March 20, 2006

Important as they are, the Island Ponds are just the latest installment in a much larger story to which the Senator and others have alluded.  That story involves a public-private partnership that is paying off in the largest restoration project on the West Coast.

Three years ago, the Federal government, the State government, and four foundations -- the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation the Goldman Fund, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, – collaborated to acquire 16,000 acres of salt ponds around San Francisco Bay.  That partnership has continued to this day and the results have already been impressive:

• Almost all of the salt ponds acquired have been reconnected to the Bay,
• Bird populations have more than doubled, and
• The public has access to wide open spaces and opportunities to enjoy wildlife that were formerly reserved to only a few.   

Perhaps even more impressive for a project of this scope is that these results have been accomplished on schedule and under budget.

None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary leadership of Senator Feinstein.  The San Francisco Bay is one of the most biologically significant estuaries in the United States, but it has also suffered some of the most extensive degradation.  The Senator saw in the purchase of the salt ponds a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore and revitalize the Bay and – fortunately for all of us – she seized that opportunity and wouldn’t let go.  Without her persistence, we would not be standing here today.

Inspired by her leadership, the Foundations not only provided funding for the ponds’ acquisition, but have supported the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the State Department of Fish and Game as they took steps to stop salt production and reconnect the newly acquired ponds to the Bay.  Credit for the success of their efforts also belongs to Cargill, which has provided substantial assistance in the initial stewardship of the ponds; to Resource Legacy Fund, which has played an essential coordinating role for the foundations and others; and to the Santa Clara Valley Water District, which made possible the opening of the ponds that just occurred.

The Foundations supported this initial work to allow the agencies and the Coastal Conservancy to craft a scientifically sound, publicly supported long-term restoration plan, and I am pleased to say that the planning process continues to be on track.  Although there will be challenges as the agencies move forward to complete and implement the restoration plan, the success that we have already seen is strong evidence that the course we are on is one we should continue to follow.  With the continued involvement and support of the public and local citizen groups, the scientific community, and our local and state leaders, I am confident we will see the implementation of a restoration plan that we can all be proud of and that will be a model for public-private partnerships for years to come.