On September 30, 2026, several senators from both major parties rolled out a 417-page piece of legislation that if passed would change the national landscape of environmental protection. The bill contains major rollbacks of protections in the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Federal Power Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. The…

State Water Board Plans Adoption on October 28, 29, and (if needed) 30 On September 18, 2026, CSPA joined a coalition of environmental organizations, fishing organizations, and Tribal advocates in comments on the August “Final” Draft Bay-Delta Plan. The State Water Board issued the draft on August 19, 2026. At the center of the proposed…

State Water Board Plans Adoption on November 4 On October 5, 2026, CSPA joined allied environmental organizations, fishing organizations, a Tribe, and Tribal advocates (“NGO Parties”) in comments on the Revised Draft Water Rights Permit and Revised Draft Water Rights Decision on the proposed Sites Reservoir. The State Water Board and its Administrative Hearing Office…

by Chris Shutes and Gary Bobker First published as guest commentary in Maven’s Notebook, September 13, 2026 The latest chapter in the Trump Administration’s war on California opened on September 3 and 4, 2026, when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation– which operates the largest water project in California – and Westlands Water District – the…

Bay-Delta Plan released: On August 19, 2026, the State Water Board released the almost-final version of the update of the Bay-Delta Plan. The Plan allows the vast majority of water right holders in the Bay-Delta watershed from Stockton north to skate under “voluntary agreements” that marginally increase flows compared to existing conditions. Comments on the…