Stockton, CA — A coalition of fishing and environmental groups released a joint statement today in response to media reports that Governor Gavin Newsom will meet with President Donald Trump and Republican leaders tomorrow, February 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C., to discuss the Los Angeles fires and California’s water management.
The groups urged the Governor “to defend California’s people, environment, and laws in these discussions.”
Endorsers of the statement include Scott Artis, Golden State Salmon Association; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta; Gary Bobker, Friends of the River; Dr. Jon Rosenfield, San Francisco Baykeeper; and Chris Shutes, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
The statement continues:
“The President’s recent executive orders (EOs) attempt to undermine California’s right to manage its water for the benefit of all Californians. By leveraging the urgent need for federal disaster relief in Los Angeles, the administration is pressuring the state to accept changes in water policy that would devastate California’s watershed communities. Federal aid should not come with conditions that force California to sacrifice its clean water, cultural resources, and ecological health. The pain and suffering of Los Angeles residents must be addressed immediately — just as in any other natural disaster across the United States — without tying it to unrelated, harmful policy changes.
“The Federal EO seeks to override state law, harming Tribes, cultural resources, vulnerable riverside communities, and clean water throughout San Francisco Bay’s watershed and Central Valley river systems. Moreover, the President’s policies threaten to devastate coastal communities that rely on California’s commercial and recreational fishing industries. Implementation of this unlawful EO would ensure further degradation of California’s clean water and living rivers, and may lead to extinction of native species, including the state’s iconic salmon runs. Destroying river and coastal economies worth billions of dollars to repair the damage in Los Angeles does not solve any problems for California.
“On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, we stand ready to defend California’s people, environment, and laws. We call on Governor Newsom to defend all California regions and uphold our State laws on behalf of all people.”
Save California Salmon said it “stands with the coalition in urging Governor Newsom to prioritize California's watersheds, salmon, and communities over politically driven policies. As stewards of our rivers, we echo their call: Defend California’s people, environment, and laws!”
A press advisory for the Governor’s Office issued Tuesday afternoon said, “Governor Gavin Newsom has left the state,” but gave no specifics as to where he was going and who he was planning to meet with.
However, Newsweek reported, “Governor Gavin Newsom is heading to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Trump administration in the aftermath of Southern California's deadly and destructive wildfires, while the president has threatened to investigate the state's high-speed rail project.”
In an email on Tuesday, the governor's office confirmed Newsom's trip to D.C.: www.newsweek.com/...
"The Governor's trip is focused on securing critical disaster aid for the survivors of the Los Angeles fires and ensuring impacted families who lost their homes and livelihoods have the support they need to rebuild and recover," the governor's office told Newsweek.
