You aren't allowed to guess when it comes to science

For years government agencies have said that export pumping is at fault for declining Delta fish populations, yet Judge Oliver Wanger’s ruling could not have been more clear; the government acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” and the pumping restrictions were “a product of guesstimations”. The agencies involved formulated actions that lack scientific justification and they failed to evaluate alternatives other than reduced pumping.

Those are strong words.

Judge Wanger also acknowledged that protections for fish are important. That’s something farmers have never debated. The answer, according to the judge and I agree, must be a balanced solution that doesn’t sacrifice the needs of people for the sake of fish, especially when bad science is used to justify regulatory actions.