August 12, 2014
Contact:
Brian Johnson, California Director, (415) 385-0796
Sam Davidson, Communications Director, California/Nevada, (831) 235-2542
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Trout Unlimited Supports California Water Bond
Praises Governor Brown and legislative leaders for offering a bond that all of California can get behind, urges state legislature to finish work on the measure
EMERYVILLE, Calif.Trout Unlimited (TU), the nations oldest and largest sportsmens organization dedicated to conserving and restoring trout and salmon and their habitat, today announced its support for the water bond offered by California Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and legislative leaders.
TUs California Director, Brian Johnson, participated in Gov. Browns meeting today with legislative, water, business, agricultural, labor, and environmental leaders to discuss the new-look water bond.
Johnson said, We cannot live without water to drink, and rivers to remind us where water comes from. Nor can we make it rain, but we can be better prepared when it doesnt rain. California needs a water bond that will ensure adequate supplies of clean water for people and for Californias unique natural heritage.
The water bond would give a significant boost to restoration of habitats vital for Californias trout and salmon, which require cold, clean water to survive and are thus indicators of the ecological health of streams and rivers.
Johnson praised the determination of Gov. Brown, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins to work through differences to offer a water bond that will provide real water relief for California while significantly reducing the cost to taxpayers.
We are encouraged by the recent progress made by the Governor and the leadership in negotiating a water bond that all of California can get behind, added Johnson. We support the bond and urge the legislature to pass it, so voters can see for themselves that California is serious about improving our use and management of water, and better caring for the natural resources that supply most of our water.
The bond introduced yesterday in the legislature would improve water supply reliability and infrastructure, increase water use efficiency and recycling, and upgrade management of groundwater. It also provides funding for safe drinking water, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and will help at-risk salmon and trout by boosting watershed and floodplain restoration and stream flows in some of Californias most important rivers and streams.
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Trout Unlimited is the nations oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North Americas trout and salmon and their watersheds. Follow TU on Facebook and Twitter, and visit us online at www.tu.org.