State Senator Jerry McNerney, who represents San Joaquin County, said the move was essentially giving the state a blank check to float bonds to pay for the water tunnel.
"The Delta water tunnel is expected to cost at least $20 billion — and likely much more — and will destroy nearly 4,000 acres of prime farmland in the fragile Delta, along with salmon fisheries and tribal resources," McNerney said.
The legislature should reject the governor’s proposal. Instead, California should pursue less expensive alternatives that would safeguard our main water supply system without causing great harm to it.
“The Delta water tunnel is expected to cost at least $20 billion, and likely much more, and will destroy nearly 4,000 acres of prime farmland in the fragile Delta, along with salmon fisheries and tribal resources,” said McNerney.
"The bipartisan Delta Caucus is unanimous in strong opposition to the governor’s proposal to fast-track the Delta Tunnel, a $20 billion unaffordable project to be paid by ratepayers who are already struggling with the high cost of living in California," the Delta Caucus wrote in a news release.
The California Legislative Delta Caucus on Thursday urged leaders of the California Senate and Assembly to reject Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to fast-track the Delta Tunnel Project in the 2025-26 state budget.
State Sen. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, also lambasted the plan.
"Governor Newsom's proposal to fast-track the costly and destructive Delta Tunnel Project in the state budget is a poorly conceived plan that the Legislature should reject," said State Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), co-chair of the California Legislative Delta Caucus.
