As the State Water Board prepares to adopt the updated Bay-Delta Plan this week, San Francisco Chronicle reporting reveals significant flaws surrounding the proposal’s implementation and funding.
The article points to the lack of buy-in from major water suppliers, including East Bay Municipal Utility District and Santa Clara Valley Water District, as a source of uncertainty for the viability of the updated Bay-Delta Plan. Water agencies that reject the updated plan could challenge the regulations in court, potentially leading to years of litigation.
The article also notes that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has threatened non-participation in the voluntary agreements that underlie the plan, and has promised to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in funding. Critics have long warned that the federal government cannot be relied upon as a partner in complying with state laws and regulatory decisions designed to protect Delta ecosystems, Tribes, and Delta communities.
“It just doesn’t work,” said Barry Nelson, an advisor for the Golden State Salmon Association. “It’s like having a car with two steering wheels, two accelerators, and drivers wanting to go in opposite directions.”
Without federal participation, the state could lose roughly 25% of the needed funding for implementation of the updated plan. And given that initial estimates for the plan’s costs are likely understated, the financial burden that will fall on California taxpayers could grow enormously.
Read the full article here.
