delta, Sierra Club CA, and others who are fighting the salmon fishing industry killing project. Josh Harder said, “Today we made our voices heard at the State Capitol: Stop the Delta Tunnel! This $20 billion boondoggle project would steal our water and ship it to Beverly Hills while destroying our farmland, poisoning our air and harming our communities.”
Two weeks ago, Golden State Salmon Association, San Francisco Baykeeper, Restore the Delta, alongside the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition Partners, joined forces with other partner conservation groups, Delta water districts, fishing groups, and Delta counties to present a compelling case at the recent pre-hearing conference concerning the Delta Conveyance Project. The conference, held at the State Water Resources Control Board, highlighted numerous conflicts that hinder the ability of protestants to respond effectively and prepare a case for the formal hearings.
In response to these concerns, the Hearing Officer issued the following statement:
“Based on the discussion during the August 13 pre-hearing conference and the pre-hearing conference statements, and in recognition that the period during which petitioners and protestants shall make a good faith effort to resolve protests continues until November 12, I am vacating the September 5 deadline to submit written comments on hearing issues and the November 4 deadline for all parties to file initial NOIs.
In the near future, the AHO [Administrative Hearing Officer] will issue an amended notice of public hearing setting a revised schedule for this proceeding.”
While this is a small, temporary win, it signals that permitting the Delta Conveyance Project will not be the straightforward process the Newsom Administration anticipates. As said in a press release by Restore the Delta, “A motivated coalition stands united in opposition to the $20.1 billion Delta Conveyance Project, which still lacks committed water district funding and goodwill from the people of California.”