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In response to DEIR Restore the Delta claims tunnel project “will not save the Delta”

December 16, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Source: Restore the Delta

“The Tunnel Project will not save the Delta, and it probably will not save the State Water Project’s and Central Valley Project’s reliance on Delta exports either.” – letter from Restore the Delta on DEIR

The proposed Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel) would construct new water intake facilities on the Sacramento River in the north Delta to fill a single tunnel with diverted freshwater flows. That water would be shipped to large farming operations and water wholesalers south of the Delta. The Delta Conveyance project would divert up to 6,000 cubic feet of water per second. The project is estimated to cost between $16-40 billion and won’t be completed until at least 2040.

After the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project was released in July, the comment period was extended to today, Friday, December 16, 2022. The Draft EIR was prepared by the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) as the lead agency to comply with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act by evaluating a range of alternatives to the proposed project and disclosing potential environmental effects of the proposed project and alternatives, and associated mitigation measures for potentially significant impacts.

No decisions will be made on whether to approve the project until the conclusion of the environmental review process, after consideration of public comments submitted on the Draft EIR and issuances of a Final EIR. At that time, DWR will determine whether to approve the proposed project an alternative or no project.

On Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, Restore the Delta submitted detailed comments on the DEIR to the DWR.

“The California Department of Water Resources should be embarrassed by the lack of climate change planning in the DEIR for the proposed Delta Tunnel. The DEIR was out of date for climate change science when it was released in July 2022,” said Tim Stroshane, Policy Analyst, Restore the Delta. “If completed in 2040 it will be obsolete, then. Meanwhile, California will have spent big money on a project the state will be unable to use as Delta water levels rise. Instead, we should invest in the resilience of Delta environmental justice communities and the rest of the state for flood and water supplies, reducing the big projects’ reliance on the Delta for future water needs, using water use efficiency and water recycling, and increasing local and regional water supply self-sufficiency to ward off drought and megafloods.”

“DWR has learned nothing since California WaterFix. Their sales pitch, that the tunnel is a climate project, is built on incomplete data and faulty analysis,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta. “They have continued their pattern of erasing how the project will impact Delta urban environmental justice communities. And they are minimizing how construction will ruin small Delta farming towns, and the natural resources essential to the cultural and spiritual practices of historic Delta tribes. The tunnel is a failed idea that nobody supports, except for the Department of Water Resources.”

Read the comment letter and attachments by Restore the Delta.

Highlights from the Comments

Environmental impact of Tunnel:

“Reviewing the Executive Summary, we count 17 significant and unavoidable impacts of the proposed Tunnel project on the environment. Among these impacts will be loss of prime agricultural farmland, loss of local non-tribal cultural resources, transportation and air quality impacts, and painful loss of tribal cultural resources. There are other impacts omitted, belittled, or greenwashed by the Tunnel DEIR.”

Flow and salinity impacts when Tunnel in operation:

“The Tunnel Project has region-scale impacts on the Delta, should it be built. The Tunnel DEIRacknowledges that a major operational impact will be, reducing Sacramento River flows (and hence flows to its distributaries in north and central Delta channels) and reducing the estuary’s ability to repel tidal salt waters which are ever-present (see Attachment 9 to this letter). Such operational impacts will have economic and ecological impact on the Delta region, and a Community Benefits Program must be developed to mitigate the economic and ecological effects of Tunnel operations on Delta communities, especially environmental justice communities.”

Failure to consider alternatives:

“DWR in particular is hide-bound in its loyalty to a Delta conveyance approach eclipsed by the emerging and growing effects of extreme heat and extreme storms.

“A huge failure of imagination by DWR is on display in this DEIR. Each of these alternatives is vulnerable to the slings and arrows of expected climate change effects, which we will go into further below when commenting on project modeling methods and results. But what we see displayed in the Tunnel DEIR is a complete failure of state water officials to imagine alternative approaches these last few years since the demise of California WaterFix in early 2019.”

Faulty consideration of Delta Environmental Justice impacts:

“We are deeply disappointed that DWR resorted to ignoring its ‘Your Delta, Your Voice’ Survey as a basis for informing how and what kind of environmental, environmental justice, and community impacts the Delta Tunnel Project would impose on the Delta EJ community both of the direct Legal Delta and of the Delta Region as a whole. It is plainly obvious that 1) the Legal Delta as well as the Delta Region are bona fide environmental justice communities, with relatively small proportions of white and wealthy populations; 2) Delta residents AND Delta region community members rely substantially on the Delta directly, and the north Delta in particular, for subsistence fishing, and it is thus an environmental impact to have both fishing spots taken away from anglers and fish removed from the vicinity for North Delta Intakes construction activities; and 3) in the operational phase, lost flows in the Delta will increase salinity in the Delta as it reduces flows in north and central Delta channels, and thereby contributing to the spread of harmful algal blooms which will disproportionately injure Delta people who rely on fishing and broad outdoor activities to enjoy the Delta. In sum, the Delta Tunnel Project will harm such beneficial users of water as fish, outdoor water-contact recreation, and environmental justice communities.”

