Overview
- County supervisors, who voted Tuesday, asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency and to deploy agencies such as Fish and Wildlife, Water Resources, and the State Water Board.
- Officials warn the mussels latch onto hard surfaces and can block pipes, pumps, and intakes, with one $100 million Delta floodgate already infested and facing costly removal work.
- The species first appeared at the Port of Stockton in late 2024 and has since turned up from inland lakes to Los Angeles and San Diego, with tighter boat checks and a $5,000 Tahoe fine for a tampered inspection seal.
- California created a $20 million task force and a Golden Mussel Response Framework in 2025, yet county leaders say current measures do not match the pace and scale of the spread.
- Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom proposes five decontamination stations at about $1.5 million each with faster permits, and the county will revisit the emergency every 60 days as farmers face clogged irrigation gear and rising costs.