FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 7, 2013
Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; steve@hopcraft.com; Twitter: @shopcraft
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 barbara@restorethedelta.org;
Twitter: @RestoretheDelta
In case you missed it…
The Sacramento Bee
Viewpoints: The Economic case for a Bay Delta Conservation Plan without the twin tunnels
By Jeffrey Michael Special to The Bee
Published: Sunday, October 6, 2013
The $25 billion Bay Delta Conservation Plan is on the brink of failure. Its proponents have been unable to show that the plan meets environmental requirements, and they have failed to develop a viable financial plan for its massive water-conveyance tunnels.
The BDCP can be saved, but only if the state drops its tunnel vision and seriously considers no-tunnel options. The plan contains 21 parts, including the water-conveyance tunnels, 19 habitat and conservation elements, and long-term operating guidelines for water exports.
Even without the tunnels, it would be a plan of historic significance. More important, the cost would decrease by $20 billion, while the vast majority of its benefits would be preserved. Most of the benefits in the current plan are not due to the physical characteristics of the tunnels, but result from the long-term regulatory stability the plan would create.
To read the full article, click here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/10/06/5795961/viewpoints-the-economic-case-for.html
A few follow-up notes from Dr. Michael on the no-tunnel BDCP posted on his Valley Economy Blog:
A No-Tunnel BDCP, Optimizing Through Delta Water Conveyance