About Restore the Delta
Restore the Delta (RTD) is a grassroots campaign of residents and organizations committed to restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta so that fisheries, communities, and family farming can thrive there together again; so that water quality is protected for all communities, particularly environmental justice communities; and so that Delta environmental justice communities are protected from flood and drought impacts resulting from climate change while gaining improved public access to clean waterways. Ultimately our goal is to connect communities to our area rivers and to empower communities to become the guardians of the estuary through participation in government planning and waterway monitoring. RTD advocates for local Delta stakeholders to ensure that they have a direct impact on water management decisions affecting the well-being of their communities, and water sustainability policies for all Californians.

ICYMI 12/10/22: Delta Tunnel Meeting, Greenhouse Gaslighting, HABs in 2022 

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Filed Under: East County, Environment, News, The Delta, Water

EB Parks: Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Big Break Visitor Center in Oakley Sunday

October 14, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Filed Under: East County, Recreation, The Delta

Governor Newsom announces Water Supply Strategy for a hotter, drier California in Antioch on Thursday

August 12, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

With local and state officials joining him, Gov. Newsom speaks during a press conference at the site of the Antioch Brackish Water Desalination project to announce his Water Supply Strategy on Thursday, August 11, 2022. Photos by Allen D. Payton

Outlines actions needed now to invest in new sources, transform water management

Without action, state officials believe California’s water supply could diminish by up to 10% by 2040

Introduces former L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa as state’s new infrastructure czar

Antonio Villaraigosa was introduced by the governor as the state’s new infrastructure czar.

ANTIOCH – Hotter and drier weather conditions could reduce California’s water supply by up to 10% by the year 2040. To replace and replenish what we will lose to thirstier soils, vegetation, and the atmosphere, Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced in California’s latest actions to increase water supply and adapt to more extreme weather patterns caused by climate change. Click here to read California’s Water Supply Strategy.

Thursday’s announcement at Antioch’s $110 million Brackish Water Desalination project follows $8 billion in state investments over the last two years to help store, recycle, de-salt and conserve the water it will need, generating enough water in the future for more than 8.4 million households by 2040.

The actions, outlined in a strategy document published by the Administration called “California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” calls for investing in new sources of water supply, accelerating projects and modernizing how the state manages water through new technology.

This approach to California’s water supply management recognizes the latest science that indicates the American West is experiencing extreme, sustained drought conditions caused by hotter, drier weather. The warming climate means that a greater share of the rain and snowfall California receives will be absorbed by dry soils, consumed by thirsty plants, and evaporated into the air. This leaves less water to meet the state’s needs.

“The best science tells us that we need to act now to adapt to California’s water future. Extreme weather is a permanent fixture here in the American West and California will adapt to this new reality,” Newsom said. “California is launching an aggressive plan to rebuild the way we source, store and deliver water so our kids and grandkids can continue to call California home in this hotter, drier climate.”

To help make up for the water supplies California could lose over the next two decades, the strategy prioritizes actions to capture, recycle, de-salt and conserve more water. These actions include:

  • Creating storage space for up to 4 million acre-feet of water, which will allow us to capitalize on big storms when they do occur and store water for dry periods
  • Recycling and reusing at least 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030, enabling better and safer use of wastewater currently discharged to the ocean.
  • Freeing up 500,000 acre-feet of water through more efficient water use and conservation, helping make up for water lost due to climate change.
  • Making new water available for use by capturing stormwater and desalinating ocean water and salty water in groundwater basins, diversifying supplies and making the most of high flows during storm events.

These actions are identified broadly in the Newsom Administration’s Water Resilience Portfolio – the state’s master plan for water released in 2020 – but they will be expedited given the urgency of climate-driven changes. To advance the infrastructure and policies needed to adapt, the strategy enlists the help of the Legislature to streamline processes so projects can be planned, permitted and built more quickly, while protecting the environment.

Over the last three years, at the urging of the governor, state leaders have earmarked more than $8 billion to modernize water infrastructure and management. The historic three-year, $5.2 billion investment in California water systems enacted in 2021-22 has enabled emergency drought response, improved water conservation to stretch water supplies, and enabled scores of local drought resilience projects. The 2022-23 budget includes an additional $2.8 billion for drought relief to hard-hit communities, water conservation, environmental protection for fish and wildlife and long-term drought resilience projects.

