Feinstein's Overnight Rider

No, Hoff, thumbs WAY DOWN!

Okay, kitschy pictures aside - Feinstein is creating a nightmare scenario in the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary. Read on.

Please ACT IMMEDIATELY to Help Stop Senator Feinstein's Attack on Salmon, Jobs & the Endangered Species Act!

In a very surprising and disappointing development, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has announced plans to introduce an amendment or "rider" that would eliminate Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections in the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary.

She could introduce this "rider" this week! Please act immediately!

Feinstein's amendment would put salmon and many other endangered species at even greater risk of extinction than they are already, set a dangerous precedent for salmon and fishing jobs across the Pacific Coast - and for the ESA across the country.

CLICK ON THE LINK and urge Senators to publicly oppose and vote against this destructive amendment.

For Oregon folks:
http://ga0.org/campaign/stopfeinsteinrider

Washington folks:
http://ga0.org/campaign/stopfeinstein

Californians:
http://ga0.org/campaign/feinsteinrider

All others, contact Feinstein through her online form.

Background:

California's Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers (which drain into San Francisco Bay) are host to 4 separate populations of Chinook salmon -- two of which are endangered. The rivers is also home to an endangered steelhead population. The once-mighty Sacramento River Fall run Chinook salmon has supported commercial fishing throughout California and Oregon for many generations.

All of these populations have declined precipitously in recent years - despite the complete and unprecedented closure of California's commercial and sport salmon fishing seasons over the past two years -- a terrible price paid by fishing communities across the coast in order to save the fish upon which they rely.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin ecosystem is also home to two endangered smelt species, and one endangered sturgeon species. Populations of these and many other non-endangered species are in a state of freefall. Many respected scientists predict that the fall-run Chinook salmon population could soon be listed as an endangered species as well.

Right now, when salmon need MORE protections, California's Senior Senator Dianne Feinstein appears to be moving to eliminate protections for salmon and other species. In an effort to blame California's employment woes on environmental protections, Senator Feinstein prepared a rider (amendment) to attach to upcoming employment legislation that would suspend federal Endangered Species Act protections for wild salmon and steelhead for at least 2 years.

This suspension would be the death knell for California's once famous fishing fleet. Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations said, "salmon have been part of California for thousands of years and this report shows we're losing them. If we wipe our salmon out, we'll also be wiping out generations of fishing families from the central California coast to northern Oregon that have all relied on king salmon from the Sacramento River to make a living."

The suspension would also send an ominous message to all who work to protect a healthy environment so that it can provide food, jobs, and recreation for us all. If the Golden State is willing to write off its once-prized fishery (and numerous endangered species), it will mean a bleak future for all wild salmon and steelhead populations across our coast.

Those links again:

For Oregon folks:
http://ga0.org/campaign/stopfeinsteinrider

Washington folks:
http://ga0.org/campaign/stopfeinstein

Californians:
http://ga0.org/campaign/feinsteinrider

All others, contact Feinstein through her online form.

Thanks!

-Bobby Hayden and the Outreach Team at Save Our Wild Salmon