Donate
The primary purpose of CESAR is to bring scientific rigor to regulatory decisions undertaken pursuant to environmental statutes and to ensure consistent application of these statutes throughout all industries and all sectors. This activity will generate additional support for environmental statutes as the results of and bases for regulatory actions will be transparent and supported by science.
Destruction of Critical
Habitat for Endangered
Species on the Arizona Border
On September 29,2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a 90-day finding on the Council of Endangered Species Act Reliability's petition to list the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) under the Endangered Species Act as threatened. The Federal Register Notice can be accessed at:
http://www.gpo.govlfdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-29/pdf/2011-25084.pdf.
FWS finds that CESAR petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing of the American eel may be warranted.
Nature picture credits(top to bottom,left to right): Photo © TNC; Photo© Garold W. Sneegas (American eel); Graphic© Elena Blando
(American eel migration), Courtesy of Nature
Conservancy www.nature.org
JOIN NOW!
CESAR's Exec. Director Testifies Before the
House on ESA Issues
CESAR's Executive Director, Craig Manson, was asked to testify before the Committee of Space, Science and Techonology and the Sub-Committee of Investigations and Oversight on the manner of which science is being applied to solve significant manners involving the ESA.
CESAR and the California Water Institute ("CWI") co-hosted the Water and the Delta Smelt: 2011 Science Review seminar at the California State University, Fresno on September 30, 2011. " This seminar was similar to the 2009 Seminar CESAR c0-hosted with the Family Farm Alliance. The information provided by the 2009 seminar helped everyone take a critical look at the basis for the restrictions contained in the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) 2008 Biological Opinion for delta smelt."
The seminar featured a group of notable scientists who reviewed and presented findings on the science surrounding the Delta Smelt.
Our Panel included:
To view the archived webcast of the ESA litigation hearing held on December 6, 2011 please click here:
To watch the recording of the Water and the Delta Smelt Seminar click
CESAR Testimony
ESA 10.16.11
B Dennis CV 2010.doc
Thorley bio_short.pdf
Carol Lee_short bio.docx
terrance_quinn_cv.pdf
Short Bio Sketch WH Pearson Fall 2011.pdf
Office Address:
1990 3rd Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95811
P: 916.341.7407
F: 916.341.7410
CESAR is a California non-profit corporation
Email: info_bestscience.org
Public
Comments
Webcasts &
Video/Audio
Articles &
Publications
THE BAY DELTA CONSERVATION PLAN ("BDCP")
The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is being prepared through a collaboration of state, federal, and local water agencies, state and federal fish agencies, environmental organizations, and other interested parties with the goal of protecting and restoring the ecological health of Californias Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and providing a more reliable water supply.
THE DELTA STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
more info: http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/
MISSON:
Achieve the Coequal Goals
Californias Delta is the largest estuary on the West Coast and is the hub of the states major water supply systems. It is inextricably linked to statewide issues that affect its ability to function in a healthy, sustainable way.
In November 2009, the California Legislature enacted SBX7 1 (Delta Reform Act), one of several bills passed at this time related to water supply reliability, ecosystem health, and the Delta. The Act, effective on Feb. 3, 2010, created the Delta Stewardship Council.
The mission of the Delta Stewardship Council is to achieve the coequal goals. As stated in the CA Water code, Coequal goals means the two goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem. The coequal goals shall be achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place. (CA Water Code SS 85054)
Broad Statewide Perspective
The Council is made up of seven members who provide a broad, statewide perspective and diverse expertise. In addition, they are advised by a 10-member board of nationally and internationally renowned scientists.
Because Californias Delta is linked to so many statewide issues, the Plans scope and purview will encompass decisions pertaining to statewide water use, flood management and the Delta watershed.
The Greater Sage Grouse is a large and grounded bird with round wings. It has a tail that is long and pointed. The legs of this bird are feathered to the base of the toes. The males are larger than the females. These birds are usually found at 4000-9000 feet above sea level. The Greater Sage Grouse can be found in the American states of Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, western Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and eastern California. In Canada, it can be found the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
In recent years, the Greater Sage Grouse has come under the threat of extinction. There is evidence that the habitat for the bird is being downsized and destroyed, which has caused a considerable decline in its numbers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service fears that if no action is taken, local populations will be decimated in the next few decades and the remaining scattered population will be closer to extinction. Hence, as per the Services warranting, the species is now a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The pride that is the subject of this PBS documentary suffered a big blow when the entire Hoaruseb Pride was poisoned on July 10, 2011.