Newsom also introduced former Los Angeles Mayor and Speaker of the Assembly Antonio Villaraigosa as the state’s new infrastructure czar.

“With this influx of federal dollars, we have an incredible opportunity to rebuild California while creating quality jobs, modernizing crucial infrastructure and accelerating our clean transportation progress, benefiting communities up and down the state,” Newsom said. “Antonio has the extensive experience and relationships to deliver on this promise and bring together the many partners who will be key to our success. I look forward to his collaboration with the administration as we build up communities across California.”

Antioch’s $110 million Brackish Water Desalination plant project is currently under construction.

Construction on Antioch’s desalination plant is expected to be completed next year, city Public Works Director John Samuelson shared following the governor’s press conference.

Filed Under: East County, Environment, Infrastructure, News, State of California, The Delta, Water

Fatal head-on collision, possible DUI near Antioch bridge Sunday night claims life of San Ramon man

May 30, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

CHP Medevac helicopter H-32 waits on Hwy 160 to transport one of the injured boys to Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Photo: CHP-Golden Gate Division Air Operations

Three children in car with him and 70-year-old woman driving other car sustain major injuries

He was driving “at high speed…borderline reckless” – Mark Leavitt, PIO, CHP-South Sacramento

By Allen D. Payton

A San Ramon man suspected of driving under the influence died in a crash he caused on Highway 160 north of the Antioch bridge late Sunday night. Three children in the car with him and the 70-year-old female driver of the car he struck sustained major injuries. They were taken to hospitals in Walnut Creek, Oakland and Sacramento.

According to Mark Leavitt, PIO for CHP-South Sacramento, “It happened, last night about 10:20 p.m. There two vehicles involved. We had multiple callers and witnesses. A Mazda was traveling on 160 toward the bridge at high speed, according to witnesses, and borderline reckless, and possible DUI. We’re treating it as a DUI.

The Mazda crossed over the solid double yellow lines. At the same time an Audi was traveling northbound on 160, and the Mazda struck the Audi. The Mazda overturned from the crash.”

The Audi was traveling at approximately 55 mph. The Mazda struck the Audi, spinning the Audi into the righthand shoulder. The Mazda came to rest on its roof blocking the southbound lane.

“The driver of the Mazda was from San Ramon, he was born in 1983 and estimated to be 38,” Leavitt continued. “He was not wearing his seatbelt and was pronounced deceased at the scene. In the Mazda there were three juveniles, a 15-year-old female in the front passenger seat, two males ages six and four in the rear seat. We don’t believe the children in the back seat were belted, and no child seats were found in the car.

All the children had major injuries. We don’t know the relationship of anyone in the car. We haven’t determined that yet. The 15-year-old was taken to John Muir Walnut Creek by ambulance

One of the boys was taken by Life Flight helicopter to Children’s Hospital in Oakland. The other boy was taken to U.C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.”

“In the other vehicle was just a driver no passengers, a 71-year-old woman from Rio Vista,” Leavitt continued. “She has major injuries and was taken to John Muir Walnut Creek, also by ambulance. They say she’s in stable condition.”

“We do believe the driver of the Mazda was DUI according to witnesses and the 15-year-old girl in the car,” he stated. “We won’t know for sure until the Sacramento County Coroner’s autopsy is completed.”

“Contra Costa CHP assisted us, as well, since it’s close to the border of our jurisdictions,” Leavitt added.

According to CHP-Golden Gate Division Air Operations in a post on their Facebook page Monday morning, “Late last night, H-32 responded with firefighters from Solano and Sacramento Counties to a report of a head on collision, Highway 160 near Sherman Island.

As ground resources arrived at the scene it was determined that one of the occupants was deceased and there were at least two young children who were critically injured.

H-32 transported one of the children to Children’s Hospital in Oakland while the other was transported by REACH to UC Davis.

Two additional patients were taken by ground ambulance to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.”

Filed Under: CHP, News, San Ramon Valley, The Delta

Female passenger dies when truck hits tree on river road early Sunday morning

April 25, 2022 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Brentwood driver said he swerved to avoid an animal

By Mark Leavitt, Public Information Officer, CHP, South Sacramento Area

On April 24th, 2022, at approximately 2:39 a.m. California Highway Patrol (CHP) was advised of a Ford F-150 pickup truck versus a tree on SR-160 southbound, north of Poverty Road, between Walnut Grove and Rio Vista, with an occupant stuck inside the vehicle. Fire personnel arrived on scene and related to CHP dispatch of a fatality.

