[env-trinity] Ryan Broddrick Leaving DFG To Work For Water Agency

[Josh Allen]

 Ryan Broddrick Leaving DFG To Work For Water Agency  

by Dan Bacher 

Ryan Broddrick, the current Director of the California Department of
Fish and Game, will be leaving the agency on August 31 to work for the
Northern California Water Agency. 

Broddrick was the rare exception among DFG directors in that he actually
rose up through the ranks of the Department, rather than that being
appointed from outside of the agency like most directors have been over
the years. Broddrick had served as Director for the last 3.5 years,
capping over 25 years of service to DFG and over 30 years of state
service. He served 3 Governors in appointed positions over his career. 

His resignation occurs at a time when the agency is one of its biggest
crises ever as populations of Delta smelt, longfin smelt, juvenile
striped bass and threadfin shad continue to collapse because of massive
increases in Delta water exports in recent years. 

Many believe that his resignation was spurred by the frustration that he
and other staff had in getting the Department of Water Resources to
comply with the California Endangered Species Act by getting a
court-ordered "incidental take permit" to kill endangered and threatened
Delta smelt, winter run chinook and spring run chinook.  However, in his
letter to the Governor and staff, he gave no indication of any
disappointment or frustration with the administration.

 "As most of you know I returned to DFG from retirement under
unprecedented circumstances; a recall election and significant
department deficit," he stated. "I committed to Governor Schwarzenegger
to turn the lights back on, to celebrate our long tradition of resource
management and set the stage for our continued success and leadership.
Working on your behalf, representing DFG, and the State of California
has taken me all over the nation and that experience has reinforced that
DFG initiatives, people, and performance lead the nation in
conservation." 

"It is bittersweet to leave you once again," he said. "However, an
unexpected opportunity to serve as Executive Director of the Northern
California Water Association coincided with extended family
responsibilities and knowing that I could never serve as your Director
without giving 150%, 24/7. In my heart I knew it was time to pass the
mantle of leadership to the next generation." 

"I want to make it clear the support from the Governor and Secretary of
Resources has been exceptional and it is critical that each of you
commit to the changes we have undertaken and follow thru with the
initiatives we have started.  Remember those changes were developed
internally and while endorsement came from me as your Director, they
will serve the people, wildlife, and employees of DFG thru future
generations.  So do not slow down, do not let my departure be the excuse
for inertia, do not wait for someone else to carry the torch, expecting
the path will all of a sudden be less arduous," he continued.

He said that he would complete the reorganization and selection of
staff; review DFG initiatives to insure adequate resources and focus are
brought to bear to produce lasting change.

 "I will work diligently to provide a transition document so that my
successor has an appreciation of the incredible public service DFG
provides and the incredible people that make it possible," he added.

At press time, there was no announcement of a replacement for his
position. His successor will have to be appointed by the Governor.
Broddrick was hired in his latest position after leaving the DFG and
going to work for Ducks Unlimited as the conservation director for three
years.

Staff I have spoken to praised him as a director. "He was the rare
director who came up through the ranks," said Steve Martarano, spokesman
for the DFG. "He was highly respected by the staff. If would be hard to
find anybody who had something to say about him. He was a true Fish and
Gamer - and people are not happy about the fact that he's leaving. What
made him unique among directors was his Fish and Game background."

Representatives of fishing and conservation organizations, although they
came in conflict with him on a number of issues, including Marine
Protected Areas and the spending of Bay Delta Stamp and Striped Bass
Committee funds, were also sad to see him go.

"I talked to him at the Recreational Fishing Alliance Dinner in May and
it was clear that Broddrick was under a lot of strain," said John
Beuttler, conservation director of the California Sportfishing
Protection Alliance, "so in a way his resignation was not a surprise. My
perspective is that we lost one of the best directors that DFG ever had.
The problem is that the Governor didn't let him do his job of
directing."

It was very clear, in spite of Broddrick's words praising the Governor
and his staff in his memo to staff, that he was under a tremendous
amount of pressure by the Governor to not comply with Oakland Superior
Judge Frank Roesch's order requiring DWR to obtain an incidental take
permit for killing endangered species in the state's export pumps in the
South Delta.

During a hearing of the State Senate Natural Resources Committee on
March 28, Senator Mike Machado and other Senators grilled a clearly
uncomfortable Broddrick about his failure to get the take permit.

"The reality is you didn't take the step to try to enforce the law,"
said Machado.

"Correct," Broddrick answered him.

Beuttler noted that the Governor slashed $ 20 million from Broddrick's
proposed budget, sending the Department into "permanent fiscal crisis."
In spite of the budget shortfall, Broddrick managed to find money to
cover the bases by his utilization of a great deal of know-how,
resulting in fiscal recovery in 2006-2007.

More recently, the Director issued a letter to DWR in "no uncertain
terms" that the Department should stop export pumping to prevent the
killing of additional Delta smelt in the state pumps. '"It's important
to recognize that he took the stand that the pumps were a problem when
the Department of Water Resources was saying that toxics, not export
pumping, were killing Delta smelt," said Beuttler. 

"I think that the administration's lack of support for him demonstrates
the failure of the administration to take advantage of the leadership of
one of the most qualified directors in DFG history."

I agree with Beuttler. Governor Schwarzenegger, under control of the
corporate interests that funded his campaign, repeatedly put Broddrick
in uncomfortable positions where he was forced into an untenable
position between his responsibility for protecting the resource and
following the orders of the Governor and his staff. I believe that
Broddrick probably would have stayed with the DFG if the Governor had
provided more support - and hadn't continually politically interfered
with science-based fish and wildlife decisions.

At the same time, I wish that Broddrick had made more of a public stand
in opposition to the Governor's refusal to comply with a court order
over protecting Delta smelt. I find it hard to believe Broddrick's
statement that "support from the Governor and Secretary of Resources has
been exceptional" when the Governor and Secretary of Resources put him
in such a compromised position in regard to the Delta smelt crisis.

I also find it curious that Broddrick, by accepting a position with the
Northern California Water Agency, has gone from his position of DFG
Director to work for the "other side" - a private water agency. Doesn't
that appear to be a clear conflict of interest? 

More and more, political appointees in the federal and state governments
are jumping back and forth between being protectors of the public trust
and lobbyists for special interests often at odds with protecting fish
and wildlife.

 

 

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