Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Delta Advocates Say Tunnels Violate Federal Environmental Laws

As the public comment period closed on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, more than thirty thousand letters were submitted opposing Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to build twin tunnels to shuttle Sacramento River water around the Delta to some Central Valley farms and Southern California real estate developments. That compares to some ten thousand letters supporting the project. Delta advocates and scientists say that, if built, the tunnels will violate critical federal environmental laws. They’re also alarmed about the proposed purchase of four Delta islands that lie in the path of the tunnels by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and three Kern County water districts Pacifica’s Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.