By Friends of the River
Earlier this week, Governor Newsom was all over the state pushing his two favorite water infrastructure projects, Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel. He called the tunnel the “single most important climate adaptation project in the U.S.” Apparently, the Governor doesn’t know that Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel will actually make the climate change crisis in California worse in major ways.
First, Sites Reservoir would be a major new contributor of greenhouse gas emissions – mostly in the form of methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gasses. In fact, average annual emissions from the proposed reservoir are expected to exceed that of more than 80,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles. This directly undermines recent state law mandating carbon neutrality by 2045, and the Governor’s own efforts to achieve this goal.
Second, Governor Newsom also seems to be unaware how his beloved Tunnel project will increase the energy-intensive pumping of water through the State Water Project – which, by the way, is the largest single use of energy in the state. Building the Tunnel will allow the pumping of even more Sacramento River water from Sites and other reservoirs, and would increase energy consumption and emissions, instead of reducing the State Water Project’s already massive carbon footprint. Maybe someone should clue Gavin Newsom in on the obvious – increasing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use is not a very smart or effective way to adapt to climate change.
Lastly, none of the above even starts to factor in the potential impacts of these climate-harming projects on fish, wildlife, water quality, and living rivers. Taking even more water from the environment will hasten the extinction of endangered plants and animals only found in California, exacerbate the occurrence of toxic algae blooms that threaten people, pets and wild animals, and degrade overall ecosystem health. Pushing species toward extinction and causing environmental harm is not an appropriate, nor humane, climate adaptation strategy.
Oh, and let’s not forget misrepresenting California Tribes. In what may go down as one of the most tone-deaf press conferences of his governorship, Newsom falsely claimed broad Tribal support for Sites and the Tunnel, which many Tribes vocally oppose. All this while also making a plea to the incoming President Trump for funding and partnership.
Californians should be embarrassed.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Maven’s Notebook.
FRIENDS OF THE RIVER: Turning climate change on its head: What Governor Newsom doesn’t understand about his own water agenda
By Friends of the River
First, Sites Reservoir would be a major new contributor of greenhouse gas emissions – mostly in the form of methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gasses. In fact, average annual emissions from the proposed reservoir are expected to exceed that of more than 80,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles. This directly undermines recent state law mandating carbon neutrality by 2045, and the Governor’s own efforts to achieve this goal.
Second, Governor Newsom also seems to be unaware how his beloved Tunnel project will increase the energy-intensive pumping of water through the State Water Project – which, by the way, is the largest single use of energy in the state. Building the Tunnel will allow the pumping of even more Sacramento River water from Sites and other reservoirs, and would increase energy consumption and emissions, instead of reducing the State Water Project’s already massive carbon footprint. Maybe someone should clue Gavin Newsom in on the obvious – increasing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use is not a very smart or effective way to adapt to climate change.
Lastly, none of the above even starts to factor in the potential impacts of these climate-harming projects on fish, wildlife, water quality, and living rivers. Taking even more water from the environment will hasten the extinction of endangered plants and animals only found in California, exacerbate the occurrence of toxic algae blooms that threaten people, pets and wild animals, and degrade overall ecosystem health. Pushing species toward extinction and causing environmental harm is not an appropriate, nor humane, climate adaptation strategy.
Oh, and let’s not forget misrepresenting California Tribes. In what may go down as one of the most tone-deaf press conferences of his governorship, Newsom falsely claimed broad Tribal support for Sites and the Tunnel, which many Tribes vocally oppose. All this while also making a plea to the incoming President Trump for funding and partnership.
Californians should be embarrassed.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Maven’s Notebook.
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