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<DIV><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face=Helvetica
color=#000000 size=3><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica"
face=Helvetica size=3>Dan Bacher <<A
href="mailto:danielbacher@fishsniffer.com">danielbacher@fishsniffer.com</A>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000"
face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT
style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3>December 14, 2007 7:42:20
PM PST</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000"
face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT
style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=3>undisclosed-recipients:;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000"
face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT
style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3><B>Judge Issues Final Order
to Protect Delta Smelt <SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV> <FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Judge Issues Final Order to Protect Delta
Smelt</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">by Dan
Bacher</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">In light of the
continuing collapse of the Bay-Delta ecosystem, a federal judge's written
order this Friday to protect delta smelt is very welcome good news for the
California Delta and those who are battling to protect it.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Judge Oliver
Wanger of the U.S. District Court in Fresno today issued his final written
order to put in place a decision he initially made on August 31. Environmental
groups say this ruling will protect the smelt and the Bay-Delta Estuary
ecosystem from "being further degraded by fresh water diversions."
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"Judge Wanger's
order for more responsible operations of the Delta pumps comes in the nick of
time for the delta smelt and the delta ecosystem," said Tina Swanson, senior
scientist with The Bay Institute. "Results from this year's survey show that
delta smelt numbers, as well as numbers for most of the other delta fishes
collected by the survey, have fallen to a new record low. We have very little
time left to save this species and its ecosystem." </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Annual exports in
2005 and 2006 were the first and third highest export levels on record.
Wintertime exports have increased by 49 percent from 1994-1998 and 2001-2006
and springtime exports have increased by 30 percent.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"Delta smelt are
particularly vulnerable during winter and spring, when pre-spawning and
spawning adults move into the delta for reproduction, and larvae and juveniles
move downstream to rearing habitat," according to a press release from
Earthjustice, NRDC and The Bay Institute. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Congressman George
Miller (D-Martinez), the former chairman of the House Natural Resources
Committee and author of several key water reform laws, also praised the
judge's ruling this evening. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"Today's order is
a very important step in the effort to force California's water policy into
compliance with the law," Miller said. "Nobody should be surprised by this
order, nor should they be surprised to learn that the government must now take
substantial steps to save the Delta and the Bay ecosystem."</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"The Bush
administration has been warned that their negligence and their
head-in-the-sand mentality would lead to a crisis, and it
has.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"Make no mistake:
by sacrificing the Bay-Delta and discarding common sense, the water exporters
have created a more uncertain and expensive future -- not just for the
Bay-Delta but for the state and the people of California.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"They interfered
with the science, they refused to impose common sense solutions, and they
broke the law. Today's order is a direct result of that accumulated neglect
and that systematic interference with the science on which policy must be
based."</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Again, it's great
to receive some good news after a month of environmental disasters, including
the San Francisco Bay oil spill, Prospect Island fish kill and the continuing
crash of delta smelt, longfin smelt, juvenile striped bass, threadfin shad and
other species, as documented by recent fall midwater trawl survey data. We
must keep intense pressure on the state and federal governments to make sure
that they abide by Judge Wanger's order!</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><BR
class=khtml-block-placeholder></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><BR
class=khtml-block-placeholder></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Here's the press
release from NRDC, Earthjustice and The Bay Institute:</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">For Immediate
Release: 12/14/07 </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Craig Noble, NRDC
415-601-8235 (mobile) or 415-875-6100 (office) </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Brian Smith,
Earthjustice 415-320-9384 </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Christina Swanson,
The Bay Institute 530-756-9021 </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">COURT FINALIZES
ORDER TO PROTECT BAY-DELTA, SMELT AND WATER SUPPLY FOR
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">MILLIONS OF
CALIFORNIANS </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Plaintiffs Hope
It's Not Too Late to Restore Ailing Estuary, as </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Biologists See
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Record Collapse in
Fishery Numbers </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">FRESNO, Calif.
