A new federal program will clear the way for more water to be delivered to the state of California's agriculture industry, overruling environmental safeguards that protected fish.
Lauren Sommer reports: "The Trump administration has announced a plan to divert water to California farmers, fulfilling a campaign promise by the president, but contradicting federal biologists who found the plan would drive endangered salmon closer to extinction and could harm other fish."
The backstory for decision includes a history of the Trump administration overruling scientists on the federal payroll. When "analysis completed by NOAA Fisheries biologists in July found the administration's proposed plan jeopardized the future of endangered fish," the Trump administration removed those biologists and developed this new approach, which focuses more on real-time analysis.
"The administration's latest plan creates new hatcheries to breed fish, and relies on real-time monitoring to track the location of threatened fish. They plan to slow pumping when the fish are nearby," explains Sommer.
The announcement of the new program is set against the backdrop of questions about conflicts of interest in the Department of the Interior—Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has made decisions benefitting his former employer, the Westlands Water District.
FULL STORY: Trump Plan Weakens Protections For California Fish, Diverts Water To Farms
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research