PRESS RELEASE

Today, the Delta Stewardship Council’s (Council) held a hearing on appeals of the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Delta Plan consistency certification for the Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel). Yolo County Supervisor Oscar Villegas spoke in public comment during the hearing urging the Council to remand the certification.

“Having previously served on the Delta Stewardship Council, I understand the complexity of this decision,” said Supervisor Oscar Villegas. “A project of this magnitude requires independent verification to ensure Delta Plan standards are met. I respectfully urge the Council to remand the consistency certification so we can get this right for the Delta and California’s water future. Our water infrastructure cannot benefit one part of the state at the expense of another.”

The certification submitted by DWR is not supported by substantial evidence that the Delta Tunnel is consistent with the Delta Reform Act, or the coequal goals of the Delta Plan: a more reliable statewide water supply and a healthy and protected Delta ecosystem.  Further, it would forever alter the character of the Delta and harm the “Delta as a place” with monolithic intakes and years of construction with massive staging areas.  

Equally troubling is the project’s uncertain financial foundation. Recent court rulings have raised serious questions about DWR’s legal authority to finance the Delta Tunnel through bond issuances. The lack of a clear and lawful funding plan directly affects the project’s consistency with Delta Plan Policy, which requires demonstrated, long-term funding for adaptive management and mitigation measures.

Yolo County has worked alongside Delta partners to ensure that DWR complies with state law and the requirements of the Delta Plan. The certification before the Council fails to meet those standards. Critical findings — particularly regarding funding and mitigation — are not supported by the evidence required for a project of this magnitude.

Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair Sheila Allen states “Yolo County has been diligently working with our neighboring counties as part of the Delta County Coalition to assure that our regional water and agricultural needs are met as well as the regulations.”

The Council plays a vital role in protecting both water supply reliability and the Delta’s environmental, cultural, and economic resources. Until DWR can demonstrate lawful financing, enforceable mitigation, and true consistency with the Delta Plan, the certification should be remanded. Moving forward without these safeguards risks irreversible harm to the Delta economy and the communities that call it home."