Josh Harder to introduce legislation to prevent the Delta Tunnel from gaining ground
The fight for California’s water supply is set to take center stage in the nation’s capital Monday as Central Valley Congressman Josh Harder is set to take the strongest move yet to prevent the state’s proposed giant water tunnel from gaining ground like this a zombie project. Every time we kill it, Sacramento politicians bring it back. They’re trying again with the same playbook for 60 years,” Harder said. The delta, fed by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, collects and transports water to more than 27 million Californians and supports 750,000 acres of farmland vital to modernizing the aging “The Delta Tunnels aren’t modernizing anything,” Harder told KCRA 3. “All it’s doing is building a giant tunnel to channel the water our community depends on to Los Angeles. t.” Call that modernization, I call that stealing all federal support for the Delta extraction project.” This bill essentially prohibits the Delta Tunnels from ever being started and ensures they will not receive federal approval, which they need to to start construction and that will make sure we can save our water here, save our tax dollars here instead of sending it to LA what actually does nothing to solve our state’s water problems,” Harder said. The California Department of Water Resources is the proponent of the project. DWR said it could not comment on upcoming federal legislation but sent the following statement: “California faces a future of water instability, more rain, less snow and more frequent extreme events such as drought and flooding. A Conveyance Project protects against future water supply losses from climate change, sea level rise and earthquakes. It would allow us to capture, move, and store water by making the most of large but rare storm events. And it would help keep the State Water Project reliable for the 27 million Californians who need a safe, clean, and affordable water supply. See attached graphic for more information,” said Carrie Buckman, environmental program manager for the Delta Conveyance Project in the Department of Water Resources of the thousands of jobs we will lose for family farmers in the Central Valley than making sure someone in LA a little more water for his pool,” Congressman Harder said. According to the state, the price tag for the Delta tunnel is almost $ 16 billion. And I don’t want my tax dollars going to a project that’s going to steal the water my family needs. And I don’t want anyone else’s family to be in the same situation,” Harder said.
The battle for California’s water supply is set to take center stage in the nation’s capital Monday as Central Valley Congressman Josh Harder is set to take the strongest move yet to prevent the state’s proposed giant water tunnel from gaining ground .
“The Delta Tunnels are like a zombie project. Every time we kill it, the Sacramento politicians bring it back. They’re trying the same playbook again for 60 years,” Harder said.
Fed by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, the delta collects and transports water for more than 27 million Californians and is vital to 750,000 acres of farmland.
A downsized single tunnel, backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would bypass the central delta and direct water south, which state officials said would modernize aging water infrastructure.
“The Delta Tunnels aren’t modernizing anything,” Harder told KCRA 3. “All they’re doing is building a giant tunnel to channel the water our community depends on to Los Angeles. I don’t call that modernization, I call that theft.”
The congressman said he will introduce a new bill Monday called the Stop the Delta Tunnels Act that would prohibit the Secretary of the Army from granting a permit for the project, effectively ending all federal support for the Delta Conveyance Project.
“This law essentially bans the Delta Tunnels from even getting started and ensures they don’t get the federal permit they need to start construction and it will ensure we can conserve our water here, our tax dollars here instead of sending them to LA, which doesn’t actually do anything to solve our state’s water problems,” Harder said.
The California Department of Water Resources supports the project.
DWR said it could not comment on pending federal legislation, but sent the following statement:
“California faces a future of water instability, more rain, less snow, and more frequent extreme events like drought and flooding.
The Delta Conveyance Project protects against future water supply losses from climate change, sea level rise and earthquakes. It would allow us to capture, move, and store water by making the most of large but rare storm events. And it would help keep the State Water Project reliable for the 27 million Californians who need a safe, clean, and affordable water supply. See attached graphic for more information,” said Carrie Buckman, environmental program manager for the Delta Conveyance Project in the Department of Water Resources
“When it comes down to the people who actually benefit, I care more about the thousands of jobs we will lose for family farmers in the Central Valley than making sure someone in LA can have a little more water for their swimming pool,” he said Congressman Harder.
According to the state, the price of the Delta Tunnel is nearly $16 billion.
“This will be a publicly funded project from the dollars you send to Sacramento. And I don’t want my taxpayer dollars going to a project that’s going to steal the water my family needs. And I don’t want to be someone else’s family in the same situation,” Harder said.
