Watch the Water
United States Files Lawsuit Against California State Water Resources Control Board for Failure to Comply With California Environmental Quality Act
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) today filed civil actions, in both federal and state court, against the California State Water Resources Control Board for failing to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
On Dec. 12, 2018, the California State Water Resources Control Board (the Board) approved and adopted amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary (amended plan) and the related Substitute Environmental Document (SED). According to the complaint, the Amended Plan fails to comply with CEQA and, once implemented, will impair DOI’s ability to operate the New Melones Dam consistent with Congressional directives for the project.
“The environmental analysis by the California State Water Resources Control Board hid the true impacts of their plan and could put substantial operational constraints on the Department of the Interior’s ability to effectively operate the New Melones Dam, which plays a critical role in flood control, irrigation, and power generation in the Sacramento region,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to advocate on behalf of our federal partners, especially when it comes to the proper application of federal and state environmental laws.”
“As stated in our letter to the Board on July 27, 2018, today’s lawsuit affirms the Bureau of Reclamation’s continued opposition to the State Water Board plan. The plan poses an unacceptable risk to Reclamation’s water storage and power generation capabilities at the New Melones Project in California and to local recreational opportunities,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman. “We pledge our commitment to environmentally and economically sound water management for California’s farms, families, business, and natural resources, and the American public as a whole.”
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-lawsuit-against-california-state-water-resources-control-board-failure