CSPA in the News
Coalition of groups submits protest against water rights application for Sites Reservoir
Sep 5, 2023 Read OnlineCalifornia appeals court rules against Westlands Water District in dispute over its contract with feds
Aug 8, 2023 Read OnlineCategories
-
Recent Posts
- Good News for Fish: Clean Water Act Holds for PG&E Hydropower Projects on Yuba and Bear Rivers
- CSPA, Friends of the River, and Allies Protest Water Rights for Proposed Sites Reservoir
- The View from under the Bus: Newsom Administration and Fish Agencies Sell Out Yuba River Flow for Fish Passage
- Another CSPA Legal Victory: US Supreme Court Denies Appeal, Affirming State Regulation of Merced and Yuba Rivers
- Chris Shutes – Recipient of 2023 Mark Dubois Award from Friends of the River
Archives
- September 2023 (2)
- May 2023 (2)
- April 2023 (2)
- February 2023 (3)
- December 2022 (2)
- November 2022 (1)
- September 2022 (1)
- August 2022 (1)
- June 2022 (1)
- April 2022 (2)
- March 2022 (3)
- January 2022 (3)
- November 2021 (1)
- October 2021 (2)
- August 2021 (1)
- July 2021 (1)
- June 2021 (1)
- May 2021 (2)
- April 2021 (3)
- March 2021 (2)
- February 2021 (1)
- January 2021 (2)
- November 2020 (2)
- September 2020 (3)
- August 2020 (1)
- July 2020 (2)
- June 2020 (5)
- May 2020 (5)
- April 2020 (2)
- March 2020 (2)
- February 2020 (1)
- January 2020 (4)
- December 2019 (1)
- November 2019 (1)
- October 2019 (1)
- September 2019 (5)
- August 2019 (1)
- June 2019 (2)
- May 2019 (1)
- April 2019 (2)
- March 2019 (2)
- January 2019 (2)
- December 2018 (3)
- November 2018 (4)
- October 2018 (2)
- August 2018 (1)
- May 2018 (2)
- April 2018 (1)
- February 2018 (1)
- January 2018 (1)
- December 2017 (1)
- November 2017 (1)
- September 2017 (2)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (3)
- June 2017 (4)
- May 2017 (1)
- April 2017 (6)
- March 2017 (1)
- February 2017 (2)
- January 2017 (2)
- December 2016 (2)
- November 2016 (1)
- October 2016 (3)
- September 2016 (1)
- August 2016 (1)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (2)
- April 2016 (8)
- March 2016 (1)
- January 2016 (2)
- November 2015 (5)
- October 2015 (4)
- September 2015 (3)
- August 2015 (6)
- July 2015 (1)
- June 2015 (5)
- May 2015 (4)
- April 2015 (3)
- March 2015 (3)
- February 2015 (4)
- January 2015 (2)
- November 2014 (2)
- October 2014 (3)
- September 2014 (15)
- August 2014 (14)
- July 2014 (10)
- June 2014 (8)
- May 2014 (13)
- April 2014 (15)
- March 2014 (14)
- February 2014 (12)
- January 2014 (13)
- December 2013 (9)
- November 2013 (7)
- October 2013 (9)
- September 2013 (10)
- August 2013 (9)
- July 2013 (4)
- June 2013 (5)
- May 2013 (5)
- April 2013 (3)
- March 2013 (3)
- January 2013 (7)
- December 2012 (3)
- September 2012 (2)
- August 2012 (3)
- June 2012 (1)
- May 2012 (2)
- April 2012 (1)
- March 2012 (1)
- February 2012 (6)
- January 2012 (2)
- December 2011 (2)
- November 2011 (1)
- October 2011 (4)
- September 2011 (10)
- August 2011 (12)
- July 2011 (13)
- June 2011 (9)
- May 2011 (16)
- April 2011 (13)
- March 2011 (10)
- February 2011 (12)
- January 2011 (4)
- December 2010 (20)
- November 2010 (7)
- October 2010 (11)
- September 2010 (18)
- August 2010 (2)
-
- Historic Archive (Prior September 2010)
Campaigns
Meta
Author Archives: Chris Shutes
CSPA, Friends of the River, and Allies Protest Water Rights for Proposed Sites Reservoir
The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and Friends of the River (FOR) led a coalition of environmental groups and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe in a protest of the water right application for the proposed Sites Reservoir. CSPA filed the protest … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Water Rights
Comments Off on CSPA, Friends of the River, and Allies Protest Water Rights for Proposed Sites Reservoir
The View from under the Bus: Newsom Administration and Fish Agencies Sell Out Yuba River Flow for Fish Passage
With nary a mention that the center of the prospective deal is no flow increases on the Yuba River, two fish agencies, a water agency, and the Newsom Administration used glowing words to announce on May 16, 2023 “a restoration … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Fisheries, Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on The View from under the Bus: Newsom Administration and Fish Agencies Sell Out Yuba River Flow for Fish Passage
CSPA Legal Victory: Supreme Court Denies Appeal of State Regulation of Tuolumne River
