Several tribal and public‑interest speakers told the State Water Resources Control Board on Jan. 6 that the public comment period for the revised Bay‑Delta Plan should be extended to ensure equitable participation.

Tricia Velasquez, Central Valley organizer at Save California Salmon, said her group "would like to reiterate our request to extend the deadline until at least April 3 and to hold hearings and workshops after this date," arguing that the December release provided insufficient time for communities to review a complex, impactful plan during holiday periods when many were unavailable.

Regina Chicozola said rural participants face unreliable internet and power during winter storms and noted federal changes—including shifts by the Bureau of Reclamation on voluntary agreements and a new biological opinion—that she said warrant additional time to assess the plan. Chicozola told the board that people in her region use tribal offices and libraries for internet access, which were closed over the holidays.

Cynthia Cortez, policy program manager with Restore the Delta, reinforced a request from the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC) for a 60‑day extension and asked the board to resolve a pending civil‑rights complaint submitted by DTEC to EPA before advancing plan updates and hearings. Cortez said "over 3,000 pages of regulatory text is an insufficient amount of time for adequate public review." She urged the board to provide additional time for tribal consultation and community engagement.

Chair Joaquin Esquivel responded that staff will "get a response out" to the extension requests and acknowledged the concerns, while noting to the speakers that many documents were similar to materials released in July. The board did not immediately grant an extension at the meeting; Esquivel said the board would respond to requests and continue to prioritize the Bay‑Delta Plan but did not set new hearing dates at the session.

Why it matters: The Bay‑Delta Plan affects in‑stream flows, water rights and operations across the Sacramento‑San Joaquin Delta and implicates tribal consultation and civil‑rights considerations. Comment deadlines and hearing schedules shape who can participate and how the board incorporates local, tribal and technical input.

The board did not take a formal action on the requested extension at the Jan. 6 meeting; staff indicated they will provide a written response to the groups that requested extra time.