Category Archives: Authors

State Water Board Certification Affirms CSPA’s 10-year Advocacy on Butte Creek

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Chris Shutes

The State Water Resources Control Board has issued a draft Water Quality Certification for the relicensing of the DeSabla – Centerville hydroelectric project on Butte Creek.  The draft Certification requires Pacific Gas & Electric Company to construct a water temperature … Continue reading →

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CSPA and conservation allies fight for fish passage past Tuolumne River dams

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Chris Shutes

For the past five years, CSPA and allied conservation groups have been stymied in efforts to require study of fish passage in important hydropower relicensings in California. Licensees on the Merced and Tuolumne rivers have argued that their own agricultural … Continue reading →

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CSPA and Coalition Press Forest Service on Middle and South Yuba Rivers

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Chris Shutes

CSPA and fellow members of the Foothills Water Network coalition have pressed the Forest Service to protect cold water fisheries in the Middle and South Yuba rivers. In a filing with the Forest Service for the Yuba-Bear hydroelectric project and … Continue reading →

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CSPA and Coalition Seek Cold Water in Middle and South Yuba Rivers

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Chris Shutes

CSPA and fellow members of the Foothills Water Network coalition have called for more summer flow in the South Yuba and Middle Yuba rivers to support cold water fisheries. In Comments and Recommendations for the coordinated relicensing of the Yuba-Bear … Continue reading →

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Study of Summer Whitewater Releases and Macroinvertebrates Finds Little Effect

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Chris Shutes

A just-completed study that included two seasons of field sampling on the North Fork Feather River and two years of analysis shows no ecosystem-level effect of limited summer whitewater boating releases on aquatic macroinvertebrates (insects). The study was designed by … Continue reading →

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CSPA Sues Bureau Over CVP Contracts

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Bill Jennings

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), North Coast River Alliance, Friends of the River and the Winneman Wintu Tribe have sued the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), in Federal Court, over interim Central Valley Project water delivery contracts.  Specifically, the … Continue reading →

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Major Victory for CSPA: East Bay MUD Abandons Plan To Raise Pardee Dam

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Chris Shutes

The East Bay Municipal Utilities District has thrown in the towel and will no longer pursue a plan to raise Pardee Dam. Pardee Dam, which backs up the Mokelumne River in Amador and Calaveras counties, creates Pardee Reservoir, EBMUD’s largest … Continue reading →

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CSPA to FERC: The Standard License Reopener is Always Closed

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Chris Shutes

Statement of Chris Shutes, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, on the reality of standard reopeners in hydropower licenses Before the Study Dispute Panel, Yuba River Development Project (P-2246,Yuba County Water Agency) relicensing proceeding before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Sacramento, California, … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed to Stop Toxic Discharges to San Joaquin River

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Bill Jennings

On 9 November 2011, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Friends of the River, Crab Boat Owners Association and retired USFWS biologist Felix Smith sued the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and San Luis Delta Mendota … Continue reading →

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CSPA and Allies Comment on Don Pedro Studies

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Chris Shutes

CSPA and a coalition of fishing and conservation groups have filed extensive comments on the Proposed Study Plan for the relicensing of the Don Pedro hydroelectric project on the Tuolumne River. The comments by “Conservation Groups” call for modification of … Continue reading →

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CSPA Sues Auto Dismantling Facilities in Rancho Cordova

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Bill Jennings

On 4 October 2011, CSPA filed a lawsuit against Specialized Parts Planet, Inc. and five auto dismantling and recycling facilities it operates in Rancho Cordova California for substantive and procedural violations of the federal Clean Water Act and the state’s … Continue reading →

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CSPA, broad coalition submit highly critical comments and issue press release on Delta Plan

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Bill Jennings

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) has joined more than 200 other environmental, environmental justice, tribal and commercial and recreational fishing organization in submitting extensive comments on the Delta Stewardship Council’s Fifth Draft Delta Plan.  The coalition letter notes that … Continue reading →

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CSPA Releases Report on Regional Board’s Failure to Comply with Pollution Control Regulations

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Bill Jennings

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) has released an evaluation of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (Regional Board) compliance with state and federal regulations governing the issuance of permits controlling discharges of municipal and industrial wastes to … Continue reading →

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Comments submitted on San Joaquin River Restoration Program EIR/EIS

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Bill Jennings

On 21 September 2011, CSPA and the California Water Impact Network, AquAlliance, Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Associations, Planning and Conservation League and the Institute for Fisheries Research submitted joint comments on the Draft Program Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report … Continue reading →

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CSPA settles lawsuit against Stockton Foundry

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Bill Jennings

On 21 September 2011, CSPA settled a lawsuit against Trilore Technologies, Inc., for violations of the federal Clean Water Act.  The 2-acre aluminum foundry facility is used to receive, store, manufacture and transport various aluminum based products and discharges pollutants … Continue reading →

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CSPA Issues Notices of Intent to Sue Three Additional Rancho Cordova Auto Dismantling and Recycling Facilities

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Bill Jennings

On 21 September 2011, CSPA sent Notices of Intent to Sue three auto dismantling and recycling facilities in Rancho Cordova California for violations of the federal Clean Water Act.  All of the facilities are owned and operated by Specialized Parts … Continue reading →

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CSPA Issues Notice to Sue Ranch Cordova Recycling Facility

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Bill Jennings

On 16 September 2011, CSPA sent a Notice of Intent to Sue to M & M Recycling (dba, Specialized German Recycling) for violations of the federal Clean Water Act.  The notice letter alleges that the 1-acre waste dismantling and recycling … Continue reading →

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CSPA, Coalition Oppose Efforts to Weaken Timber Harvest Rules

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Bill Jennings

CSPA and a coalition of environmental organizations, including Sierra Club, Battle Creek Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity, Central Coast Forest Watch, Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch, Klamath Forest Alliance, Center for Sierra Nevada Conservation, Environment Now, Pelican Network, Foothills Conservancy, Cascade … Continue reading →

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CSPA Responds to Ag Coalition Irrigated Lands Program Petition

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Bill Jennings

In June 2011, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) adopted another extension of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Waiver and an ILRP Program Environmental Impact Report.  In July, CSPA and C-WIN appealed adoption of the Regional … Continue reading →

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CSPA joins Foothill Conservancy and FOR in asking DWR to not certify EBMUD’s Urban Water Management Plan

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Bill Jennings

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), Foothill Conservancy and Friends of the River (FOR) have asked the California Department of Water Resources not to certify East Bay Municipal Utility District’s (EBMUD) Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP).  The 23 page 12 … Continue reading →

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