Press Releases
Current and Archived Press Releases from SCS and Partners
September 23, 2024
Contact:
Chris Shutes, blancapaloma@msn.com
Jann Dorman, janndorman@friendsoftheriver.org
Regina Chichizola, 541 951-0126
Conservation Groups Statement on Sites Court Ruling
On Friday September 20, the appellate court upheld the earlier trial court ruling and found the Sites Reservoir Project environmental impact report to be legally adequate.
Don Mooney, attorney for the coalition of conservation groups, including Friends of the River (FOR), California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), Center for Biological Diversity, California Water Impact Network, Save California Salmon, and the Sierra Club (plaintiffs) had this to say:
“We are disappointed in the court’s decision and remain concerned that the public still lacks sufficient information from the Sites Authority to fully understand and appreciate the project’s downstream impacts. We also remain concerned that given the inaccurate information regarding environmental baseline, the project impacts will not be fully mitigated.”
We disagree with the court's ruling that the Sites Authority presented a reasonable range of feasible alternatives. If it doesn't leave enough water in the Sacramento River to protect severely depressed salmon populations, Sites Reservoir should not be permitted. We will continue to fight this ill-conceived, environmentally damaging project."
"Our governor has decided to sideline our most important public processes in order to build a 1.5 million acre-foot reservoir on lands that are sacred to California Native American Tribes," said Regina Chichizola of Save California Salmon. "All Californians should be concerned about privatization of our public water resources. It is obvious the interests of water brokers, big ag, and Southern California water districts mean more to the governor than justice for Native American Tribes and California's most important public resource, clean water."
Kasil Willie, Staff Attorney for Save California Salmon, added, "Tribes and other project opponents have valid concerns including contamination of drinking water supplies, salmon extinction, and inundation of lands that hold irreplaceable Native American sacred sites and cultural resources. The Project as proposed will cause irreparable harm to Tribal Cultural Resources, including ancestral village sites and burial sites. Governor Newsom should apologize for calling those concerns 'frivolous.'"
Central Valley Tribes and Tribal experts are set to testify against Sites Reservoir in front of the State Water Resources Control Board's Administrative Hearing Office on September 30th.
The public can watch live on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@swrcbadministrativehearing728
Download the PDF:
Conservation Groups Statement on Sites Court Ruling
September 4th, 2024:
California Land Back Special Report Released
July, 2024
River Communities Comes Together to Clean Up Trinity River, One of the Nation’s Most Endangered
June 10th, 2024:
Tribes, KRRC & Save California Salmon Finish Off Spring Public Dam Removal Field Tribes and Events with Indigenous Science Camp at Iron Gate Dam
June 5th, 2024
Conservation Groups Undaunted by Court Ruling: Sites Reservoir is a Bad Deal for Rivers, for Fish, and for California
April 25th, 2024:
Fishermen, Tribal Members, and Residents Ask California Water Board to Support Science-Based Water Plan, Deny Voluntary Agreements
April 16th, 2024
Trinity River named among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024
March 14th, 2024:
Coalition Asks Gov. Newson to Amend Salmon Strategy to Add Flows Needed By Ailing Salmon
January 17th, 2024
Organizations Petition the CA Water Board to Set Permanent Instream Flow Requirements for the Shasta River, a Critical Klamath River Tributary
December 20th, 2023:
Sites Lawsuit: Huge California Reservoir Proposal Threatens River, Climate, Fish
December 13th, 2023
New Documentary Series Seeks to Amplify the Voices of Black, Indigenous People of Color and Their Fight for Environmental Justice in California
December 8th, 2023:
Save California Salmon Statement on Release of the Delta Conveyance Project Final EIR
November 17th, 2023
PG&E PLANS TO REMOVE EEL RIVER DAMS IN 2028
Draft Surrender and Decommissioning Plan Offers Two Paths to Freeing the Eel - Soon to be California’s Longest Free-Flowing River
August 9th, 2023:
EPA Accepts Civil Rights Complaint Against California State Water Board
December 16th, 2022:
Civil Rights Complaint Seeks US EPA Oversight of CA State Water Board: Bay-Delta ecological crisis harms California Tribes and Delta EJ communities
November 17th, 2022:
Federal Regulators Green Light Largest River Restoration Project in US History
November 15th, 2022:
COP27: Groups Warn of Severe Climate and Human Rights Risk of New Hydropower Dams and Schemes
August 26th, 2022:
Largest Dam Removal Project in History. FERC Staff Finalizes Recommendation to Remove Lower Four Klamath Dams
August 18th, 2022:
Tribes and Youth Organizations Host Indigenous Science Camp for Youth at Sue-Meg State Park
July 24th, 2022:
Native Teens Preparing to Kayak an Undammed Klamath Set Off from Hoopa in Trinity River Community Float, Will Arrive in Klamath on Tuesday
July 11th, 2022:
Hoopa Valley Youth and Families Participate in Trinity River Clean Up, Learn About History of Protecting the River
July 8th, 2022:
Local Hoopa Valley Youth Fights for the Klamath and Trinity Rivers Featured in Vogue Magazine
January 5th, 2022:
More than 50,000 People Join Tribes and Fishermen to Express Opposition to Sites Reservoir
December 8th, 2021:
Tribal Communities Organize to Stop Sites Reservoir, Provide Clean Water to Salmon and the Delta
November 1st, 2021:
Tribes, Fishermen, Conservationists Demand Action to Restore Flows in Klamath Tributaries
October 21st, 2021:
Request to Establish Instream Flows for the Scott and Shasta Rivers