Ahead of its March 18 hearing in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, SB 872 is bringing together Northern and Southern California legislators, environmental groups including Restore the Delta, and water interests to protect the state’s primary water source.
The bill addresses two major threats to California’s water supply: aging levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and sinking canals in the State Water Project (SWP). Many Delta levees are at risk of failure, raising the threat of catastrophic flooding and ecosystem damage, while sinking land is jeopardizing SWP canals and reliable water deliveries. SB 872 would dedicate $300 million annually to repair Delta levees and reinforce SWP canals.
More than 60 organizations support the bill, prioritizing efforts to safeguard water supplies, protect critical infrastructure, and prepare California’s water system for future challenges.
“Aging Delta levee infrastructure is facing increased pressure as climate change impacts precipitation patterns and storms grow in intensity. SB 872 takes steps to prioritize investments in Delta levees, and by extension the communities, ecosystems, and economies that depend upon the Delta,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta. “We applaud Sen. McNerney in taking this first step to initiate the conversation about prioritizing proactive efforts to protect the Delta as a place for its 4 million area residents and for the future of California.”
Read more about the bill here.
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