Gov. Gavin Newsom and some of California’s major water agencies suffered setbacks this week when the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta was in the state legislature, and the proposal for a 45-mile water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta was killed in the state legislature.
Newsom has been trying Simplify legal and environmental reviews Through budgetary measures, the proposed water tunnel will also give the state the power to issue bonds to pay for the project.
Delta MPs said they were pleased that the governor’s proposal failed to move forward in the last few days of the legislative session.
Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Pleaseanton) called it a “major victory for California and the Delta.”
“The tunneling project not only destroys much of the Delta region, but also creates burdens and unnecessary,” McNaney said. “It’s very expensive. It’s very harmful to the environment.”
He said the news agency and supporters of the proposed Delta Transportation Project have been working to get lawmakers to join, “but they still don’t get all the support needed for this foundation.”
Newsom can try again next year. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The State Water Agency Association said the governor’s proposal would simplify reviews, reduce costs and prevent unnecessary delays, but by the end of the meeting it “had fallen into a fascination with high-profile legislative activities.”
“Even if action is delayed this year, the demand for modern delta transport has never been greater, and the sooner we can decide on the construction decision, the less the construction costs will be.”
nation estimate The project will cost $20.1 billion, and rivals say it may cost Three times more.
Newsom and supporters of the project said the tunnel is for modernizing the country’s water supply system to achieve more severe droughts and climate change and to endure Sea level rise and the risk of major earthquakes in the region.
Opponents, including environmental advocates, fishing groups and tribal leaders, believe the project will damage the community and ecosystems of the delta and further Threat local fish It has declined.
40 leaders of environment, fishing and tribal groups Write to legislative leaders Last week’s opposition to what they called Newsom’s “unreasonable attempt to cover our democratic process and public opinion.”
They say the state should invest in different types of solutions, including recycling more wastewater, storing more water underground and strengthening aging dams in the delta.
Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, called the death of the effort a major victory, saying the governor’s proposal would “protect the gut environment, eliminate due process, and lock in the water for the running salmon that may have been struggling.”
Commercial fishing of Chinook salmon has been prohibit In the past three years, the California coast has been lacking in fish, Limited leisure fishing season Two years later, this year will be allowed this year.
State officials defend the news agency Efforts to help salmon population recoveryincluding restoring the tidal layer, removing obstacles that block fish migration, and reintroducing salmon in traditional spawning areas upstream of the dam.
The tunnel will create a second route that transports water from a new air inlet on the Sacramento River to the southern side of the Delta Send water into the ferry National water projects and all the way to cities and farmland.
Newsom, who will leave the office after 2026, said the project is crucial to the state’s future and made it a core priority. State officials said the tunnel will allow the state to capture more water during the wet years.
Supporters, including business advocates and local water officials, said the project will ensure water reliability in the Southern California economy. exist letter In June, a coalition of water agencies, business and labor organizations, and other supporters said the project “has been plagued by rash lawsuits and repeated comments.”
The initial pre-construction and planned work that funded the project included major urban water suppliers, such as Southern California Metropolitan Waters, and the Sanju Golden Valley Agricultural Water Agency, including the Kern County Water Department and the Dudley Ridge Water.
Californians, a coalition of local governments, business groups, unions and other supporters, said disappointingly, the negotiations pushed the governor’s proposals in the legislature to a standstill.
“While we feel sad that this year’s bill has not moved forward, we are inspired by a lot of support,” the organization said in a written statement. “Climate change remains a threat and work on the Delta Transportation Project will continue. Our work will not be done until the much-needed project is to operate and keep all of us Californians safe in water supply.”
