Governor Jerry Brown joined California state senators and assembly members in congratulating and recognizing the Napa River Rutherford Reach Restoration Project in the Rutherford and Oakville appellations at the State Capital on May 21st.

Senator Noreen Evans and Assemblyman Michael Allen presented certificates of recognition to the members of the Rutherford Dust Society, project landowners, Napa County, the Napa County Resource Conservation District, and ESA PWA for their work on this pioneering large scale river restoration project.

Many other project partners were recognized for their role in this private-public partnership endeavor, including resource agencies such as the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, NOAA/NMS, and the California Department of Fish and Game, and major project funders such as the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation Habitat Conservation Fund. Following the recognition ceremonies, stakeholders gathered with elected officials at the Capitol for a reception featuring Rutherford wines sponsored by the California Association of Wine Grape Growers.

“The Rutherford Dust Restoration Team represents the epitome of a collaborative community effort to restore a living and resilient river. This project is a model of forward-looking and extraordinary environmental stewardship. Investing in the future, diverse stakeholders are successfully working together to create and protect the things we value most in common: a healthy environment, a thriving economy, and a meaningful connection to the place we call home,” said Gretchen Hayes, Napa River Rutherford Reach Restoration Project Landowner Liaison.

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