Enewsletter for May 2020

Late Monday, a federal judge in Fresno temporarily stopped the Trump administration from further hurting the Bay's endangered fish. Trump's plan weakens Delta water export rules to send even more water to industrial agriculture in the Central Valley. But after an emergency hearing the judge decided in favor of local salmon fishermen, a coalition of environmental organizations, and the California Attorney General’s office. For now, the judge ruled the fish should have more water.

Baykeeper's senior scientist, Jon Rosenfield, provided an expert report on the case and testified during the virtual court hearing. The court cited Baykeeper’s report when it held that additional measures were needed to protect the Central Valley's unique steelhead population. Jon testified that without these protections, many of the Bay’s endangered species—including populations of Chinook Salmon—could crash.  

The case is still in progress, and there are still more hearings to come to decide the fate of the Bay’s fish populations. But for now the court has awarded the fish some interim relief.  And Baykeeper is hopeful that the ultimate result of the legal action will be a decision that the Trump administration’s plan doesn't hold water.

Take action for a science-based water plan

While our legal battle to protect Bay fish is ongoing, there’s something you can do now to help prevent the Bay from becoming a dead zone for the fish and wildlife that have lived here for millennia. The State Water Board’s Bay-Delta Plan would set guidelines to prevent the ecosystem from spiraling into collapse—but the plan has been repeatedly delayed for years due to pressure from lobbyists.

Send a letter to Governor Newsom to urge that the Water Board move forward with the Bay-Delta Plan. With the Trump administration using every opportunity to give more water to Big Ag, now more than ever California needs a sustainable water plan for the Delta, the Bay, and everyone who depends on these irreplaceable natural treasures.

Photo: Florence Low, California Department of Water Resources

Richmond’s Point Molate has been called "the crown jewel” of the East Bay shoreline. It sits under the shadow of one of the region’s biggest polluters, the Chevron oil refinery—and now, Point Molate is the target of a new development plan that would be disastrous both for the Bay and Richmond residents.

Point Molate plays an important role in the Bay’s delicate ecosystem and is a popular recreational spot, particularly for wildlife enthusiasts. In 2013, Baykeeper removed over 100 tons of debris from Point Molate Beach Park to make the area safe for the public after a 10-year closure.  

The Chevron refinery, which regularly spews pollution into the surrounding air and water—and occasionally catches on fire—is reason enough not to build homes in the vicinity of Point Molate. But the area also lacks basic water and transit infrastructure needed to support a residential community. 

So Baykeeper is working with local community groups to push back on the bad development proposal. Our scientists conducted a thorough technical analysis of the developer’s plan and identified many flaws that would harm the Bay and local residents. 

Read more about Baykeeper’s position on the plan for Point Molate. 

Photo: Mark Gunn, Flickr/CC

Did you know that you can protect San Francisco Bay by drinking wine? 

It’s true! 100% of proceeds from the Obsidian Wine Co.’s Rosé for the Bay goes to support Baykeeper's work. This pinot noir rosé has flavors of watermelon, fresh-picked strawberries, rhubarb, plum, and orange zest—perfect for spring.

Plus, Obsidian Wine Co. offers direct home delivery, so there’s no need to leave home.

In checkout, look for "How did you hear about us?" and select "SF Baykeeper." 

Click here to purchase Rosé for the Bay online.

The entire Baykeeper team is deeply thankful to you for the support we’ve received over the last few weeks in honor of Earth Day and Giving Tuesday Now. 

The generosity of our donors is keeping us on the job, defending San Francisco Bay—no matter the challenges of remote work and social distancing!

Thank you again for loving San Francisco Bay! 

(P.S. You can still make your Giving Tuesday Now gift by clicking here).

While we stay indoors, many of us miss spending time on the Bay. So we're posting beautiful photos of San Francisco Bay on Twitter and Instagram to help keep you feeling connected to the Bay and the outside world while we shelter-in-place. 

Baykeeper staff and supporters are also sharing their favorite Bay images and stories—and you can, too, using the hashtag #beautifulSFBay. 

Above: an amazing video of dolphins off Alameda posted on Instagram, from @seanmosbey

Earlier this month, we reported on an uptick of oil tankers in the Bay. The pandemic has shut down the demand for fossil fuels, which means Bay Area refineries can't process all the crude oil that’s already loaded on tankers—leaving them to languish on the Bay and all along the California coast. Baykeeper is continuing to monitor the situation and coordinate with the Coast Guard to minimize the number of tankers in the Bay and reduce the risk of oil spills. 

The Baykeeper patrol team held its first ever virtual skippers meeting last month, to great success! The meeting focused on boat patrol protocols to maintain social distancing while continuing to monitor the Bay for pollution and investigate emerging threats. 

One of Baykeeper’s volunteer skippers, Peter Molnar, held a boat patrol with his shelter-in-place crew—his wife Jess and kids Eszter and Gabriel (pictured, below). The Molnars patrolled the Richmond harbor channel, including at the Levin coal terminal.