The battle to build a $20 billion water tunnel in the Sacramento-Shandong River Delta is escalating, with Gov. Gavin Newsom prompting the governor to work to lay the foundation for the project and expiry of term and the state water regulator considering whether to approve the key mandate.
The State Water Control Commission has begun a series of hearings on the News Commission’s petitions to modify the water rights permit so that flow can be transferred from new points on the Sacramento River, where air inlets for the 45-mile tunnel will be built.
The process has become increasingly tense in recent weeks as news agencies and water agencies objected to part of how board officials handled the process, and as opponents urged the board not to succumb to political pressure.
Ann Carroll, general counsel for the state Department of Water Resources, spoke at a virtual hearing Thursday, introducing the news agency’s tunnel case, calling it “the most important climate adaptation program” in California.
“Changing precipitation patterns lead to rainfall, less snowfall, and limited ability to capture and move water,” Carroll said. “The ability to capture high flows when available is critical to adapting to changing climates.”
The supporters of the program are called Delta Transportation Projectsaid the country urgently needs to build new infrastructure in the delta to protect water supply facing climate change and earthquake risks. Large Southern California Water Science supports the project by providing initial funding for the planning work.
Opponents, including Northern California agencies, environmental advocates and Indigenous tribes, believe the project is an expensive and clumsy that it will harm the environment, fish and communities, and the state should seek other alternatives. They believe that the main beneficiaries will be development interests in Southern California and agricultural landowners in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
The tunnel will establish a second route to transport water to state pumping facilities on the southern side of the Delta, where aqueducts are supplied to state water projects and delivered to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.
Newsom promoted the project on February 18 letter For the State Water Commission, “California’s prosperity depends on it.” He noted that the last two California governors, Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger, also supported early iterations of the concept to modernize the state’s water system.
Six years ago, Newsom announced that he was Proposal to narrow down Brown’s double tunnel Instead, a single tunnel is required to be redesigned. Now, the current proposal “was well thought out to protect the environment, fisheries, ecosystems, water quality and water supply.”
During a state Senate subcommittee hearing Thursday, Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth answered key questions from lawmakers about the cost and environmental impact of the project.
Nimes described the existing system as an asset that “started underperforming” and said that if it exists now, the tunnel may have captured more water in the storm over the past three years. State officials estimate climate change can reduce the average supply of state water projects available Up to 23% Over the next 20 years, Nemes said the construction of tunnels will improve and restore about 16% of the supply.
Nicole Kuenzi is considering a petition from Newsom Administration, who led the State Water Commission’s independent administrative hearing. Some state officials oppose Kuhnzi The initial rulingwhich includes requiring historical data on how much water has been transferred under the rights and considering issues such as whether the approval of the project is in the public interest.
Natez released a statement March 24 pointed to Kuenzi, indicating whether water in the public interest is applicable and only if the petition belongs to the new water right.
“It is important that the Legislature has determined that the state water project is in the public interest, and Governor Newsom has made it clear that this project is crucial for current and future Californians,” Nimas wrote. “Unfortunately, the executive hearing has integrated the petition and fundamentally expanded the scope of this hearing.”
Nimes believes this could lead to expensive delays, urging Kuenz to “build a hearing process that will be finalized by the statewide water commission by late 2026” – before Newsom’s second term ends.
Opponents of the project – including environmental groups, tribes and representatives in several Northern California counties that rely on Delta water Answer in a letter Urge the board to make it clear that political intervention will not affect the outcome.
“The board must uphold its independence and the independence of the hearing officer,” they wrote. “Losing this independence, even losing its appearance, will undermine the credibility and its mission of the board.”
Osha Meserve, an attorney who signed the letter on behalf of Contra Costa and Solano counties and other local agencies, said the board’s integrity was threatened, as well as public trust and confidence in the process.
At least seven court cases have challenged the project in court or appeal, with most of them involved. Building the tunnel “will destroy farms, rural communities and the environment, all of which are expensive.”
Opponents say tunnels will threaten local fish that already exist Suffering a significant population decline. They say the state should support water supply by upgrading the aging delta and investing more Recycling of wastewater,,,,, Capture rainwater locally And make other improvements Use water more efficiently.
The nonprofit restored the Delta last month as part of a campaign against the project Results of the statewide survey Of the 649 registered voters, when initially asked about the project, 46% said they were favored, 24% opposed, and 29% were uncertain. However, after both sides of the debate raised the same person’s argument, the opposition increased to 58%, while 34% were favored and 8% were uncertain.
A February poll report said there were four percentage points wrong profit margins of four percentage points, and also found that 62% said they would rather invest in “developing local water supplies to ensure that California communities are more resilient and ready to deal with the threat of fire, drought and flooding.”
“The state must abandon this outdated project and keep them alive for decades,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of the Recovery Delta. “People reject large investments as expensive as the Delta Tunnel.”
But many leaders of the large Southern California water agency have been supporting the project, seeing it as a viable option to improve the reliability of supply in Northern California.
In December, Southern California Metropolitan Waters Board of Directors Voting spending $141.6 million A large part of the initial planning work. The area provides water to 19 million people and it will not be decided until 2027 whether to invest in building tunnels.
MWD’s managers and other agencies that are members of the state water contractor said they disagree with the hearing officer’s recent ruling, which they feared could harm hearings in the coming months and result in expensive delays.
exist Letter to the Board of Directors19 water managers wrote: “Each day after the delay in building this critical project, the cost of the project has increased by $1 million.”
The current hearing is not the only relevant question before the board. January, News Agency A separate petition was submitted Attempts to extend the water rights permit to 2085.
Chandra Chilmakuri, assistant general manager of water policy at the national water contractor, said the extension of time is another matter and should be dealt with separately. He said that this could further delay approval if it was viewed as part of the current process.
He said the water agency leaders hope that the board of directors will make a decision to amend the water rights permit as soon as possible.
“It’s very important to keep your schedule,” Chilmar Curry said.
The state’s plan requires construction to begin by the end of 2029 Complete the tunnel In 2042.
