A plan to divert water to farmers in California, released at the end of October, would allow for the annihilation of winter-run Chinook Salmon.
"Eight-hundred pages into the text of a lengthy new report, federal biologists have quietly granted government water managers permission to nearly exterminate an endangered run of Sacramento River salmon so they can send more water south from the river's delta to farmers in the arid San Joaquin Valley," reports Alastair Bland.
The new report was generating conflict well before its release at the end of October, after the Trump administration removed dissenting National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration biologists from a position to obstruct the report.
The report is an analysis of the Trump administration's new water storage and delivery plan, which was actually released in January. "That plan proposes to increase water withdrawals from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by roughly 10 percent, often during critical migration periods for fish like chinook salmon and Delta smelt," according to Bland.
The new controversy inspired by the plan originates from page 801 of the National Marine Fisheries Service report, which allows for the annihilation of the winter run Chinook for three consecutive years. "Because most Chinook salmon spawn and naturally die at three years of age, annihilation of all newborns in three consecutive years would effectively wipe out the species," explains Bland.
FULL STORY: Trump Administration Plan Allows Delta Water Managers to Kill Off Winter-Run Chinook Salmon
Trump Administration Finds a Way to Divert California Water to Farmers
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.
Why Are the Feds Suddenly in Favor of Raising the Shasta Dam?
Despite state opposition and potential violations of California law, the Trump Administration has revived a project that was deemed impracticable only a few years ago.
Panel Opposes Delisting Grey Wolves
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to take the grey wolf off the Endangered Species list across most of the continental U.S. but a key panel determined their decision was based on questionable science that dealt with species identification.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service