Category 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

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

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 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

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

CSPA Opposes Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts’ Petition for Waiver of Clean Water Act

Joining a growing list, Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts (Districts) filed a Petition for Declaratory Order with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) on October 2, 2020 asking that the Commission find that the State of California has … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC), Water Quality | Comments Off on CSPA Opposes Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts’ Petition for Waiver of Clean Water Act

NMFS Gives Stockton East and Irrigators All the Water in the Calaveras River

On September 14, 2020, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Stockton East Water District (Stockton East) issued a Final Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Calaveras River.  The HCP will require a minimum flow of 20 cfs upstream of … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Fisheries | Comments Off on NMFS Gives Stockton East and Irrigators All the Water in the Calaveras River

CSPA Asks San Francisco Water Agency to Withdraw Voluntary Agreement

CSPA and thirteen other conservation and fishing organizations wrote a letter to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on September 9, 2020 requesting that the Commission withdraw its support for a proposed Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement.  CSPA and others also … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC), State Board Bay-Delta Standards | Comments Off on CSPA Asks San Francisco Water Agency to Withdraw Voluntary Agreement

CSPA Sues FERC over Waiver of Clean Water Act

CSPA and three other non-profit groups have sued the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the Federal Appeals Court 9th Circuit in defense of the State of California’s authority to protect the Yuba and Bear Rivers.  The lawsuit is the … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC) | Comments Off on CSPA Sues FERC over Waiver of Clean Water Act