Federal Scientists Announce New Requirements That Will Improve Long-term Survival Of Salmon Populations

Press Release

Washington, DC - Congressman George Miller, Mike Thompson and Doris Matsui released the following statements in response to today's federal decision that the operation of the Federal Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project will need to be changed in order to protect and restore California's winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon and killer whales:

"With today's announcement, the Obama administration has set a science-based course toward recovering the populations of wild salmon and steelhead that are so critical to California's economy and environment," said Rep. George Miller, an expert in Congress on California water policy. "After years of costly litigation and negligence and political tampering by the Bush Administration, this is an important step towards the recovery of California's fisheries and the environmental health of the Bay-Delta. It is refreshing to see water management decisions that are based on science, not on the whims of tainted political appointees like Julie MacDonald."

"This is an important step for restoring California's fisheries," said Congressman Mike Thompson. "Salmon and steelhead are a vital part of our ecosystem and contribute to our state's economy up and down the coast. Today's report is a breath of fresh air for Californians who have grown used to water policies based on politics rather than on science. Moving forward, we need to use this as a first step towards building a water policy in California that is based on science and includes all stakeholders at the table."

"I am glad to see that the Administration is taking critical action based on sound science," said Representative Doris Matsui. "Today's opinion will go a long way towards preservation of not only a number of threatened species, but also will play a role in the protection of the entire watershed on which so many Californians rely. It is key that as the federal government moves forward to protect and restore California's fisheries, water supply and the future of the Delta, that decisions are based on sound science."

Today's announcement replaces a controversial 2004 biological opinion stating that the state and federal agencies' plans to pump water to the Central Valley would not harm wild fisheries. After the release of that opinion, Reps. George Miller, Mike Thompson, Ellen Tauscher and other members of Congress asked the Commerce Department's Inspector General to investigate. That audit found that the Bush Administration violated standard procedures and compromised the integrity of the biological opinion. Reports from the Interior Department's Inspector General found that over the same time period, several endangered species decisions were "inappropriately influenced" by Julie MacDonald, the Bush administration's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

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