The United States Supreme Court will not hear an appeal regarding California’s authority to add mandatory conditions in the new licenses for two hydroelectric projects on the Tuolumne River. The appeal was filed by Turlock Irrigation District and Modesto Irrigation … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC), Water Quality
Comments Off on CSPA Legal Victory: Supreme Court Denies Appeal of State Regulation of Tuolumne River
Water for Fish Gulped by Delta Pumps; CSPA Objects to Circular Excuses
The State Water Resources Control Board has approved a petition that diverts water required to flow into San Francisco Bay to the fish-killing Delta pumps of the State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP). The higher “Delta outflow” … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Enforcement, State Board Bay-Delta Standards
Comments Off on Water for Fish Gulped by Delta Pumps; CSPA Objects to Circular Excuses
Water Quality, Fish and Wildlife Protection: It’s All Voluntary
The future is now. Governor Newsom’s February 13, 2023 Executive Order ordering the State Water Board to consider modifying flow and storage requirements for the State Water Project (SWP) and the Central Valley Project (CVP) is his blueprint for the … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Enforcement, State Board Bay-Delta Standards
Comments Off on Water Quality, Fish and Wildlife Protection: It’s All Voluntary
CSPA Disputes “Scientific Basis” of Voluntary Agreements
CSPA filed comments with the State Water Resources Control Board on February 8, 2023 criticizing a document that claims to provide scientific reasons why small flow increases in Central Valley rivers and the Delta would be good enough to restore … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, State Board Bay-Delta Standards
Comments Off on CSPA Disputes “Scientific Basis” of Voluntary Agreements
Legendary California Fishery and Water Quality Activist Bill Jennings Dies at Age 79
The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and the fish of California lost Bill Jennings on December 27, 2022. Above all, Bill was a relentless activist. For over 40 years, he used the law, meticulously documented data, an irascible wit, and a … Continue reading
Posted in Water Quality
Comments Off on Legendary California Fishery and Water Quality Activist Bill Jennings Dies at Age 79
CSPA Comments on Deficient Environmental Impact Report for Proposed Delta Tunnel
CSPA submitted Comments on December 14, 2022 on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for a proposed new tunnel to divert massive amounts of water under the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta. The proposed tunnel is the latest scheme by … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, No Tunnels Campaign
Comments Off on CSPA Comments on Deficient Environmental Impact Report for Proposed Delta Tunnel
Court Victory for California Water Quality and Rivers – and CSPA
On August 4, 2022, a panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overruled the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), re-establishing California’s right to protect water quality in the Yuba, Bear, and Merced River watersheds … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC), Water Quality
Comments Off on Court Victory for California Water Quality and Rivers – and CSPA
D.C. Court Denies Waiver of Clean Water Act for Tuolumne River Hydro Projects; Ruling Vindicates CSPA and Allies
On June 17, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit issued a ruling denying waiver of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act in the licensing of two hydropower projects on the Tuolumne River. Turlock Irrigation District and Modesto … Continue reading
Posted in Water Quality
Comments Off on D.C. Court Denies Waiver of Clean Water Act for Tuolumne River Hydro Projects; Ruling Vindicates CSPA and Allies
CSPA Develops and Supports Changes to Hydropower Licensing
CSPA has played a strong role over the last 12 months in developing and negotiating a package of proposed reforms to the Federal Power Act. The package will, if implemented, change a multitude of on-the-ground aspects of how the Federal … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on CSPA Develops and Supports Changes to Hydropower Licensing
CSPA Objects to Weakened Delta Water Quality without Strict Diversion Limits and a Ban on Transfers
On April 6, 2022, CSPA and allied organizations AquAlliance and California Water Impact Network filed a protest and objection to a “Temporary Urgency Change Petition” for April-June 2022 water operations in the Delta. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) … Continue reading
