Posted by red on 3/26/2009, 10:39 am
4.131.218.190
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
“An Advocate for Fisheries, Habitat and Water Quality”
News Advisory
Contact: Bill Jennings, CSPA Executive Director 209-464-5067
John Beuttler, CSPA Conservation Director 510-526-4049
San Joaquin River Legislation Passes Congress
The River and Its Salmon Are To Be Restored
25 March 2009: The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 passed the House of
Representatives on Wednesday. The bill will now go to President Obama for his consideration
in the near future. Included in the act are mandates to restore the San Joaquin River and funding
to begin restoration of the legendary Spring-run of salmon that were completely destroyed after
Friant Dam was built by the federal government some fifty-five years ago.
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance’s Executive Director Bill Jennings and Conservation
Director John Beuttler, observed that the bill completes one of the most significant victories for
rivers and fish in the state’s history.
“For over two decades our coalition of fishing and environmental groups has fought to reverse
the destruction of the state’s second largest river and its historic salmon fishery,” said Beuttler.
“This settlement vindicates decades of effort and sends a long overdue message that dewatering
rivers and destroying fisheries is unacceptable will not be condoned,” he added.
“This is a historic step in righting one of the great environmental blunders of the 20th Century,”
proclaimed Jennings, “the prodigious salmon fisheries of the San Joaquin were a national
treasure belonging to all of the people and their restoration is cause for great celebration.”
The story behind this legislation begin in 1988 when the National Resources Defense Council
and a coalition of groups agreed to sue the federal government over illegal renewed water
contracts and the dewatering of the lower San Joaquin River. Violations of the California Fish
and Game Code and public trust were added to the complaint.
Following victories in district and appellate courts, the parties, including agricultural water
contractors who receive San Joaquin water, conducted years of settlement discussions. “After
years arduous negotiations, an agreement was reached.
Given the many millions of dollars that it will take to restore the river and its salmon runs, it was
imperative that both the State and Federal governments agreed to support and fund the
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restoration effort. Getting the federal authorization and funding took several years of
congressional discussion and debate.
Not only will the federal Bureau of Reclamation have to release water from Friant Dam near
Fresno for the first time in 55 years to restore the river and its fisheries but the federal
government must put up the lion’s share of the many millions of dollars it will take to restore the
habitat necessary for self sustaining fisheries.
Hal Candee of Altshuler Berzon LLP, who has represented NRDC and 13 other conservation and
fishing groups in the litigation and the settlement effort commented on the broad based support
that helped to pass this historic legislation.
"This legislation received broad bipartisan support from Republican and Democratic Members of
Congress, the affected irrigation districts, the State of California, conservation and fishing
groups, and urban water agencies," he said, "It's gratifying to see Congress provide its final
approval to this historic settlement that will restore one of California’s major rivers.”
The litigation and congressional effort was led by Nation Resources Defense Council and
included the following plaintiffs: the Bay Institute, California Striped Bass Assoc., California
Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Trout, Friends of the River, National Audubon
Society, Nor-Cal Fishing Guides and Sportsmen's Assoc., Pacific Coast Federation of
Fishermen's Associations, San Joaquin Raptor Rescue Center, Sierra Club, and the Stanislaus
Audubon Society, Trout Unlimited, and United Anglers of California.
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The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance is a public benefit conservation and research organization
established in 1983 for the purpose of conserving, restoring, and enhancing the state’s water quality and fishery
resources and their aquatic ecosystems and associated riparian habitats. CSPA has actively promoted the protection
of water quality and fisheries throughout California before state and federal agencies, the State Legislature and
Congress and regularly participates in administrative and judicial proceedings on behalf of its members to protect,
enhance, and restore California’s water quality and fisheries
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