Yesterday, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee met and took up the request for an audit of the Delta Conveyance Project. According to Courthouse News, the committee on Wednesday didn’t have enough members present to approve the audit, but its expected the committee will again examine the issue in July or August. According to the Sacramento Bee, “Despite six lawmakers voting to approve the audit, no one made a vocal endorsement. The proposal failed because it didn’t receive the votes necessary from the state Senate side. At least four votes are necessary from both houses on the joint committee.” Nonetheless, both sides claimed victory.
Here are the reactions, in alphabetical order:
From Californians for Water Security
“We commend the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) for rejecting this unnecessary and politically motivated audit request. It’s no surprise that opponents of the Delta Conveyance Project are once again abusing every process they can to delay this vital project — no matter the cost to California’s future. This is exactly why Governor Newsom’s trailer bill to streamline approvals and cut red tape is necessary. These obstruction tactics have already driven up costs for ratepayers and stalled the state’s ability to secure a safe, reliable water supply in the face of climate change. We appreciate the JLAC for their vote today and will continue working to move the Delta Conveyance Project forward.”
From Restore the Delta
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) has approved the reconsideration of a full audit of the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) spending on the controversial Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) and associated Voluntary Agreements. The reconsideration and vote will take place at the July/August JLAC hearing.
To date, DWR has spent nearly $1 billion on various iterations of DCP planning, with projected construction costs exceeding $20 billion, before accounting for inflation or unforeseen expenses. Despite this massive price tag, the project still lacks a finalized operations plan, a legally enforceable environmental impact report, and is based on expired water rights.
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta, stated: “The Joint Legislative Audit Committee’s decision allows ongoing efforts by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to withhold critical information from the public about how ratepayer and taxpayer dollars are spent—especially on questionable projects like the Delta Tunnel. Californians deserve to know where their money is going so they can advocate for solutions that are affordable, effective, and environmentally and socially responsible. Restore the Delta applauds Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom and Senator Jerry McNerney for prioritizing transparency through this audit effort, and we look forward to working together to ensure the public has a clear understanding of DWR’s spending.”
From the Southern California Water Coalition:
Statement from Charles Wilson, Executive Director of the Southern California Water Coalition: “We commend the Joint Legislative Audit Committee for rejecting yet another attempt to stall the Delta Conveyance Project under the guise of fiscal scrutiny. The facts are clear: the project is already subject to rigorous oversight, robust public reporting, and transparent local governance by the public water agencies funding it — not the state General Fund. More than $290 million has been responsibly invested in environmental review, permitting, planning, and community engagement. These costs have been openly negotiated and are publicly accessible. Repeating the same audits will only waste time and resources without adding value.
“The DCP has undergone extensive review by the Department of Water Resources, which has completed a full Environmental Impact Report and continues to provide financial and operational transparency. The State Water Project, with its 60-year legacy of delivering safe water to urban and agricultural users across California, is in urgent need of this upgrade to protect against climate change, seismic risk, and ecosystem decline.
“We thank the Committee for prioritizing action over obstruction. Californians cannot afford further delay — the time to secure our water future is now.”
From the State Water Contractors
Today, California’s Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) voted to reject another request by opponents to audit the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), citing multiple oversight mechanisms already in place to disclose details about finances and planning activities. The DCP is a critical climate adaptation strategy that protects California’s primary water supply system, the State Water Project. The SWP provides an affordable source of high-quality, clean water for 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of agricultural land.
Statement from Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors: “We applaud the Joint Legislative Audit Committee’s decision to reject the request for yet another audit of the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). This unnecessary request would have created exactly the kind of costly delay the Governor’s budget proposal seeks to prevent. The Committee’s action sends a clear message that progress matters.
“The information requested in the audit is already public and well-documented. No state General Fund dollars have been used to fund the Delta Conveyance Project. The Project is being paid for by participating public water agencies, which are governed by elected officials who govern through open and transparent processes. Nearly $300 million has been responsibly spent on planning, permitting and community engagement, and the terms of the project costs were publicly negotiated. Additional audits would only waste time and taxpayer resources.
“The Delta Conveyance Project is a long-overdue upgrade to the State Water Project — California’s most vital water delivery system. Since 2006, the state administration has recognized the project as essential to securing a reliable, affordable supply for 27 million people, including three-fourths of the state’s disadvantaged communities, thousands of farms and our state’s economy. The Department of Water Resources has completed a full environmental review, demonstrated financial transparency and is subject to regular oversight.
“We’re grateful to the Committee for standing up for timely, forward-looking infrastructure solutions. The time to act is now — not after more delay and duplicative review.”
