Delta Smelt

Ag Groups Weigh in on 2019 Biological Opinion Lawsuit

American Pistachio Growers, along with agricultural organizations, signed a letter to the Honorable Deb Haaland, Secretary U.S. Department of Interior, and the Honorable Wade Crowfoot, Secretary Natural Resources opposing new court filings in California’s lawsuit challenging the 2019 Biological Opinions on water projects.

The joint agricultural letter reads as follows:
We are opposed to new court filings in California’s lawsuit challenging the 2019 Biological Opinions for coordinated operations of the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP). These filings include an unprecedented and unvetted interim operations plan for the upcoming water year in California.

As we have known – and has been highlighted over the last year and a half – facts and findings grounded on science need to be followed.  That ethos should also apply to the coordinated operations of the CVP and SWP.

We support continued efforts by your respective departments to work collaboratively to manage the operations of California’s major water infrastructure.  California communities are in desperate need of relief.  Many of our most disadvantaged communities are lacking reliable, clean drinking water.

In addition, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies are expediting enforcement actions to minimize negative impacts resulting from groundwater overdrafts.  We implore you to work together to alleviate these extreme circumstances, rather than exacerbate them.

We are willing to help provide solutions, along with bringing interested parties together to help the communities where we live, work, and grow to stay alive. Only by fostering partnership among all levels of government and among interested parties can we resolve California’s short- and long-term water issues.