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| The Sacramento Delta in a Jerry Brown wet-dream. |
The Gang Rape of the Delta
"I'm not willing to sacrifice my land for somebody
growing cotton in the desert."
Chuck Baker, Delta Farmer
(San Luis Obispo Tribune) - Federal and California agencies have filed some of the first permit applications for a proposed project involving the construction of twin 30-mile tunnels to help carry water from the northern to southern and central regions of the state, officials said Thursday.
As part of the project promoted by Gov. Jerry Brown, the state Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation want approval to build three giant water intakes, each longer than three football fields, to draw water from the Sacramento River to feed through the tunnels.
The state Water Resources Control Board, which must approve or reject the request, expects to complete its review within two years, barring unforeseen developments, agency spokesman Timothy Moran said.
Brown and his administration have pushed for construction of the tunnels, which the state estimates will cost $17 billion, saying the current systems that carry water from the delta of the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers are inefficient, outdated and vulnerable to earthquakes.
Southern California water agencies, which hope to obtain more water through the tunnels, have supported the project but not yet publicly submitted a financing plan.
State and federal authorities said they submitted the application to start the process but will expect an answer only after a final assessment of the project's impact on the delta, its habitats and wildlife.
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| Gov. Jerry Brown (AP File Photo) |
"The petition to the state water board begins a long process that includes public input," Nancy Vogel, spokeswoman for the state Department of Water Resources, said in an email.
Delta farmers, fishing groups and some environmental organizations have opposed the tunnels. They say removing water from the delta for the tunnels would destroy farms, wildlife and habitat that depend on the delta, one of the West Coast's largest estuaries.
The project currently is under public and federal review of its environmental impact.
Tunnel opponents say the state should wait for assessment of the environmental impact on the delta, and federal environmental approval of the overall project, before moving ahead.
Last week, tunnel opponents released an August 2014 plan by the state's contractor outlining plans to use eminent domain, if needed, to acquire land from delta farms for the project.
The land-acquisition plan and permit application "show these agencies consider the democratic process is just a side-show" when it comes to building the tunnels, Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, head of the group Restore the Delta, which opposes the project, said in a statement.
Vogel, the state Department of Water Resources spokeswoman, said the permit application and the environmental report submitted earlier this year involve different issues and public processes.
"It's typical on all construction projects to start seeking permits from multiple agencies in parallel with the environmental review and its public comment process," she said in the email.
Save The Delta
A rally at the State Capitol to oppose Governor Brown's proposal to build peripheral tunnels to divert water from the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta to pump south.
Kill the Canal
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| A Drain the Delta Dry With one hand the liar political hacks claim they want to "save" the Sacramento Delta. Then with the other hand they plan to send the Delta's water south to use on Southern California front lawns, crops and golf courses. |
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| See one our many articles: Jerry Brown wants to destroy the Sacramento Delta |
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