Delta Tunnel opponents slam Gov. Newsom's revised budget plan to fast-track project

SACRAMENTO - Sacramento — Governor Gavin Newsom in May announced, as part of his May Budget Revise, a controversial proposal to fast-track and “streamline” the Delta Conveyance Project, AKA Delta Tunnel.

Newsom claimed the project would advance “much-needed and long-overdue improvements to the State Water Project,” while a coalition of Tribes, fishing groups, environmental justice organizations, Delta water districts and Delta counties and cities say the project would do irreparable harm to the San Francisco-Bay Delta ecosystem and Delta communities.

Echoing the Trump Administration’s plans to export more Delta water to agribusiness billionaires and Southern California water brokers, Newsom stated, “For too long, attempts to modernize our critical water infrastructure have stalled in endless red tape, burdened with unnecessary delay.”

“We’re done with barriers — our state needs to complete this project as soon as possible so that we can better stores and manage water to prepare for a hotter, drier future. Let’s get this built,” said Newsom.

The Governor’s Office also claimed that “If the service area of the State Water Project were its own country, its economy would rank eighth largest in the world, generating $2.3 trillion in goods and services annually.”

Specifically, Newsom’s proposal would streamline the project by:

• “Simplifying permitting. The proposal would simplify permitting for the project by eliminating certain deadlines from existing State Water Project water rights permits — recognizing that the State Water Project should continue serving Californians’ water needs indefinitely. The proposal would also strengthen enforcement of the Water Board’s existing rules for permit protests.

• Confirming funding authority. The proposal confirms that the Department of Water Resources has the authority to issue bonds for the cost of the DCP, to be repaid by participating public water agencies.

• Preventing unnecessary litigation delays. The proposal narrows and streamlines judicial review of future challenges to the Delta Conveyance Project, building on models that have served other large public works projects.

• Supporting construction. The proposal streamlines the authority to acquire land, supporting ultimate construction of the Delta Conveyance Project.”

Restore the Delta: “An alarming effort to bypass longstanding processes”

But Delta Tunnel opponents quickly condemned what they described as “an alarming effort to bypass longstanding legal, environmental, and public participation processes in order to fast-track the controversial Delta Conveyance Project” — a massive 45-mile long underground water tunnel that would divert water from the Bay-Delta to industrial agriculture and wealthy water agencies in Southern California.

‘The Delta Conveyance Project is legally a ‘beneficiary pays’ project — meaning the water users who benefit must cover the costs,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta. “Yet today, the Governor wants to bypass the legal and public processes because the project doesn’t pass the economic or environmental standards Californians expect.”

“$20.1 billion before Trump-era tariff inflation, construction overruns, and interest means this tunnel could cost up to $60 billion — for a system that would sit dry frequently due to climate-driven water scarcity. There is a better way, and the real water leaders in California know that,” she stated.

In response to Newsom’s plan, Restore the Delta pointed out that by “cutting red tape,” Newsom’s proposal would actually:

• Eliminate permit deadlines designed to protect water rights and ensure fair process;

• Drastically reduce judicial review, making it harder for communities and Tribes to challenge harmful impacts;

• Expand eminent domain authority to seize land for tunnel construction;

• Cement funding mechanisms without transparent oversight or accountability to taxpayers.

“This proposal strips Californians — especially those in the Delta region — of their right to be heard on one of the largest, most environmentally risky infrastructure projects in state history. It’s a power grab disguised as climate adaptation,” said Barrigan-Parrilla.

“California’s climate challenges are real — but a tunnel is the wrong response. Investing in local, distributed water solutions like stormwater capture, wastewater recycling, groundwater recharge, and water efficiency would deliver more reliable results at a lower cost and with greater local job creation,” she continued.

“How can the state afford a $60 billion tunnel when we’re already losing $16 billion due to new federal tariffs?” asked Barrigan-Parrilla. “And how does forcing this extremely costly and outdated project onto Californians make the state more affordable — especially when local water solutions are proven to cost less and deliver more?”

She said Newsom’s proposal “directly contradicts the Legislature’s stated goal of making California more affordable.” It would force higher water rates on millions of Californians — especially low-income residents in Southern California — to pay for a project that benefits the few at the expense of the many.

“This is not climate leadership. It’s a top-down push for an unaffordable, unnecessary tunnel that fails to solve the state’s real water challenges. We call on the Legislature to reject this budget proposal and protect public process, affordability, and real solutions that work for all Californians — not just the biggest water agencies,” Barrigan-Parrilla concluded.

Golden State Salmon Association: “A nail in the coffin” of salmon runs

Scott Artis, Executive Director of the Golden State Salmon Association, also weighed on the Governor’s proposal to “streamline” the Delta Tunnel permitting process.

“The Governor’s proposal is a Trump-style attack on the salmon fishing industry and the state’s biggest rivers. Commercial salmon fishing has been shut down for three straight years because of crashing salmon runs,” he observed. “Now the Governor is proposing to slash protections to build the biggest salmon-killing project in the state.”

“Climate change is making our state hotter and drier. Spending $20 billion on the Delta tunnel for climate resilience is like building more horse drawn buggies to make transportation more climate friendly. Smart water agencies know that there’s a far better source of abundant climate-smart water supply — water recycling, water use efficiency, stormwater capture, groundwater storage, and more,” he stated.

“All of Central Valley agriculture decided years ago that this project was not worth the astronomical cost. The Governor and Big Ag are hoping they can sucker Southern California and Silicon Valley ratepayers into paying for this boondoggle,” Artis added.

“At the end of the day, this proposal is a nail in the coffin of California’s once mighty salmon runs, a stake in the heart of the Delta, and a raid on the pocketbooks of the people of Southern California and Silicon Valley,” Artis said.

Save California Salmon: “Don’t destroy the Bay-Delta”

“Governor Newsom’s efforts to force approvals for the Delta Conveyance Project ignores long standing objections from Tribes, Delta communities, and commercial fishing families,” said Regina Chichizola, executive director of Save California Salmon. “Moving this unpopular project forward has been subject to laws and public review for a reason.”

“Californians oppose this project because it will cause irreversible harm to water quality, salmon, communities, and the fragile Delta ecosystem while providing marginal, and unreliable, benefits to the rest of the state. When the governor was elected, he promised to protect California’s environment. Now he calls for the stripping of critical public protections and selling our water to the highest bidder. It is getting harder and harder to see the difference between Newsom and Trump,” she stated.

“Making an end-run around essential processes won’t make destroying the Delta a better idea,” continued Chichizola. “This proposal continues to perpetuate a water rights system that lines the pockets of large agricultural producers while working people are left high and dry. Regular Californians deserve to have a say, and environmental protections, when it comes to our most important resource, clean water.”

Food & Water Watch: “Unnecessary, harmful and expensive project”

Food & Water Watch California Director Nicole Ghio released the following statement regarding the Governor’s proposal:

“Our Governor is absolutely correct that climate change has had a significant impact on our state’s water supplies, posing a major risk for millions of Californians that need and deserve clean, safe drinking water. However – as we have been saying for years – the Delta Tunnel is not the answer.

“Rather than recklessly fast-tracking this unnecessary, harmful, and expensive project that will mainly benefit corporate agribusinesses and other powerful interests, Governor Newsom must hold major polluters accountable and immediately rein in the water abuse by the big agribusiness and fossil fuel corporations that guzzle up billions of gallons of California’s water.”

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