Category Archives: Campaigns

Adaptively Managing Extinction

Posted on August 19, 2024 by Chris Shutes

In the never-ending saga of calling a skunk an adorable striped kitten, the proponents of the Voluntary Agreements released, on August 16, 2024, their latest defense of the scheme to undermine the flows needed for San Francisco Bay and the … Continue reading →

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Merced ID Continues its Attempts to Avoid Compliance with the Clean Water Act and CEQA

Posted on July 2, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On June 27, 2024, CSPA and allies submitted a letter to Merced Irrigation District (Merced ID). The letter was written in response to Merced ID’s recent Notice of Intent (NOI) to rely on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) produced by … Continue reading →

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CSPA Intervenes in Litigation on Drum-Spaulding and Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Projects

Posted on May 25, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On May 7, 2024, CSPA and its allies intervened in the ongoing case of Nevada Irrigation District (NID) versus the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In the case before the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, NID … Continue reading →

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CSPA Protests Water Right Petition for Proposed Delta Tunnel

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Chris Shutes

CSPA, AquAlliance, and the San Joaquin Audubon Society filed a protest on May 13, 2024 opposing the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR’s) petition to change its water rights.  The change in water rights would allow DWR to construct and operate … Continue reading →

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California Public Utilities Commission Denies PG&E Application for Transfer of Assets: A Big Win for CSPA and California Hydropower Reform Coalition

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On May 9, 2024, the California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) denied an application for transfer of assets filed by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and its subsidiary, Pacific Generation. This decision is a win for the California Hydropower Reform … Continue reading →

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State Board’s Proposed Order Set to Expedite and Strengthen Water Quality Certifications for Hydroelectric Projects

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On April 9, 2024, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and other fishing and environmental advocacy groups submitted a response to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) supporting its recent decision to set aside water quality certifications for five … Continue reading →

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Superior Court Upholds State Board’s Plan to Increase Flows on San Joaquin River but Denies Claims Flows are Inadequate to Protect Fish

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

In December 2018 the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) adopted updates to the Bay-Delta Plan (Plan) in accordance with its obligations under the Porter-Cologne Act. The updated Plan included flow objectives intended to restore and protect Chinook salmon … Continue reading →

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Department of Water Resources Gets a Free Pass: CSPA Asks State Water Resources Control Board to Follow its Own Rules

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On March 15, 2024, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and allies submitted a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) requesting that it resolve the protests of CSPA and others of a petition for extension of time … Continue reading →

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Show Time: DWR Files Petition to Change Water Rights for Delta Tunnel Despite Pending Lawsuit and Widespread Opposition

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On February 22, 2024, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) submitted a water rights petition for change in point of diversion to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) for the Delta Conveyance Project also known as the Delta … Continue reading →

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CSPA Submits Comments on Proposed Bay-Delta Plan Update

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On Friday, January 19, 2024, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and AquAlliance submitted comments on the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Board’s) proposed changes to the Bay-Delta Plan. The State Board proposed these changes in a Draft Staff Report (Report) … Continue reading →

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The Delta Conveyance Project: Either We Survive Together or Perish Together

Posted on December 28, 2023 by Sarah Vardaro

On December 8th, 2023, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued the Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) for its proposed Delta Conveyance Project, informally called the Delta tunnel. During the required comment period following DWR’s release of its Draft … Continue reading →

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CSPA Strong after 40 Years: We Will Not Surrender this Delta!

Posted on December 26, 2023 by Chris Shutes

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance celebrated its fortieth birthday in 2023.  CSPA’s year of birth, 1983, was one year after California voters voted down the “peripheral canal” to divert water around the Delta. CSPA’s mission to protect fisheries, habitat, and … Continue reading →

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California’s White Sturgeon: An Endangered Species within the Foreseeable Future

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Sarah Vardaro

On November 30th, 2023, San Francisco Baykeeper, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), the Bay Institute, and Restore the Delta petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to list the state’s white sturgeon as “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act. … Continue reading →

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More Delta Flow or Delta Tunnel? One Good Decision Will Stop the Next Bad Decision

Posted on December 10, 2023 by Chris Shutes

On December 8, 2023, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued its Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for its Proposed “Delta Conveyance Project” (aka tunnel under the Delta).  In thousands of pages of responses to comments, DWR affirms that its … Continue reading →

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Good News for Fish: Clean Water Act Holds for PG&E Hydropower Projects on Yuba and Bear Rivers

Posted on September 13, 2023 by Cindy Charles

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) is pleased to report that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an Order on September 5, 2023 that upholds the California State Water Board’s authority to require a “water quality certification” for new hydropower … Continue reading →

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The View from under the Bus: Newsom Administration and Fish Agencies Sell Out Yuba River Flow for Fish Passage

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Chris Shutes

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 →

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Another CSPA Legal Victory: US Supreme Court Denies Appeal, Affirming State Regulation of Merced and Yuba Rivers

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Cindy Charles

The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal regarding the California State Water Resources Control Board’s authority to set mandatory conditions in the new operating licenses for four hydroelectric projects.  The appeal was filed jointly by the … Continue reading →

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Chris Shutes – Recipient of 2023 Mark Dubois Award from Friends of the River

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Cindy Charles

Chris Shutes, Executive Director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, was a recipient of the 2023 Mark Dubois Award at the California River Awards held on April 21, 2023 at the City Club in San Francisco.  Friends of the River … Continue reading →

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CSPA Legal Victory: Supreme Court Denies Appeal of State Regulation of Tuolumne River

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Chris Shutes

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 →

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Water for Fish Gulped by Delta Pumps; CSPA Objects to Circular Excuses

Posted on February 26, 2023 by Chris Shutes

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 →

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