The three lionesses ("Morada", "Tawny" and "Maya") died a few metres from each other in the Hoaruseb River. Samples were collected for analysis, but the poison appears to have been strychnine....
For the full story, visit:
Gray Wolf...
Final Cover Letter and General Comments.pdf
08 09 08 CESAR Smelt Final Specific Comments .PDF
Bio Assessment.pdf
Smelt Original Threatened Determination.pdf
CESAR Smelt Uplisting Complaint.pdf
First Amended Complaint.pdf
Delta smelt are endemic to the Sacramento Delta, California, where it is distributed from the Suisun Bay upstream through the Delta in Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano and Yolo counties. The delta smelt is a pelagic (lives in the open water column away from the bottom) and euryhaline species (tolerant of a wide salinity range).
On August 31, 2007, Federal Judge Oliver Wanger of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California protected the delta smelt by severely curtailing human use water deliveries from the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta from December to June.
In 2010, Judge Wanger has since invalidated the biological opinion effecting the delta smelt by finding that it was not supported by the "best available science". This case is still pending.
The American Eel is in steep decline across its range in the United States of America. CESAR's Petition to List the American Eel summarizes the natural history of the American Eel and their cultural use; population information on the American Eel; and a description of existing threats to the American Eel and their habitat.
10 04 30 AMEEL Petition.pdf
[Doc 004] 1st Amended CESAR Complaint-12.27.10.pdf
no one talks about the destruction...
Over 320 species of birds have been recorded at Buenos Aires NWR. Pronghorn, mule deer, coyote, and javelina are some of the mammals frequently seen along refuge roads. Mountain lion, coatimundi, ring-tailed cats, and badger are present, but more secretive. Desert tortoise and gila monsters thrive a short distance from water-dependant amphibians and a myriad of cactus grow within a stone's throw of watercress. In addition to the masked bobwhite quail, Buenos Aires NWR protects habitat for seven other endangered species - Pima pineapple cactus, Kearney bluestar, Peregrine Falcon, Southwest Willow Flycatcher, Gila topminnow, Chiricahua leopard frog, and jaguar.
CESAR is dedicated to drawing attention to this devestation to ensure the survival of endangered species in Arizona.
BestScience.Org's comments on the Second Draft Delta Plan
"Allow for projects to proceed that restore and protect water supply, water quality, and ecosystem health within a stable regulatory framework.
a.The regulatory framework must take into account the history of the Delta in the context of not just human activities, as acknowledged under Ecological Conditions, but also in the much broader context of ever evolving and dynamic natural processes;
b.The Delta Plan currently acknowledges that the system is highly managed, but it must also recognize that such management must continue since natural or preproject flow patterns cannot meet the current demand for water, salinity levels, or flood control;
c.The Delta Plan must acknowledge it is not physically possible to recreate or mimic preproject or predevelopment conditions due to myriad natural factors, such as subsidence, invasive species and climate change."
BestScience.Org's comments on the First Draft of the Delta Plan
"General Comments on the Draft Delta Plan
For 150 years, the Delta has been subjected to increasing degrees of management and is now a wholly managed ecosystem. Any management action will have positive and negative consequences for each component of the system. Each of those consequences will have social, economic and legal effects as well as environmental effects. Necessarily, any management structure must make these tradeoffs both implicitly and explicitly. In the context of defensibility under the various environmental statutes protecting the Delta, such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the ESA, and the CESA, the actions must be legally defensible. In order to be legally defensible, the actions must have a context which explicitly considers the tradeoffs among species, water users, and the Deltas ecological health as a whole. Failure to identify this framework and provide an explicit balancing structure will only produce an exercise which results in a continued process of piecemeal litigation by special interests using specific statutes to achieve goals which may or may not be consistent with the health of the Delta.
Accordingly, CESAR identifies the following general problems with the first draft Delta Plan:
1.While the document references degradation of the Delta and various components of the Delta ecosystem, it fails to identify a target baseline from which degradation is measured, and to which any management scheme must aspire to restore.
2. f the Delta Stewardship Council (Council) prefers an intermediate management scheme whereby existing dams and their flood control functions remain, as well as the existing levee system, then management decisions and the basis for those decisions must be explicit...."
