Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environ mentalism To Provide Water to Southern California

Energy & Environment Democracy & Governance Economy & Labor

In simple terms

This presidential memorandum directs the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior to immediately restart water rerouting efforts from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to Central and Southern California, overriding environmental protections for species like the Delta smelt. The action frames recent Southern California wildfires as underscoring urgent water supply needs and treats prior state litigation blocking such infrastructure as "radical environmentalism." A 90-day progress report is required.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 8479

Record & deadlines

Jan 20, 2025Signed
Signed by the President
Jan 30, 2025FR published
Published in the Federal Register · 90 FR 8479
Federal Register PDF
Apr 20, 2025
Secretaries report progress and recommendations on implementation

Market exposure

Policy exposure mapping — not investment advice. Illustrative public companies are incomplete and not recommendations.

Sectors

Agriculture Oil & gas Other industrial

Mechanisms

Procurement

Role pressure

MixedDownstream manufacturer — Central Valley agriculture would benefit from increased water access, but regulatory uncertainty and potential litigation create operational risk
MixedProject developer — Water infrastructure contractors may see resumed project opportunities, but face legal and environmental compliance headwinds
ProtectiveDomestic producer — Southern California municipal/industrial water users prioritized over environmental constraints

Geographies

Illustrative public companies

Curated watchlist matches by sector/role — incomplete; not a recommendation.

MMM3MAAPLAppleADMArcher Daniels MidlandBGBungeCATCaterpillarLNGCheniere EnergyCVXChevronCOPConocoPhillipsCTVACortevaXOMExxon MobilFCXFreeport-McMoRanGEVGE VernovaHONHoneywellSHELShellSPYSPDR S&P 500 ETFTSLATeslaTSNTyson Foods

Confidence: medium · Policy alerts

Key directives

Immediately restart water rerouting work from Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to Central Valley and Southern California
Direct NMFS, USFWS, Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies to route more water for human use
Secretaries of Commerce and Interior to report progress within 90 days
Override environmental protections cited as protecting Delta smelt and other fish species

Who is ordered

What to expect

Immediate

Restart of interagency water rerouting work by NMFS, USFWS, Bureau of Reclamation

Near term (90d)

Secretaries of Commerce and Interior must report progress and recommendations to President

Long term

Potential resumption of contested water infrastructure operations
Possible re-litigation with State of California
Ecosystem degradation risks in Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Risks & tensions

Direct federal-state conflict: California previously sued to block this same water infrastructure plan
Endangered Species Act tension: smelt protections vs. water diversion; potential ESA litigation
Scientific uncertainty: document asserts water 'flows wastefully' but omits ecological necessity of freshwater flows to estuary
Wildfire causality claim is politically framed; water supply alone does not address vegetation management or fire spread dynamics
'Radical environmentalism' framing signals confrontational posture toward environmental regulatory norms