<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6001.18183" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY
style="WORD-WRAP: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space"
bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=danielbacher@fishsniffer.com
href="mailto:danielbacher@fishsniffer.com">Dan Bacher</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 14, 2009 8:19 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Stop Schwarzenegger's End Run to Build the Peripheral
Canal</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111>�<FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica color=#000000></FONT></FONT>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>
<P>
<CENTER><IMG
src="CID:{B3FB9734-E135-4302-84B8-3AA09AC33B08}/delta_photo_by_dwr.jpg"></CENTER>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica color=#000000></FONT>
<DIV
style="MIN-HEIGHT: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 10px Verdana; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><FONT class=Apple-style-span
size=2><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10px"><B>delta_photo_by_dwr.jpg</B></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 13px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 11px Verdana"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Stop Schwarzenegger's End Run to Build the
Peripheral Canal</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">by Dan Bacher</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Barbara Barrigan Parrilla, campaign director of
Restore the Delta, fears that two recent moves by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
to weaken environmental laws are designed to facilitate the development and
construction of the peripheral canal.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span
face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Schwarzenegger's obsession with his "Big Ditch," a
project that would certainly result in the destruction of imperiled Central
Valley chinook salmon, Delta smelt, longfin smelt, threadfin shad and other
species, is apparently motivated by his desire to create a "monument" to his
gigantic ego - and to sacrifice Delta farms to provide subsidized water to
corporate agribusiness on the San Joaquin Valley's west side.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">"Governor Schwarzenegger has asked President-elect
Obama to suspend or otherwise eliminate National Environmental Impact Review
(NEPA) for the economic stimulus package projects for California, including some
$8 billion in unnamed water and sewer projects," according to Parrilla. "The
Governor has also been attempting to weaken the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) during the state budget process."</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">"It is the assessment of advisors working with the
Restore the Delta staff that the Governor is trying to weaken federal and state
environmental review standards in order to ease the development and construction
of the peripheral canal, rather than following existing environmental laws and
processes," she stated.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">While Schwarzenegger constantly grandstands and
flies off to "climate change" and "green energy" conferences throughout the
country, he is in reality the worst-ever Governor for fish and the environment
in California history, receiving the "Outdoor Villain" of 2008 award from Field
and Stream magazine. He has presided over the unprecedented collapse of Central
Valley fall chinook salmon populations, the dramatic decline of Delta smelt,
longfin smelt, threadfin shad, juvenile striped bass and other species and
massive fishing closures along the California Coast. He has vetoed suction
dredge mining legislation, the fish rescue plans bill and other legislation
badly needed to restore California's imperiled fisheries.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">The Governor's handpicked team of cabinet level
advisors, the so-called "Delta Vision Committee," on January 2 released an
environmentally devastating plan to break ground on the peripheral canal in
2011, without the approval of the Legislature and voters.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">More recently, the Nature Conservancy, an
organization infamous for its corporate greenwashing schemes throughout the
world, joined the Governor in his campaign to build the canal when they
announced support for his plan. California voters defeated the previous
incarnation of the canal by a wide margin in 1982, but Schwarzenegger and his
environmental collaborators are trying to market the "new" peripheral canal by
including "eco-language" to make it sound like the canal will "restore" the
Delta when its only purpose is to increase water exports to Central Valley
agribusiness.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">The Nature Conservancy is in "good company." The
Metropolitan Water District's Board of Directors on January 13 unanimously
supported the final report from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's cabinet-level
advisors that proposes the construction of a "dual conveyance" system in the
Delta, beginning in 2011. "The committee's final report serves as a road map to
implement lasting Delta solutions for habitat restoration, water conservation
and system improvements," claimed Metropolitan board Chairman Timothy F.
Brick.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">As the Governor and his collaborators continue to
campaign for the canal, Delta pelagic (open water) fish populations continue to
collapse. The delta smelt population has declined to its lowest level ever,
according to the latest data from the Department of Fish and Game's fall
midwater trawl survey. The DFG studies the health of these populations by
compiling an "index," a relative measure of abundance. The index declined to 23
this fall, down from the previous low level of 28 last fall.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">American shad also reached a record low level in
fall 2008. The index was 271, compared to 533 in 2007 and 9360 in
2003.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Threadfin shad also declined to a record low
population level, down to 450 from 3177 in 2007.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">The Sacramento splittail, a native minnow, declined
to the lowest ever level this fall. In fact, no splittail were observed in this
yea'rs survey, while only one fish was documented last year!</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Only the striped bass and longfin smelt showed an
increase, though the population levels are still precariously low. The striper
index rose to 220 from 82 in 2007, both alarming low numbers, according to Bill
Jennings, executive director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
In contrast, the index was 9500 in 1971, when the population was still healthy
before the fish-killing state and federal pumps went into full
operation.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">The longfin smelt abundance index rose from a record
low of 13 in fall 2007 to 113 this fall. By comparison, the index was 6654 in
1998.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">The crisis in Delta fisheries will not be solved by
taking more water out of the Delta through a peripheral canal - a canal will
only exacerbate the collapse. Parrilla urged everybody concerned about the fate
of the California Delta, the West Coast's largest estuary, to call Senator Diane
Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer today and ask them to protect NEPA and all
essential environmental laws while helping to develop the Federal economic
stimulus package.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">I join Barbara in urging you to call the Senators at
the numbers below. And if you have time, please drop her an email to let her
know that you called: Barbara [at] restorethedelta.org.</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Senator Diane Feinstein Washington Office:
202-224-3841 -- San Francisco: 415-393-0707-- Los Angeles:
310-914-7300--</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Senator Barbara Boxer: Washington Office:
202-224-3553 -- San Francisco: 415-403-0100 -- Los Angeles: 213-894-5000
--</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">About Restore the Delta: Restore the Delta is a
grassroots campaign committed to making the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable to benefit all of California.
Restore the Delta - a coalition of Delta residents, business leaders, civic
organizations, community groups, faith-based communities, union locals, farmers,
fishermen, and environmentalists - seeks to strengthen the health of the estuary
and the well-being of Delta communities. Restore the Delta works to improve
water quality so that fisheries and farming can thrive together again in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span
face=Verdana color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 15px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Verdana"><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Website: <A
href="http://www.restorethedelta.org/"><FONT class=Apple-style-span
color=#17345c>http://www.restorethedelta.org</FONT></A><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica color=#000000><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"> Restore
the Delta: Making the California Delta fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and
farmable by 2010!</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana
color=#111111><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">�</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000></FONT></SPAN></DIV></FONT>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Verdana color=#111111>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica
color=#000000></FONT></SPAN></DIV></FONT>
<P></P><BR></BODY></HTML>