CHP South Sacramento arrived on scene and contacted a 51-year-old male from Brentwood, that was identified as the driver. The driver was uninjured and stated to CHP that as he was driving southbound on SR-160 when he saw an animal in his path that caused him to steer the Ford to the right, off the roadway, and down an embankment where he collided with a tree. The 34-year-old, female passenger from Sacramento, sustained fatal injuries. The male driver was checked for sobriety and was determined not to be under the influence.

Filed Under: CHP, East County, News, The Delta

Delta Conveyance (tunnel) Project Case Study Workshop on community benefits programs Nov. 17

November 6, 2021 By Publisher 1 Comment

Proposed Delta Conveyance Project Facility Corridor Options. From Scoping Summary Report.

Learn from other projects

Haga clic aquí para ver este aviso en español.

As part of ongoing development of the Community Benefits Program for the proposed Delta Conveyance (tunnel) Project, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is holding a virtual workshop on Wednesday, November 17th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm to hear and learn from representatives of several different example community benefits programs around the country. (See related articles here and here)

Members of the local Delta community are encouraged to attend this event and hear firsthand experiences about the development and implementation of these programs, including different organizational structures, development timing, important milestones and lessons learned.

There will also be an opportunity to ask the panelists questions and engage in dialogue about their experiences and insights. Although these types of programs are not uncommon, there are various ways to go about setting them up. This workshop gives both DWR and the local community the chance to learn more about how it could be done for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project. (See details of the proposed system, here)

The workshop panelists represent a diverse set of projects and community benefits programs from different parts of the country:

  • Oakland, California, Partnership for Working Families 
    • Ben Beach, Legal Director
  • North Charleston, South Carolina, LowCountry Alliance for Model Communities Port Authority Redevelopment and Transfer Station
    • Omar Muhammed, Executive Director, LowCountry Alliance for Model Communities
  • Morro Bay, California, Castle Offshore Wind Project 
    • Scott Collins, City Manager, City of Morro Bay

While no other project or community benefits program exactly matches the specifics of the proposed Delta Conveyance Project and what might be most appropriate for the Community Benefits Program for this project, the example projects that will be discussed in this workshop offer different and valuable perspectives and examples with varying structures, locations and challenges. In preparing for this workshop, DWR researched community benefits programs for large infrastructure projects that had long-term construction impacts, where the benefits of the project were not local, but impacts of the project were, and where location and potential for environmental justice and economically disadvantaged community concerns were also involved.

Photo: CA Dep’t of Water Resources.

Workshop Details & Registration

  • Wednesday, November 17, 2021 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | REGISTER HERE
  • Workshop will be conducted on Zoom with a call-in option available

Agenda

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Presentations from the three project representatives
  • Focused panelist discussion:
    • How did the idea develop in your project?
    • How did the community come together to provide input?
    • When in the project lifecycle did people come together?
    • How did you solicit priorities?
    • How did you formalize the program?
    • How are community benefit funds distributed?
    • How are you measuring and monitoring community benefits?
  • Public questions/discussion

Participation Accommodations & Additional Information

  • Closed captioning will be provided
  • Workshop materials will be available in English and Spanish, and a simultaneous Spanish translation will be offered
  • Workshop access information and materials will be sent out prior to the workshop through Eventbrite
  • If you cannot participate in the workshop but have questions, please email us at DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov
  • A recording of the workshop will be posted on the project website, along with the background material, when available

To register, click here.

Filed Under: East County, Environment, News, Recreation, State of California, The Delta

Delta Conveyance aka tunnel Project Community Benefits Program Workshop 1 of 3 April 14

April 12, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Opportunity for neighboring community members to offer input of what they want from the impacts of the project

If you live or work in the Delta, we’d like to invite you to join an online workshop to provide feedback to the Department of Water Resources about the Community Benefits Program of the Delta Conveyance (tunnel) Project. On April 14, between 6:00 and 8:00 pm, Ag Innovations will facilitate a large online workshop to gather feedback from Delta residents on the Department of Water Resources (DWR), Community Benefits program.

To Register for the April 14 Workshop Email DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov
Click Here for more information.

However, as of Monday, April 12, the day the Herald received the notification of the meeting on the 14th, registrations are closed. If you would still like to participate, please email us at DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov. If you cannot participate in the workshop, but would like to provide input, please email us at DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov. A recording of each workshop will be posted, along with the background material, at https://water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project/Delta-Conveyance/Community-Benefits-Program

About the workshop: DWR is developing a community benefits program to acknowledge that if the Delta Conveyance project is approved it could have potential adverse effects on communities through construction of major capital projects. The Community Benefits program could create economic, social, and other benefits in the local community. A Community Benefits Program could go beyond what traditional “environmental mitigation” typically affords.

