Articles of interest for 12/11/13

Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and associated Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) Now Available for Public Review and Comment

Public Meetings:  for complete list click here

You are invited to attend one of the twelve public meetings being held throughout California in January and February 2014 to learn more about the Draft BDCP and Draft EIR/EIS, and submit comments. The meeting times and location are listed below, or you can download a PDF copy of the meeting schedule on the How to Comment fact sheet.

Radio: 

12/10/13 KQED Forum

Latest Delta Plan Opens Floodgates for More Debate, Controversy The Brown administration released an environmental study on Monday of its $25 billion plan that includes two massive tunnels to move water from Northern California to other parts of the state. Gov. Brown touts the plan as a conservation strategy to protect fish and wildlife while securing the state’s water supplies. We’ll discuss what’s in the proposal, which will undergo a four-month public comment period before being finalized. Guests:

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director, Restore the Delta

Gary Bobker, director of the Rivers and Delta Program at The Bay Institute

Lauren Sommer, science and environment reporter for KQED Public Radio

Mark Cowin, director of the Department of Water Resources

Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)

12/10/13 KPFA 94.1 Berkeley Vic Bedoian  The Pacifica Evening News Post: State Releases Bay Delta Conservation Plan  Link:

KPCC  Air Talk  Southern California Public Radio 12/10/13 Barbara Barrigan Parrilla and Paul Helliker, Deputy Director, California Department of Water Resources Major environmental report released on Delta water tunnels project

12/10/13 Additional Print Coverage

Proposed delta tunnels may not satisfy water needs, documents say —  Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times

A $25-billion proposal to re-engineer the hub of California’s sprawling water system may not yield all the water that San Joaquin Valley farmers and Southland cities want, leaving open the question of whether the massive project will be built.

State plan to restore delta costs $24.7 billion  Jason Dearen Associated Press 

SAN FRANCISCO — California water officials on Monday released a draft of a $24.7 billion plan to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, in part by building two 30-mile underground tunnels to ensure stable water delivery to millions of Californians… “With California facing a possible third consecutive dry year and with poor environmental conditions in the Bay Delta, it is imperative that California makes significant progress on a comprehensive ecosystem and water supply solution,” the coalition wrote in a joint statement.

Comparing the Financial Hole in the Delta Water Tunnels Plan to High-Speed Rail – Jeff Michael’s Valley Economy blog posted late 12/10/13

A comment I made comparing the tunnels to high speed rail was printed in the San Jose Mercury News, “The financial hole in this is at least as large as the financial hole in the high-speed rail plan.”  People are interested in the comparison between these so-called legacy projects, so here are some of the simple calculations behind the statement.

Viewpoints: When it comes to re-plumbing the Delta, trust is a two …  By Assembly member Roger Dickinson – Sacramento Bee-10 hours ago

… When it comes to re-plumbing the Delta, trust is a two-way street … and to build trust among both the people and the agencies involved in the …

Steve Knell: Governor’s plan and state water board plan at odds  (Oakdale Water District) – Modesto Bee-12 hours ago

The Brown administration recently released a draft California Water Action Plan, the purpose of which is to outline and address the state’s water …

New farming technology can’t replace need for water: Guest … Los Angeles Daily News-19 hours ago

Southern Californians are leaders in conservation, using the same amount of water today as 20 years ago, despite adding 3 million people to …

One chance to do it right Santa Clarita Valley Signal-8 hours ago

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan proposal to modernize the state’s water-delivery system with two tunnels under the Delta would avoid this calamity.

Dan Masnada is the general manager of the Castaic Lake Water Agency.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan Now Available For Public Comment  KHTS Santa Clarita  Tue, 12/10/2013 – 3:27pm (quotes Masnada, see above)

An Introduction to California’s Delta Tunnel and Salmon Controversy KCET-by Chris Clarke-16 hours ago

The tunnels are the linchpin of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), a draft of the environmental impact assessment for which was released Tuesday by the …  (McMannis & Grader)

BDCP called a “triple platinum lie” Central Valley Business Times-22 hours ago

That happened Monday when Restore the Delta used a rally and press conference on the steps of the state Capitol building to launch its “Californians for a Fair …

12/11/13

Maven’s MinutesSecretaries Laird, Rodriguez and Ross discuss the California Water Action Plan

Our View: Who’s going to have firm grasp on water plan? – Appeal-Democrat  12/11/13

We’re not ashamed to admit we’re feeling pretty challenged when it comes to reporting on the recently released public draft of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

Dark Links: the MLPA Initiative and Bay Delta Conservation Plan  Dan Bacher Daily Kos

The privately-funded Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the peripheral tunnels at first may appear to be entirely different processes. The MLPA Initiative, a process begun in 2004 …

 

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