Delta Wars

State Sen. Jerry McNerney is laying down the gauntlet against Newsom’s budget proposal to fast-track the controversial Delta tunnel.

McNerney said Tuesday he has the votes to defeat Newsom’s bid last week to speed up the permitting for a tunnel underneath the state’s main water delivery hub, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, if it came to that.

McNerney said his next move is convincing Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and other legislative leadership to take his side — though he acknowledged they may be reluctant to go against Newsom, who sees the tunnel as a key climate adaptation project he wants to get permitted before he leaves office.

“People don’t like to cross the governor, and this is very important to him, apparently,” said McNerney.

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