Why participate: While people oppose the Delta Conveyance Project, DWR has no expectation that participating in the workshops signals any support for the Delta Conveyance Project. The community benefits program would only proceed if the project were approved. But participating now provides community members a chance to shape the program to best suit the needs of the local community.

Ag Innovations is a 501c3 nonprofit and is committed to reaching out to underrepresented voices and creating meaningful opportunities to provide input, including at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic makes this challenging.  Please let us know if you have ideas for how we might work with you to bring your input into this process.

Stay tuned for additional workshops on the Community Benefits Program future workshops will be on:

Thursday, May 6, 2021 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

CLICK HERE to REGISTER

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

CLICK HERE to REGISTER

What is the Delta Conveyance Project?

The state is studying the potential impacts and benefits of two possible routes for a tunnel in the Delta, labeled the Delta Conveyance Project. The proposal aims to protect the reliability of the State Water Project to deliver clean water to homes, farms, and businesses in the Bay Area, Central Coast, and Southern California.

The project would catch fresh water in the northern Delta – especially during storms – through two new intakes near the town of Hood. A deep underground tunnel would carry that water 40 miles to the southern Delta where it would be pumped into the State Water Project. The project would be constructed over approximately 16 years.

DWR is currently studying potential impacts on traffic, noise, air quality, and historical, cultural, recreational, and other resources.

They have launched the Environmental Justice Community Survey to better understand how the project may affect the resources, values, and priorities that are most important you.

(See related articles here and here)

Filed Under: Environment, News, The Delta, Water

East County residents asked to take Delta tunnel Environmental Justice Community Survey by Friday, Dec. 11

December 8, 2020 By Publisher Leave a Comment

The Environmental Justice Community Survey launched by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) closes this Friday, December 11th. The survey takes just a few minutes and is intended to gather perspectives from community members who live or work in the Stockton, Sacramento, and Antioch region and the small towns in between. Your input is crucial to identifying the potential impacts and benefits of the proposed Delta tunnel known as the Conveyance Project.

Don’t wait – if you haven’t already, take the survey today – and share with others in the Delta region!

Click here to TAKE THE SURVEY TODAY!

About the Survey

Through the “Your Delta, Your Voice” survey, DWR is specifically aiming to engage those who live or work in the Delta region and are often not adequately represented in public processes by seeking direct input from low income residents and workers, people of color, limited English speakers, Tribal members and other underrepresented communities.

They survey has two primary goals. One is to accurately reflect how the members of a variety of Delta communities value the region’s cultural, recreational and natural resources, through a series of questions and a map that allows people to identify places that are special to them. The other is to seek input about ways the project may cause impacts to these resources or potentially bring benefits to Delta communities.

Spread the Word

Please help spread the word about the survey by forwarding this email to those in your network so the voices of the Delta’s diverse communities can be heard.

You can also share the survey on social media using the following links:

   Share on Facebook:  English  |  Español  |  中文
   Share on Twitter:  English  |  Español  |  中文

Filed Under: East County, Environment, The Delta

After 18 months Bay Point Regional Shoreline reopens with improved visitor facilities, Delta water access

December 2, 2020 By Publisher Leave a Comment

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District

Bay Point Regional Shoreline reopened to the public Friday, November 20, 2020, after being closed for 14 months to restore habitat and construct public access improvements. The project, officially known as the Bay Point Regional Shoreline Habitat

Restoration and Public Access Project, includes additional parking, bathrooms, picnic areas, drinking fountains, elevated walking and hiking trails, and a kayak launch.

Bay Point Regional Shoreline provides access to open space and marsh habitat in an area surrounded by residential, military, and industrial development. The nearly 150-acre park is at the approximate midpoint of the San Francisco Bay Estuary and the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. The East Bay Regional Park District acquired the park property in 1996.

The Park District celebrated the reopening of Bay Point Regional Shoreline with a live virtual program on Friday, November 20, at 10:00 a.m. with a naturalist-lead virtual tour, behind the scenes video, and featured speakers, including Park District General Manager Robert Doyle, Board President Ellen Corbett, Board Member Colin Coffey who represents the area, Board Member Beverley Lane who has long-advocated for more recreational opportunities in East Contra Costa County, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Assemblymember Tim Grayson and Pittsburg Council Member Shanelle Scales-Preston. Virtual program available at https://youtu.be/bHT7GGzXpNM?t=44.

Park District General Manager Robert Doyle speaks at the virtual re-opening ceremony on Nov. 20, 2020. Video screenshot.

“Parks like Bay Point Regional Shoreline are essential for the community’s physical and mental health, now more than ever,” said Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “COVID has shown us just how important parks are for recreation, respite, and rejuvenation.”

“More than 4,000 residents live within a half-mile of the improved shoreline park. The project significantly expands access to nature for the neighboring community, which has historically had limited access to parks and open space,” added Doyle.