BestScience.Org comments on the Endangered Species Act
CESAR Executive Director, Craig Manson, testifies before the Committee of Space, Science and Techonology and the Sub-Committee of Investigations and Oversight on the manner of which science is being applied to solve significant manners involving the ESA.
CESAR Comments on 2nd Draft Delta Plan.pdf
CESAR Comment 1st Draft Delta Plan.pdf
Our dedicated volunteers and panel of scientists make our work possible.
Our Mission:
The primary purpose of the Center for Environmental Science, Advocacy & Reliability (CESAR) is to bring scientific rigor to regulatory decisions undertaken pursuant to environmental statutes and to ensure consistent application of these statutes throughout all industries and all sectors. This activity will generate additional support for environmental statutes as the results of and bases for regulatory actions will be transparent and supported by science.
CESAR depends on the work of its dedicated volunteers. Our volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and fields of expertise.
Our work is made possible by college interns in relevant fields of study, law students and professionals.
Many of our donors are those who feel strongly about our work, but are not able to contribute their time, but wish to support our work.
Craig Manson, Executive Director
Jean Sagouspe, Chairman
Jim Chilton, Vice Chairman
David Wood, Secretary/Treasurer
Bill Stone/Member
BestScience.Org Free Membership
No Membership Fees:
BestScience.Org is funded entirely by donations. No memberships fees are required. To show your support and to stay up to date on the latest news, submit your contact information below.
Your membership will be confirmed by e-mail within 24-48 hours.
Donate to CESAR now and play a vital role in helping us identify regulatory decisions lacking scientific rigor, support our scientists in their research, and enforce the consistency of environmental statutes in all industries and sectors.
JOIN US AND HELP SUPPORT
BESTSCIENCE.ORG
Transcript.pdf
Summary_of_Panel_Answers_to_Questions final(2).doc
lott.doc.docx
manly-miller_multivariate_analysis[1].pdf
AcartiellaAreas_061508.xls
eury_and_ammonia.xls
alison_DeltaSmeltRevd_033108.xls
mongan_miller_herbold_response[1].pdf
workshop_ammonia_bckgrnd_paper_nh4-nh3_030209.pdf
kimmerer 2002 trophic.pdf
BJ bennett hypotheses.doc
bj bennett hypotheses.xls
pelagic_fish_trend_1[1].pdf
BJ analysis brown and kimmerer.doc
EuryAreas_061508.xls
BJ brown and kimmerer.xls
CalanoidAreas_061508.xls
Lindberg - EET Dec 2006.ppt
pelagic_fish_trend_2[1].pdf
Delta history USBR draft 3.doc
HarpacticoidAreas_061508.xls
Comments_on_2007_POD_Synthesis[1].doc
Independent_Peer_Review_of_USFWS_Draft_Effects_Analysis_for_the_OCAP_Biological_Opinion_(20081023)[1].pdf
bennet 2005 entire.pdf
KimmererEtAl2009EstuariesCoasts[1].pdf
CyclopoidAreas_061508.xls
delta_smelt_abundance_data.xls
delta_smelt_salvage_data_OK.xls
jassby_1995_isohaline.pdf
ratio_limno_other_zoop.pdf
kimmerer_entrainment_loss_sfews 2008[1].pdf
alison_ZoopByStation1972-2006_REVD.xls
SinocalanusAreas_061508.xls
MysidsAreas_061508.xls
smelt_survival_vs_turbidity[1].pdf
POD_annualreport_2008.pdf
PODsynthesis2007_1-15-08[1].pdf
TortanusAreas_061508.xls
PODSynthesisReportv.5b.pdf
ArchHydr[1].pdf
kimmerer 2002.pdf
castilloDelta_Smelt_CSC_2008.pdf
Appendix1.pdf
Appendix2.pdf
Appendix3.pdf
PseudAreas_061508.xls
Appendix4.pdf
08_12_14_IQA_Request_Letter2KeppenSig2[1][1].pdf
Appendix5.pdf
Appendix6.pdf
Appendix7.pdf
Appendix8.pdf
Appendix9.pdf
review_2005_ewa_analyses[1].pdf
Appendix10.pdf
Appendix11.pdf
Appendix12Part1.pdf
IEP_POD_Panel_Review_Final.pdf
