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Delta Communities, Tribes and Anglers Defeat Newsom’s Trailer Bills to Fast-Track Delta Tunnel [1]
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Date: 2025-09-16
Stockton, CA – In these insane times, the victories that we achieve in the environmental battles against Big Ag, Big Oil other entrenched corporate interests — and the elected officials that are captured by them — definitely need to be celebrated and savored.
That was definitely the case when a coalition of Tribes, environmental justice organizations, fishing groups, conservation advocates and Delta communities successfully stopped a package of Delta trailer bills that would have had disastrous consequences for the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, according to a statement from Restore the Delta.
“The proposed trailer bills would have given unlimited bonding authority to the Department of Water Resources for the Delta Conveyance Project, fast tracking of DCP construction, elimination of administrative record access, and elimination of public participation for the so-called ‘Healthy Rivers and Landscapes’ Program, also known as the ‘voluntary agreements,’ an effort to place more water in the Delta tunnel,” the group noted.
“This win marks a turning point for the coalition, which has spent decades working to protect Delta flows, fisheries, water-based economies, and communities against the proposed 45-mile-long, six-story-wide water tunnel,” the group added,
We haven’t stopped the Delta Tunnel yet — but we definitely prevented Governor Gavin Newsom from fast-tracking the project and eviscerating the California Environmental Quality Act, a landmark law, and other laws.
Now for some background. Restore the Delta grew out of a series of series of conversations between myself and Gary Adams of the California Striped Bass Association 20 years ago. We discussed forming a coalition of environmentalists, fishermen, Tribes, family farmers and Delta community leaders to restore the collapsing salmon and other fish populations on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River as water exports to corporate agribusiness and Southern California water agencies increased to record levels.
Finally, some other people started agreeing with us and 7 of us met at the Stockton Peace and Justice Center to brainstorm a plan to form a group dedicated to restoring the once abundant San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem. The rest is history.
This coalition is now advancing new water plans for California “rooted in local job creation, sustainability, affordability for ratepayers, and the restoration of the Delta and the state’s watersheds.”
“Advocates are calling for an immediate end to the $1 million-per-day DCP planning process, funded by ratepayers and taxpayers, and a return to fact-based Delta water management—rather than secretive deals between the state and water districts. These backroom agreements have already cost hundreds of millions of dollars and are unenforceable with a federal administration that is operating Delta pumps according to its own plans,” according to the group.
Representatives of California Indian Tribes, fishing organizations, conservation groups and environmental organizations commented on the significance of the defeat of the trailer bills — and thanked the Delta Caucus of the State Legislature and legislative leaders that held their ground on this issue and all of the organizations that helped stop the passage of the bills.
“Today we celebrate another crucial victory over the destructive trailer bills that would have robbed us of our water and culture,” said Vice-Chair Malissa Tayaba, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. “We thank legislative leadership and members of the legislature who stood firm on behalf of California tribes and Delta communities.”
“We also appreciate the solidarity and cooperation of many other people and organizations that came together to beat back this attempted water grab once again. Our tribe remains committed to securing and implementing meaningful protections for tribal water uses, and we will continue to advocate in the legislature, at the Water Board and elsewhere to achieve them,” Tayaba stated.
Gary Mulcahy, Government Liaison with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, also celebrated the victory.
“In this day and age, with the current state of things, it is good to see that ‘checks and balances’ and the voice of the people can still prevail. To the fellowship standing on the bridge and shouting, ‘Thou Shalt Not Pass’, and the army of clear minded thinkers supporting them, we say, thank you,” said Mulcahy.
In a similar vein, Max Gomberg, Senior Policy Advisor, California Water Impact Network (CWIN, said, “We applaud our legislative leaders for standing firm against bad legislation designed to facilitate water deliveries to unsustainable corporate agriculture and irresponsible desert development. In an era of unchecked lawless behavior from fascists and racists at the highest levels of the federal government, it is refreshing to see the state legislature stand up to executive branch overreach.”
“We are thrilled for this moment of justice in which Governor Newsom’s attempts to circumvent the legislative process have been thwarted,” said Miguel Miguel, Director, Sierra Club California. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our volunteers, teams, and allies around the state, the Delta Conveyance Project will not be able to use loopholes to push its way through this year. The health of the Bay Delta ecosystem, and the communities who rely on it, will face one less threat this year.”
He emphasized that Senators McNerney, Allen Blakespear, Assemblywoman Wilson, Senate Pro Tem McGuire, Speaker Rivas, and the entire Delta Legislative Caucus “deserve a huge thank you for their commitment to the Bay Delta and water sustainability.”
"Golden State Salmon Association and our partners thank the legislature, and particularly Senate president pro Tem McGuire and Speaker Rivas, for rejecting these reckless and cynical trailer bills,” said Scott Artis, Executive Director, Golden State Salmon Association. “Californians deserve solutions that restore rivers, protect jobs, and honor our heritage—not schemes that will be remembered as the moment California turned its back on its people and its salmon.”
Morgen Snyder, Policy Manager, Restore the Delta, also thanked those who supported the campaign to stop the trailer bills. “Our grassroots coalition of Tribes, community-based organizations, conservation groups, environmental justice groups, and California voters came together these past few months with a clear message: Californian’s will not stand for the circumvention of environmental law and the sacrifice of our communities to appease the powerful few.
“The legislature heard our message, and delivered on their promise to raise the voices of California voters by rejecting these problematic Delta Trailer Bills. We are filled with a renewed sense of hope as we continue to advocate for better, sustainable water management for ALL of California,” Snyder stated.
Peter Drekmeier, Policy Director of the Tuolumne River Trust, took aim at the environmentally destructive voluntary agreements that the governor is promoting:
“Newsom’s trailer bill aimed at exempting water quality control plans from the California Environmental Quality Act are an admission that his “Voluntary Agreements” cannot withstand environmental review. What good are environmental safeguards when they simply get ignored to expedite bad decisions?”
Ashley Overhouse, Water Policy Advisor, Defenders of Wildlife, pointed out,”While this may not be the last attempt to fast-track the Delta Conveyance Project and undermine the Bay-Delta Plan update, residents can breathe a little easier today. Defenders will continue to advocate directly to the State Water Board for strong, science-based water quality standards that protect the Delta for all.
“As salmon populations continue to decline, algal blooms wreak havoc, and our federal government cherry picks its compliance with environmental laws, we hope the legislature and the State Water Board will continue to lead our state towards a resilient water future,” she concluded.
If built, the Delta Tunnel would hasten the extinction of Sacramento River spring and winter-run Chinook salmon, Delta and longfin smelt, Central Valley steelhead, green sturgeon and other fish species, according to independent scientists and fish advocates.
The Bay-Delta is now in its worst-ever ecological crisis, due to massive water exports to Big Ag oligarchs and Southern California water brokers, pollution and other factors.
The Delta smelt population has become functionally extinct in the wild. No Delta smelt have been found in the California Fish and Wildlife's Fall Midwater Trawl Survey in the Delta for the past seven years. Commercial fishing for salmon in California ocean waters has been closed for three years, due to the collapse of Sacramento River and Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon populations.
The tunnel would take even more water out of the Sacramento River before it flows through the Delta, making the ecological crisis worse than it already is.
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