The project restored tidal emergent marshes and transitional uplands, preserving natural habitat for endangered species like the California black rail and salt marsh harvest mouse.

“The improvements at Bay Point Regional Shoreline, both to public access and habitat, provide eastern Contra Costa County residents and the neighboring community with better opportunities to experience nature nearby for enjoyment, learning, and health,” said Park District Board Director Colin Coffey. “Access to parks and nature close to home are more important than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

East Bay Regional Park District Board Member Colin Coffey prepares to cut the ribbon, with Pittsburg City Councilwoman Shanelle Scales-Preston, District Board President Ellen Corbett, District General Manager Robert Doyle, and Board Member Beverley Lane, to officially re-open the park. Photos by EBRPD.

Climate change impacts were also taken into account by the project. New trails, visitor improvements, and interpretive signage were all elevated to withstand future sea levels and environmental restoration designed to provide quality habitat even at anticipated 2080 sea levels.

“The Park District is excited to highlight Bay Point Regional Shoreline as one of the Park District’s climate-resilient parks, with habitat restoration and recreational amenities designed and built to withstand climate change impacts, including extreme weather and sea level rise,” said Park District Board President Ellen Corbett. “We are working to adapt to climate change and protect our parks and trails from coastal flooding due to sea level rise”

Funding for the park was from the Shell Oil spill mitigation fund.

Regional and site maps of the Bay Point Regional Shoreline. From EBRPD BPRS brochure.

The Park is now open to the public from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. For more information about Bay Point Regional Shoreline, visit EBRPD – Bay Point (ebparks.org).

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Filed Under: East County, News, Parks, The Delta

New Name. Same Game. Delta Conveyance Project – tunnel moves forward – Part 2: Stakeholders & Opposition

July 20, 2020 By Publisher 3 Comments

From California Water Resilience Portfolio 2019 Final.

County residents opposed to project work to limit impact and secure benefits if it is built

“We want to make sure they don’t screw anything up,” – David Gloski, Stakeholders Engagement Committee Member

By Allen Payton

What was planned as two tunnels beneath the California Delta to divert fresh water from north of the Delta to areas south, is now a single tunnel plan that is referred to as the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). The effort is being led by the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) which was formed by and makes recommendation to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

In the first part of this two-part series, you read about the background and latest efforts to move the project forward. In this part, you will hear from local voices who serve on the Stakeholders Engagement Committee (SEC) and what they are doing to both fight the tunnel, and if it is built to limit its impact and to secure any benefits for our county and the Delta.

Stakeholders Engagement Committee – Local Voices

Because Contra Costa County and the water districts in the county either oppose or are neutral on the Delta tunnel project, no agency from the county is part of the DCA. But there are three people who live and one who works in Contra Costa County and serve on the Stakeholder Engagement Committee. They are Bethel Island resident and retired engineer David Gloski, Discovery Bay resident and real estate appraiser Karen Mann, Antioch resident Jim Cox, a retired fishing boat captain, and Oakland resident Michael Moran, who works for the East Bay Regional Park District as Supervising Naturalist at Big Break Regional Shoreline Visitor Center at the Delta in Oakley.

David Gloski, The Engineer – At Large Member

“I don’t want to understate that I’m against it and I appreciate the people fighting it,” said Gloski, who volunteered to be part of the SEC at the urging of others who also oppose the tunnel. “But I, having a home on the water and having an engineering background – and this DCA SEC group is more engineering focused – we want to make sure they don’t screw anything up.”

“The majority of the people on the stakeholder committee are probably against the tunnel,” he stated. “It includes the lady (Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla) from Restore the Delta. We’ve been effective in preventing them from doing things that don’t make sense and would negatively affect people in Contra Costa.”

“To me, they walk and chew gum at the same time. They’re working on designs and plans without having the permits. They have to do some of it or they don’t know what they’re asking to permit,” Gloski explained. “Similarly, we aren’t doing ourselves any benefit by just opposing it. Because if it does go through, we can get a lot of things done, like new roads, and parks. But you have to participate.”

“I’ve raised my hand to say, ‘if you’re going to build it, let’s get good things out of it, and make sure they don’t screw things up,” he reiterated. “I think the county is mistaken for not being more involved. The DCA made changes because of our inputs. Unfortunately, I’m not sure the inputs are the best from the county’s perspective. For example, an original plan included road and bridge improvements which were eliminated when we were successful in having a maintenance shaft moved further away from Discover Bay. So, you might have won the battle but lost the war.”

“I think we might benefit from more representatives. But right now, the county is just fighting it,” Gloski added.

