State Purchases Salt Ponds in Restoration Bid

State and federal officials Friday announced the $100-million acquisition of 16,500 acres of salt ponds in San Francisco Bay, setting the stage for the largest wetlands restoration in the state’s history, according to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

“A giant step toward improving the physical, biological and chemical health” of the bay, in the words of Gov. Gray Davis, the transfer of the ponds from Cargill Salt to public ownership was paid for with $72 million in state money, $8 million in U.S. Fish and Wildlife funds and $20 million from foundations.