March 11, 2020 DWR CEQA Process Proceeds with Tunnel Proposal Independent Experts Deem “Impractical” The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is soliciting public comment on the scope of environmental review for a revised Delta tunnel project despite prior findings of independent technical experts that a key project proposal is “impractical,” stating that it “does not recommend” further study. DWR’s January 15, 2020 Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project proposes two possible tunnel corridors for a 40-foot diameter pipeline that would convey water diverted from the Sacramento River in south Sacramento County to State Water Project facilities in the Discovery Bay area. The NOP’s timing raises questions among Delta stakeholders about the role of ongoing stakeholder engagement processes in light of the independent technical experts’ December 2019 findings…. Read More Written by Alyson E. Ackerman |