Karmactive Staff
Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a comprehensive accountability plan Wednesday for California’s controversial Delta Conveyance Project. The plan includes $200 million specifically earmarked for communities near the massive tunnel construction sites.
The Delta Conveyance Accountability Action Plan aims to address growing concerns about the project’s impact on local residents. The plan creates five main programs designed to protect communities during construction work.
At the center of the plan sits a dedicated Ombudsman Office. This office will serve as a single contact point for residents who have complaints or concerns about construction activities. The office promises to handle grievances efficiently and fairly while keeping the public informed about project progress.
The Community Benefits Program represents the largest financial commitment. The $200 million fund will provide community grants, economic development opportunities, and infrastructure improvements for areas closest to construction zones. The program also includes agreements for community-specific projects that address local needs.
The plan follows best practices for ensuring local communities can productively communicate with project representatives and monitor commitments throughout construction. A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program will track environmental protection measures designed to avoid, minimize, or offset potential impacts.
Community Advisory Groups will give local residents a voice in project decisions. These groups will work alongside a transparent communication strategy that keeps communities updated about construction schedules, impacts, and available resources.
The Delta Conveyance Project represents a major overhaul of California’s water delivery system. The project would create a tunnel running underground through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The tunnel aims to capture water during heavy storm periods and move it to areas throughout California.
The State Water Project currently serves 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland across the San Joaquin Valley, Southern California, Bay Area, and Central Coast. State officials say the tunnel would improve the system’s ability to capture water during atmospheric river storms and protect against earthquake damage.
Opposition to the project remains fierce. The California Legislative Delta Caucus, led by Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson and Senator Jerry McNerney, strongly opposes Newsom’s push to fast-track the project through a budget trailer bill.
“Delta communities that will be devastated by this unaffordable and unnecessary project cannot be bought off with $200 million,” Wilson and McNerney stated. They argue the project threatens thousands of acres of prime farmland, fisheries, and historic tribal resources.
The tunnel project faces opposition from every city and community in the Delta region, with a broad bipartisan coalition including more than 100 legislators, cities, counties, public agencies, environmental and tribal organizations.
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Delta Counties Coalition Chair Patrick Hume criticized the accountability plan as a recycled effort lacking enforceable specifics. He urged investment in alternatives like upgrading existing infrastructure, building more storage, and improving water efficiency and reuse programs.
The project timeline traces back to 2019 when Newsom withdrew the previous twin-tunnel “WaterFix” proposal and began environmental review for a single-tunnel design. The environmental analysis included extensive public outreach and responses to more than 7,000 public comments.
Opposition groups describe the project as a roughly 45-mile, 36-foot-wide tunnel running 100 to 130 feet underground. They project construction lasting at least 15 years and estimate costs exceeding $20 billion. These figures come from Delta Caucus and coalition opponents, who also warn of disruption to approximately 500,000 Delta residents.
Newsom defended the plan, saying critics make “false claims” that Delta communities’ concerns aren’t being heard. He argues the accountability framework directly responds to community concerns and shows the administration is listening.
The governor continues pushing for legislative approval of a budget trailer bill to fast-track the project. The accountability plan represents the latest chapter in California’s decades-long water wars, pitting water delivery needs against environmental protection and local community concerns. The single-tunnel approach initiated in 2019 included extensive public outreach and addressed more than 7,000 public comments during the environmental review process.
