From the Delta Counties Coalition:
Today, Pat Hume, Member of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, issued the following statement on behalf of the Delta Counties of Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, and Yolo regarding the Delta Stewardship Council’s hearing on appeals of the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) consistency certification for the Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel):
We strongly urge the Delta Stewardship Council (Council) to closely and impartially examine the evidence presented during the Delta Tunnel consistency appeals hearing and reject any determination that relies on incomplete, unsupported, or false conclusions, or interpretations of the Council’s regulations that would undermine the Delta Reform Act’s coequal goals.
There is substantial evidence that the Delta Tunnel, according to DWRs’ administrative record, is not supported by the Delta Reform Act or Delta Plan policies, and there are significant failures to address impacts to Delta communities, agriculture, recreation, and cultural resources. Critically, the Delta Tunnel disregards local land uses and does not reduce reliance on the Delta through improved regional self-reliance, as required by the Legislature and the Council’s Delta Plan.
Appellants demonstrated that key mitigation measures remain undefined and that critical findings are not supported by the best available science — requirements that are central to both the Delta Plan and the Delta Reform Act. Without clear, enforceable mitigation and reliable data, the Council cannot reasonably conclude that a project of this magnitude would protect the Delta’s cultural heritage, agricultural economy, and recreational resources — all central components of the Delta
Reform Act.
The Delta Counties urge Council members to carefully consider the testimony, appeals, and supporting evidence presented in this proceeding to make a thorough and independent determination. When exercising its discretion and interpreting its policies, the Council should be mindful of its central role in protecting the Delta and water supply reliability for water users within and outside of the Delta.
The Delta Reform Act requires that water supply reliability be pursued in balance with ecosystem restoration and protecting the Delta’s unique cultural, environmental, and economic values. A finding of consistency must be supported by substantial evidence that these protections are real, enforceable, and grounded in sound science. Until those standards are clearly
met, allowing the Delta Tunnel to move forward risks both the Council’s mission and the long-term sustainability of our communities, which state law intended to be protected by the Delta Reform Act.
