Statement from Charley Wilson, Executive Director and CEO of the Southern California Water Coalition
“After months of thoughtful dialogue about Southern California’s critical reliance on the State Water Project and the transformative potential of the Delta Conveyance Project, we are deeply disappointed that the DCP permit streamlining bill was not given the opportunity for a full legislative vote.
Southern California showed up — loud, clear, and united. From lawmakers to labor, social justice advocates, water managers and business leaders, we rallied around a solution to secure our water future. That momentum isn’t going anywhere.
We remain committed to advancing education and process improvements for vital water infrastructure with both the community and policymakers in the years to come.”
The DCP permit streamlining bill would have cut red tape, sped up decisionmaking based on sound data, improved construction, and saved up to $500 million — all while protecting the environment.
The Delta Conveyance Project is a vital lifeline for over 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland, modernizing how we move water from north to south and safeguarding our supply against climate change, sea level rise, and earthquakes.
Modernizing the Delta is about securing California’s water backbone. Without it, other investments — from recycling plants in Southern California to groundwater banking in the Central Valley — won’t have the stable supply they need to succeed.
The Southern California Water Coalition (SCWC) – established in 1984 – is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public education partnership dedicated to informing Southern Californians about our water needs and our state’s water resources.