To give your input to David Gloski, you can join his Facebook page, David Gloski DCA Stakeholder.

Mann expressed her concerns for the location and proximity to Discovery Bay of one potential Maintenance Shaft. From DCA 2020-05-27-UpdatedMapBooks.

Karen Mann – South Delta Local Business

Mann, an appraiser in Discovery Bay, is another member of the stakeholders committee who opposes the tunnel, as the issue literally hits close to home for her like Gloski.

“I’m fighting for our Delta,” she said. “As I’m talking to you my grandchildren are loading the boat, because that’s what we do as a family. We spend time on the Delta.”

“I’m an active boater. I skipper my own 37-foot boat. I’m a very able-bodied skipper. My dad had me at the helm since I was 9 or 10 years old in San Pablo Bay,” Mann explained. “So, I’ve described to this group the terror that I had when I encountered a barge in the middle of Old River. That left me about 25’ (to get by it). My boat is 12-feet-wide. I could feel the propellers of the tugboat drawing me toward that barge. My boat weighs 22,000 lbs. Imagine if that was a ski boat with inexperienced skiers or a family with a father and his kids on board.”

“The number of barges every day that they were talking about loading, I told them ‘you better think twice. You will have lives of families and boaters on your hands,’” she continued.

From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

Effort to Postpone Meetings & Work Due to COVID-19 Unsuccessful

“Through this whole pandemic thing, myself and a bunch of others have said ‘let’s hold off on these meetings’ because we can’t meet with our people,” Mann stated. “The chief engineer said, ‘we’re going to move forward, and we hate to leave you behind. But that’s how it goes. Governor Newsom wants this going.’”

“I piped up and said ‘it appears to me Gov. Newsom his been very busy with this pandemic thing and his three-hour-long press conferences each day, and the Delta tunnel is probably not at the forefront of his thinking,” she shared.  “For us to be told, ‘no, that’s out of the question, we’re on a timeline’, this is just not right.”

According to a report by the Sacramento News & Review, the effort to postpone the committee meetings and the work got a Sacramento County Supervisor and the Delta Protection Commission involved.

“The dust-up has caused Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli to challenge one state official about transparency, while the Delta Protection Commission has officially asked California planners to halt their work on the tunnel during the virus outbreak. So far, that hasn’t happened,” reported the SN&R.

Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis serves on the Delta Protection Commission, which  “is supposed to safeguard the environmental and community health of the estuary as part of California’s landmark 1992 Delta Protection Act.”

But the committee meetings are continuing, just online for now, as most if not all other government meetings are currently throughout the state.

No Project Funding or Route, Yet

“I asked them where are we getting the money from? Apparently, there’s no checkbook. There’s no limit. There’s no talk about expenses. It’s like carte blanch. Money is no object,” Mann stated. “There isn’t an official route, yet. Because they’re trying to decide if there is going to be a central corridor which would be within 600 feet of the Discovery Bay water treatment plan and homes on the golf course.”

“That’s not the best of it,” she continued. “The best of it is they’re using their maps of that central location they would have taken that tunnel underneath the only waste treatment plant in the area.”

“They would also be going through our artesian wells,” Mann added.

“If there were any problems, “they would shut off the water and waste treatment for Discovery Bay. How could we live here? We’re not a third world country,” she said with a laugh.

“I’ve been very passionate about those two items,” Mann stated.

She, Cox and Moran all expressed concerns about trucks on Highway 4 east of Discovery Bay and how the committee’s efforts got that stopped.

“There was also going to be a maintenance shaft near Discovery Bay which would require truck traffic on Highway 4. Heavy duty trucks carrying the muck and dirt. Those bridges are old and couldn’t handle it,” she explained.

“Now they’re talking about using the eastern corridor closer to Stockton. But they told us ‘don’t get too excited. Nothing is decided. We’ll take your recommendations, but we will make our own decisions.’” That didn’t sit well with Mann.

“Is this how government is supposed to work?” she asked. “I will say they did listen on the barge issue. I think health and safety got them.”

From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

Fire Marshal, DB Town Manager Shocked

“We took that information to the fire marshal and Discovery Bay Town Manager and they were shocked,” Mann shared. “Neither one of them knew about any of it. They both wrote impassioned letters. We have three fire stations that serve 128 square miles. The engineers thought we had nine stations.”

“So, who’s going to handle the issues…with a project like this?” she asked. “Someone’s going to get hurt and they’re going to need EMT’s. I guarantee you one of their trucks will have an accident and block traffic for hours, if not kill someone.”

“I’ve been sending the chief engineer photos of truck accidents and concerns that we have for our health and safety,” she continued. They had no idea of traffic count. They’re using traffic counts from five years ago from San Joaquin County and they don’t keep track of traffic on Highway 4 and the bridges in our county. So, their traffic counts are completely inaccurate.

