Tunnels Opponents: Gov. Brown’s Bond NOT “Tunnels Neutral”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, August 11, 2014

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Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; steve@hopcraft.com; Twitter: @shopcraft; @MrSandHillCrane; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 barbara@restorethedelta.org; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta

Several Provisions Enable Tunnels Construction, Operation; Taxpayers Pay to Replace River Water Taken for Export, Habitat Mitigates Damage from Tunnels

 

Sacramento, CA – Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build Peripheral Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, and salmon and other Pacific fisheries, today cited several specific provisions of Governor Brown’s water bond proposal that are NOT “tunnels neutral.” We call upon the governor and the legislature to remove taxpayer funding that would replace needed river water flows taken by the tunnels, and have taxpayers fund mitigating tunnels damage. We have identified specific provisions in the governor’s bond proposal that are intended to enable or mitigate the water export tunnels. “The governor and others claim their proposals are ‘tunnels neutral’ while at the same time funding mitigation or replacement water,” said Barrigan-Parrilla. “If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck; it’s a duck. These provisions quack loudly and they say, ‘thanks for funding activities essential to building the massive water export tunnels for a few mega-grower billionaires.”

Page  10 Chapter 6.  Protecting Rivers. Lakes, Streams, Coastal Waters and Watersheds. ($1,450,000,000) 79727 (II) Delta Conservancy  ($50,000,000)
This funding is BDCP-related. It contains no limitations to already-owned State lands, or approval by boards of supervisors of the county or counties in which the lands are located.

Page 11    79733   ($200,000,000)
BDCP-related water purchase: Wildlife Conservation Board for projects that result in increased stream flows.

Page 13797XX($475,000,000) (e) CVPIA 3406(d)
BDCP related – water purchase: A water supply for wildlife refuge obligation of the Central Valley Project (CVP), intended to free up water for CVP agricultural water deliveries.

Pages 13 & 1479733(a)($87,500,000)
BDCP related: Dept. of Fish & Wildlife for water quality, ecosystem restoration, and fish protection facilities.

Pages 22 & 23 Flood Management($395,000,000) 797XX – $295,000,000
BDCP related habitat being funded through levee programs.

Page 24 Reallocation of Prop. 84  $105,000,000
Could be used for BDCP 

Page 24 Reallocation of Prop. 50 $95,000,000
Could be used for BDCP  Possible BDCP related funding = $1.3 Billion to $1.4 Billion

Restore the Delta is a 15,000-member grassroots organization committed to making the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable to benefit all of California. Restore the Delta works to improve water quality so that fisheries and farming can thrive together again in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. www.restorethedelta.org

 

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