[env-trinity] PCFFA Press Release: Salmon Score Big Win on Trinity and Klamath Rivers

[Tom Stokely]

For Immediate Release
Tues, Feb 20th, 2017

Glen Spain | 541.521.8655
*Northwest Regional Director of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations

Jan Hasselman | jhasselman at earthjustice.org<mailto:jhasselman at earthjustice.org> | 206.719.6512
*Earthjustice’s lead attorney on this case

Salmon Score Big Win on Trinity and Klamath Rivers
Appeals Court upholds the federal government’s ability to provide additional flow releases that protect salmon in Trinity and Klamath Rivers

SUMMARY
Today, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit broadly upheld the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s ability to provide additional flow releases in California’s Trinity River to protect salmon. The agribusiness-dominated San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority and Westlands Water District sued the Bureau, which controls water releases from the Trinity Reservoir to the Trinity and Lower Klamath rivers in Oregon. These rivers support significant runs of Chinook salmon, which commercial fishermen rely on for their livelihoods and the Yurok and Hoopa Valley Tribes depend on for sustenance.

RELEVANCE
Ultimately this case is about preserving the California salmon fishing industry. During drought, the Bureau’s water releases from the Trinity River to the Lower Klamath are critical to the survival of salmon as they return to the river in late summer by the thousands to spawn. In a previous ruling, a federal district court in Fresno turned back commercial irrigators’ attempts to stop these critical flows, but questioned the Bureau’s authority to release the water. Today’s decision at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals strongly validates the Bureau’s authority.
OUR ROLE
Earthjustice represented the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations that intervened in the lawsuit to protect salmon and the local fishing industry.

QUOTES
>From Glen Spain, Northwest Regional Director of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations:
“The Court clearly vindicated the Bureau’s efforts to use water to protect key salmon runs from more fish kills. It’s a common sense ruling that saw through Westland’s attempted water grab, and a victory for salmon.”

>From Earthjustice attorney, Jan Hasselman, who represented the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations:
"Commercial fishermen, Tribes and communities rely on healthy rivers and healthy salmon populations. We welcome the court’s strong opinion upholding the Bureau’s ability to protect these resources and, we hope this will put an end to Big Ag’s long-running and misguided water grab.”

RESOURCES

Please visit our main library page for this case<http://earthjustice.org/library/trinity>.

Read the court’s decision here<http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/9th%20Cir%20Trinity%20win.pdf>.

_________________________________
Earthjustice, the nation’s premier nonprofit environmental law organization, wields the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health,
to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change.
Because the earth needs a good lawyer. Tom Stokely Salmon and Water Policy AnalystPacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and Institute for Fisheries Resources530-524-0315 tstokely at att.net 
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