(December 14, 2007 6:00pm) - In a final written order
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">issued late today,
a federal judge in Fresno set new rules that will </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">help protect the
West Coast's largest estuary from being further </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">degraded by fresh
water diversions, according to conservation and </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">fishing groups
that sued to protect a tiny fish, the delta smelt. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The final written
order by Judge Oliver W. Wanger of the U.S. District
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Court in Fresno
puts in place a decision he initially made on August 31.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The judge's order
in Case 1:05-cv-01207-OWW-GSA is available at </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A
href="http://www.earthjustice.org/library/legal_docs/delta-smelt-final-remedy-"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">http://www.earthjustice.org/library/legal_docs/delta-smelt-final-remedy-</SPAN></FONT></A><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">order.pdf
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The order follows
a May 2007 decision that a government assessment of </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">the risk to
threatened fish from massive pumps in the San Francisco Bay
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Delta was illegal
and must be rewritten. State and federal water project
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">managers relied on
the "biological opinion" by the U.S. Fish and </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Wildlife Service
(FWS) to justify increased water exports to farms and
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">cities south of
the delta. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"This order, while
not perfect, will help improve the health of the San
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Francisco
Bay-Delta by allowing more fresh water to remain in the
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">system," said
Trent Orr of Earthjustice. "Whether we know it or not,
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">every Californian
depends on keeping the delta healthy, so doing </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">everything we can
to protect this resource is just common sense." </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The delta is the
hub of California's water system, a vital component of
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">the state's
drinking water system and its fishing and agricultural
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">economies. It is a
recreational mecca and home to millions of </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Californians.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"We hope this
order will help stem the crash of the delta's fisheries
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">and its
ecosystem," said Kate Poole, an attorney with the Natural
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Resources Defense
Council (NRDC), a plaintiff in the case. "Continuing
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">to destroy the
selta's ecosystem is not just bad for fish; it's bad for
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">people."
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Scientists say
that the delta smelt are an indicator of the health of
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">the entire bay
delta ecosystem, and are representative of a much larger
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">decline in native
delta fisheries, including striped bass, longfin </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">smelt, threadfin
shad, and others. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The initial
lawsuit to protect the delta smelt was filed by Earthjustice
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">on behalf of NRDC,
Friends of the River, California Trout, The Bay </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Institute, and
Baykeeper. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">An Ecosystem on
the Brink of Collapse </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The fall midwater
trawl conducted by the California Department of Fish
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">and Game counts
delta fish species. The latest survey indicates that the
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">collapse of the
ecosystem is continuing. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A
href="http://www.delta.dfg.ca.gov/data/mwt/charts.asp"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">http://www.delta.dfg.ca.gov/data/mwt/charts.asp</SPAN></FONT></A><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">"Judge Wanger's
order for more responsible operations of the Delta pumps
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">comes in the nick
of time for the delta smelt and the delta ecosystem,"
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">said Tina Swanson,
senior scientist with The Bay Institute. "Results </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">from this year's
survey show that delta smelt numbers, as well as </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">numbers for most
of the other delta fishes collected by the survey, have
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">fallen to a new
record low. We have very little time left to save this
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">species and its
ecosystem." </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">The recent decline
of the delta smelt and other species coincides with </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">huge increases in
freshwater exports out of the delta by the state and
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">federally operated
water projects. Annual exports increased by 25 </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">percent from
1994-1998 and 2001-2006, draining the delta of more than
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">1.2 million
acre-feet of additional water. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Annual exports in
2005 and2006 were the first and third highest export levels on record.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">Wintertime exports
have increased by 49 percent from 1994-1998 and </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">2001-2006, and
springtime exports have increased by 30 percent. Delta
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">smelt are
particularly vulnerable during winter and spring, when
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">pre-spawning and
spawning adults move into the delta for reproduction,
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px">and larvae and
juveniles move downstream to rearing habitat. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana size=3><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"># #
# </SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>