Posted in California Delta, Chris Shutes, Water Quality
Comments Off on CSPA Objects to Weakened Delta Water Quality without Strict Diversion Limits and a Ban on Transfers
CSPA Tells Water Board: Limit Shasta Reservoir Releases and Sacramento River Deliveries in 2022 to Save Fish and Water in ’22 and ‘23
On March 16, 2022, CSPA presented recommendations to the State Water Resources Control Board to manage the Shasta and Trinity reservoirs and the Sacramento River in 2022. The State Water Board must act now to limit releases from Shasta Reservoir … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Fisheries, State Board Bay-Delta Standards, Water Quality
Comments Off on CSPA Tells Water Board: Limit Shasta Reservoir Releases and Sacramento River Deliveries in 2022 to Save Fish and Water in ’22 and ‘23
CSPA and Allies Support Increased Tuolumne River Flows – Again
CSPA and ten allied conservation groups filed comments on January 7, 2022 in overall support of the Water Quality Certification (WQC) for the relicensing of the Don Pedro and La Grange hydroelectric projects on the Tuolumne River. The State Water … Continue reading
Posted in Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on CSPA and Allies Support Increased Tuolumne River Flows – Again
CSPA and Allies Oppose Proposed SFPUC General Manager and City of San Francisco’s Lawsuit Against State Water Board
CSPA has joined a letter opposing the prospective appointment of San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera as the new General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). The SFPUC is the water supply agency for the City of … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on CSPA and Allies Oppose Proposed SFPUC General Manager and City of San Francisco’s Lawsuit Against State Water Board
CSPA Urges State Water Board to Tap New Melones Now
Following up on the State Water Board’s April 21, 2021 workshop on Sacramento River water temperature management, CSPA has written a letter urging the Board to enforce existing flow requirements for the lower San Joaquin River. Water Rights Decision 1641 … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, State Board Bay-Delta Standards
Comments Off on CSPA Urges State Water Board to Tap New Melones Now
CSPA Urges Changes at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
CSPA joined with 26 other fishing and environmental groups and businesses in a March 9, 2021 joint letter that urges hiring a progressive, experienced outside general manager for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC or Commission). The SFPUC is … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC), State Board Bay-Delta Standards
Comments Off on CSPA Urges Changes at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
CSPA Defends Cold Water for North Fork Feather River & Lake Almanor
By Cindy Charles The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and American Whitewater (AW) submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on January 5, 2021 in support of two “must-have” license conditions for the Upper North Fork Feather Hydroelectric … Continue reading
Posted in Cindy Charles, Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on CSPA Defends Cold Water for North Fork Feather River & Lake Almanor
FERC Denies Waiver of Clean Water Act for Tuolumne River Hydropower Projects
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has denied a petition to waive water quality certification for the Don Pedro and La Grange Hydroelectric Projects on the Tuolumne River. The January 19, 2021 denial is a rebuke to Turlock Irrigation District and … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on FERC Denies Waiver of Clean Water Act for Tuolumne River Hydropower Projects
The State of California’s Executive Branch Needs to Close the Books on Negotiations of “Voluntary Agreements” with Water Agencies and Irrigation Districts that Attack the Authority of the State Water Board and Foundational Environmental Law
Summary Both Yuba Water Agency (YWA) and the Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts (Districts) allege that the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has unlawfully delayed decisions concerning their respective hydroelectric projects. Both YWA and the Districts have … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC)
Comments Off on The State of California’s Executive Branch Needs to Close the Books on Negotiations of “Voluntary Agreements” with Water Agencies and Irrigation Districts that Attack the Authority of the State Water Board and Foundational Environmental Law