In response to yesterday’s action by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to initiate an Environmental Impact Report for a Delta tunnel project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, San Joaquin County officials issued the following comments:

“The latest action by the State does absolutely nothing to address any of the goals it seeks to accomplish,” said San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Chair, Kathy Miller. "Any tunnel project – one tunnel or two – cannot ensure water deliveries, solve issues related to climate change, protect infrastructure from an earthquake or improve aquatic conditions in the Delta. In fact, the continued focus on a tunnel prevents better alternatives from being considered that actually reduce reliance on the Delta, protect the Delta’s fragile ecosystem, produce more water for California, and secure water supply reliability.”

“It’s disappointing and frankly disingenuous for the State to request input from Delta stakeholders who will be most impacted by a tunnel project, only to be ignored in order to move forward with a plan that was already predetermined,” said San Joaquin County Supervisor Chuck Winn. “Another year was wasted that could have been better spent pursuing more cost-effective, less divisive approaches that reduce reliance on the Delta as required by State law and produce more water like expanding water supplies, increasing water storage, investing in Delta levees, supporting conservation and promoting greater regional self-reliance.”

The Supervisors noted that San Joaquin County is committed to achieving the co-equal goals outlined in the Delta Reform Act of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem. The County will continue to pursue a portfolio approach that does not include a tunnel, whether through negotiations, legislation or litigation.

For more information about the Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project visit this link.

###