For Immediate Release: 4/5/17
Contact: Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, 209-479-2053, barbara@restorethedelta.org
Santa Clara Valley Water District Continues Funding Delta Tunnel Planning Despite Promise to Ratepayers
San Jose, CA – In 2016, the Board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District heard complaints by ratepayers who raised concerns about the environmental impacts of the Tunnels on the San Francisco-Bay Delta estuary.
In response, the SCVWD Board promised they would no longer continue to fund Delta Tunnels planning until there is proper public vetting and the project had a complete finance plan that shared costs with all the potential water districts, especially the rural districts that serve agricultural interests in the San Joaquin Valley.
But according to the latest meeting materials from San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA), it appears that Santa Clara Valley Water District was the only member agency that voted to provide the Department of Water Resources with additional funding for the Planning Phase of Delta Tunnels.
On page 13 it states:
“WHEREAS, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is the only member agencies that elected to apply its interests in the Remaining Note Proceeds to ongoing DHCCP Planning Costs, and therefore the Water Authority must define the terms by which it would provide such funding to DWR.”
Among the SCVWD ratepayer objections in 2016 was concern that urban water users were unfairly subsidizing Delta Tunnels planning costs for big agricultural water districts like Westlands Water District — which has a history of getting other government agencies to pay their way.
Restore the Delta is encouraging homeowners and businesses in Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose (especially in Alviso), Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sunnyvale to contact the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board and share their outrage over this broken promise.