Sunday, September 14, 2008, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Doors open at noon; lunch is served at 12:30; program begins at 12:45 p.m.
Alder Market and Bistro, 151 W Alder, Stockton, CA
September 5, 2008 -- Restore the Delta is launching its first annual award. The Delta Advocate Award will be given to four recipients for their work on behalf of the Delta either through legislative and policy efforts, or through advocacy efforts.
Our first recipient, Congressman George Miller, is chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. He is a leading advocate in Congress on education, labor, the economy, and the environment. He has represented the 7th District of California in the East Bay of San Francisco since 1975. His district includes portions of Contra Costa and Solano counties, including Richmond, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, Vallejo, Benicia and Vacaville.
Congressman Miller is an expert on California water issues. In 1992,he passed and enacted into law the historic California water reform law, known as the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. More importantly, he has been a long time advocate for protecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
A spate of reports on the Bay-Delta prompted five Democratic members of Congress, including Congressman Miller, to reiterate their calls for prompt and aggressive steps to protect the health of the Bay- Delta ecosystem, restore the state's salmon fisheries, and avoid being sidetracked by the politically divisive peripheral canal.
Like Congressman Miller, our second recipient, Senator Mike Machado, has been a leader in water legislation for California, and a strong advocate for the Delta. In 2004, Senator Machado was re-elected to represent the Fifth Senate District, which includes the cities of Tracy, Manteca and Stockton in San Joaquin County; Suisun City, Fairfield, Dixon and Vacaville in Solano County; Davis, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland in Yolo County; as well as Walnut Grove and a portion of Elk Grove in Sacramento County.
Two of the Senator's most notable accomplishments have been authoring Proposition 13, the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, Watershed Protection, and Flood Protection Bond Act, and assisting in the passage of Proposition 50, the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002.
Delta environmentalist, Bill Jennings, and Delta farmer Alex Hildebrand will also be award receipients for their years of advocacy on behalf of Delta water quality. Both Mr. Jennings and Mr. Hildebrand have displayed passion, intelligence, and integrity in their dealings with water agencies. Both are outstanding leaders from the Delta.
Each ticket is $50.00 and includes lunch. Please call Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla at 209-479-2053 to place your reservation, or email Barbara@restorethedelta.org. In your email be sure to include the number of people attending in your party, your snail-mail address, and whether you prefer a chicken or vegetarian lunch. If you make a reservation and do not attend, you will be billed for the balance.
