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Yesterday, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt announced the Fish and Wildlife Service would move to weaken endangered species protections for California's delta smelt, allowing water diversions from the San Francisco Bay Delta to farmlands in the Central Valley. The change has long been sought by Westlands Water District—a policy specifically lobbied for by Bernhardt when he represented Westlands. Previous reporting by The New York Times showed that Bernhardt began the process of weakening protections for the delta smelt just weeks after being sworn in as secretary.
Bernhardt is currently under investigation by Interior's watchdog over ethics concerns to determine if he continued lobbying for his former clients after reporting that he unregistered as a lobbyist. The latest announcement is just another example of the Trump administration choosing to cater to corporate interests and lobbyists over wildlife protections.
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Many ecosystems and wildlife species are nearing the point of no return. Protecting and restoring 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030, with more protected in the decades following, is a necessary step to stem the collapse of our natural systems.”
