From the Delta Counties Coalition:
In response to the release today of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) for the Delta Conveyance Project through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Don Nottoli, Chair of the Delta Counties Coalition (DCC) made the following statement on behalf of the DCC, which is comprised of the five jurisdictions most negatively impacted by a tunnel, including Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano and Yolo Counties:
“After two years, the state has released what appears to be another deficient and deeply flawed tunnel plan that would do very little to improve statewide water supplies and bring lasting harm to the Delta. Despite the requirement to ‘minimize potential environmental effects,’ this massive and costly 14-year, more than $16 billion construction project would undoubtedly cause irreversible environmental and ecological impacts in the Delta. It would also have negative economic impacts on California residents in the Bay-Delta region and beyond – especially those in underserved communities where water quality and quantity would be severely impacted.
Despite DWR’s attempt at a ‘fresh look,’ it made only minor revisions to the same old plans which have been previously rejected. This tunnel proposal, like the prior versions, would not provide a resilient and reliable statewide water supply or address the reality of climate change and years of extended droughts coupled with sporadic flood events. Clearly, the state is most concerned with moving Sacramento River water south in a tunnel, with little regard for water quality and other unacceptable Delta impacts.
The DCC has long advocated that the state shift its focus from isolated conveyance – a tunnel, which won’t create any new water and would irreparably harm the Delta, and instead support projects that will secure resilient, equitable, long-term water supplies for future generations while preserving our state’s natural resources. California would be far better off with completed levee improvements, more above and below ground storage and additional regional water supply projects, which could yield significant new water to our system each year.
The DCC is carefully reviewing the DEIR and will provide feedback to the state regarding alternatives that would actually improve water infrastructure while protecting the Delta’s ecosystem and its local communities.”
2022-07-27 DCC Statement DEIR FINAL
