Former President Trump falsely claimed that protections for the endangered delta smelt are hindering firefighting efforts by limiting water availability. Environmental experts have refuted this claim, stating that such regulations have minimal impact on water exports.
Former President Donald Trump asserted that environmental protections for the endangered delta smelt are hindering firefighting efforts due to water diversion. He made this claim in a Truth Social post, criticizing Governor Newsom's alleged prioritization of the fish over the well-being of Californians. Trump suggested that Newsom diverted water from residents to safeguard the delta smelt, referencing a 2019 presidential memorandum that he signed, which Newsom subsequently challenged in court.
Trump's implication is that restrictions on water extraction from the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, the habitat of the delta smelt, are limiting the water supply essential for combating wildfires. However, this claim lacks factual basis. Defenders of Wildlife representative, Overhouse, stated to ABC News that the notion that delta smelt protections are restricting water exports to Southern California, thereby impacting emergency response, is entirely unfounded. Overhouse emphasized that even the most stringent regulations implemented during the Obama administration, designed to protect the delta smelt, only accounted for approximately 1.2% of increased Bay-Delta outflow. Furthermore, it's crucial to acknowledge the ongoing drought conditions plaguing much of Southern California.
Politics DELTASMELT PROTECTIONS WILDFIRES WATERDIVERION CALIFORNIA
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