Appendix12Part2.pdf
Appendix12Part3.pdf
Appendix12Part4.pdf
manly_close_to_pumps[1].pdf
DeltaCoverAndGeneralComments.pdf
DeltaSpecificCommentsPart1.pdf
RotifersAreas_061608.xls
DeltaSpecificCommentsPart2.pdf
DeltaSpecificCommentsPart3.pdf
DeltaSpecificCommentsPart4.pdf
swc sldmwa Delta Smelt BA Comments.pdf
DeltaSpecificCommentsPart5.pdf
DeltaSpecificCommentsPart6.pdf
SLDMWA-SWC Letter to Services RE Fall X2 (20081020).pdf
OcapComments.pdf
WA-SWC_Joint_Comments_on_USFWS_Draft_OCAP_Effects_Analysis_and_Peer_Review[1].pdf
Winder et al 2011 Synergies between climate anomalies and hydrological modifications facilitate estuarine biotic invasions.pdf
Nobriga et al 2008 Long term Trends in Summertime Habitat Suitability for Delta Smelt.pdf
Moyle et al 2010 Habitat Variability and Complexity in the Upper San Francisco Estuary.pdf
Marks et al 2010 Effects of flow restoration and exotic species removal on recovery of native fish.pdf
Kimmerer et al 2009 Is the Response of Estuarine Nekton to Freshwater Flow in the San Francisco Estuary Explained by Variation in Habitat Volume.pdf
Jassby et al 1995ISOHALINE (X2) POSITION AS A HABITAT INDICATOR FOR ESTUARINE POPULATIONS.pdf
Fleenor et al 2010 On Developing Prescriptions for Freshwater Flows to Sustain Desirable Fishes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.pdf
Feyrer et al 2010 Modeling the Effects of Future Outflow on the Abiotic Habitat of an Imperiled Estuarine Fish.pdf
Enright and Culbertson 2010 Salinity trends, variability, and control in the northern reach of the San Francisco Estuary.pdf
Winder and Jassby 2010 Shifts in zooplankton community structure.pdf
Wagner et al 2011 Statistical Models of Temperature in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta Under Climate Change Scenarios and Ecological Implications.pdf
Schoellhamer2010Sudden Clearing of Estuarine Waters.pdf
POD Highlights IEP Quarterly Directors Update Summer 2010.pdf
Orsi et al 1995 page 16 changes in zooplankton due to ballast water.pdf
Orsi 2001 page12 Eurytemora affinis is Introduced.pdf
Muller-solger Nutritional quality of food resources for zooplankton (Daphnia).pdf
Notice of Filing Revised Adaptive Mgmnt Plan_8-1....pdf
1002 1 - Attachment 1__8-10-11.pdf
1002 2 - Attachment 2 - Part 1 of 3__8-10-11.pdf
1002 3 - Attachment 2 - Part 2 of 3__8-10-11.pdf
1002 4 - Attachment 2 - Part 3 of 3__8-10-11.pdf
Charge_to_Fall_X2_Reviewers_060211_llh_cnd_sh_all.pdf
Independent_review_Fall_Outflow_AM_Panel_Report_July_2011.pdf
Mongan 080411 Export effects graphs.doc
X2 Miller 6_11.doc
delta smelt multivariate supplements.pdf
tables 1, 2, and 3.xls
tables 4 and 5.xls
station maps.xls
Dayflow data READ ME.doc
abundance factor values(3).xls
abundance factor values READ ME.doc
fmwt preference habitat areas.xls
Thompson et al 2010 Bayesian change point analysis of abundance trends for pelagic fishes in the upper San Francisco Estuary.pdf
Maunder and Deriso 2011 state space multistage life cycle model to evaluate population impacts in the presence of density dependence delta smelt.pdf
Mac Nally et al 2010 Analysis of pelagic species decline in the upper San Francisco Estuary using multivariate autoregressive modeling (MAR).pdf
Baxter et al 2010 IEP POD synthesis report .pdf
2007 smelt data.xlsx
[doc 000941] Declaration of Dr. Jennifer M. Norris.pdf
[Doc 001013] ORDER RE [900] Motion for Preliminary Injunction.pdf
[Doc 001052] Supp Dec of Hanson re Mtn to Stay.pdf
[doc 000943] Declaration of Matthew L. Nobriga.pdf
[Doc 001050] Dec.pdf
[doc 000944] Declaration of Frederick V. Feyrer.pdf
1051-main.pdf
[doc 000945] DECLARATION OF DOUG OBEGI.pdf
[Doc 001047] Dec of T Erly.pdf