“So, I’m wondering who’s really in charge here,” Mann said. “We’re supposed to trust them with building a tunnel 150 feet under ground? If they don’t have this basic information how can they handle the bigger issues?”

“The Delta has been something in my family since I was a child,” she shared. “It’s a way to keep families together. So, when you say Delta you’re talking about families. This life is too short, and you have to enjoy it while it lasts.”

Mann is both a residential and commercial appraiser, which is why she represents the business community on the committee.

She’s also the president of Save the California Delta Alliance.

“We have an attorney that got them to back out of the other tunnel project,” Mann shared.

“It’s just a bunch of homeowners. This is our home. The waterway is our backyard. Our playground. Don’t mess with it,” she concluded before heading out into the Delta for the weekend on the family boat.

From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

“Same Old Song and Dance” on Fish Protections Says a Frustrated Jim Cox – Sports Fishing

Antioch resident Jim Cox ran a six-pack, sport fishing charter boat for 23 years and has been in the Delta since the early 1980’s and is now retired.

“I’m there representing fishing interests,” he shared. “It’s been a very frustrating thing to be involved in. They want us to come back with input from our constituents. The most common thing I hear is ‘what’s going to happen with Clifton Court?’”

The Clifton Court Forebay is where the water is collected south of the Delta before being pumped further south.

Delta Smelt. Photo from DCA SEC.

“When the current is flowing in there, it’s so strong the fish can’t get out,” Cox explained. “The screens on the pumps are not designed that well. Estimates are anywhere from 15-50,000 striped bass that are trapped in there. They’re only 8 or 9 inches but they’re fully matured fish.”

“They say Clifton Court Forebay is a separate project,” he continued. “I’ve had conversations with Terry Buckman from DWR. The Delta Improvement Act of 2009 has the two goals of habitat restoration and less reliance for water supply. They’re definitely focused on the water supply.”

“They call it EcoRestore, which is part of DWR and the ironic thing is they say ‘we’re not working on that for another year or so.’ This committee will be disbanded before then,” Cox stated.

“This is the same song and dance that fishermen have been told for the past 25 years,” he complained. “In 1994 there was the CalFed agreement. The water contractors were supposed to build state of the art screens across Clifton Court so fish couldn’t get in. But it’s still never been built. “

‘Most of these DWR folks are in their 40’s so they weren’t around…and they’re taking the word for it from others at DWR,” said Cox.

“The real problem is predation (preying of one animal on another), primarily for striped bass,” he continued. “It is a problem because the current flows in there, year-round, 24 hours a day. Larger fish just stick around at the entrance and pick off the smaller fish. They try to make it sound like it’s the striped bass. It’s not. It’s the fact they never built the screens.”

“We were told Fish and Game have plans to remove predators. They have no plans for any such thing. They say it’s a useless idea. Once you get rid of one predator another species will move in,” Cox shared. “Then they said the problem is the outer screens. There aren’t any outer screens. It consists of rabbit wire fence to keep boats and floating logs out of Clifton Court. It has nothing to do with fish.”

“They won’t say anything of how they’re going to make it better. This is why it’s becoming a frustrating endeavor for me,” he stated. “On the one hand they are being responsive to some complaints. But it all revolves around building the tunnel.”

From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

“They won’t even listen to the fishermen. I’ve been tempted to resign a couple times over this. But, if I’m not there who’s going to bring this up?” Cox asked, rhetorically. “First, they talked about having the committee a year. But now they’re talking about extending it.”

“It’s very frustrating trying to get them to listen,” he added.

On finances Cox said “we get told things in bits and pieces. The plan is for all of this to be paid for by the water users, the water contractors. The fine print is they’ve agreed to this in theory, but not in reality. They’re not going to agree to anything until they see the final plan. Over the last year, they’ve been trying to do what took them three years originally on the twin tunnels, to finalize this plan, to be able to move forward.”

“When this COVID thing hit, they said everyone wants to continue to work on this. That’s BS,” he said echoing Karen Mann’s comments. “No one wanted to continue to do this. But they kept pushing on this because they have financing deadlines. So, nope. They’re going to keep on going.”

“I feel in a lot of ways this committee is just going through the motions. I’m starting to feel like a pawn in a chess game,” he said with a chuckle.

Another financial issue Cox shared about was the pay for the DCA’s executive director Kathryn Mallon, who is earning $47,000 per month in her role. That’s in spite of the $54 billion deficit the state is projecting due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another report by the Sacramento News & Review covers that issue and the opposition from the water agencies that are expected to reimburse the state for her compensation.

Proximity of proposed sites to existing recreation facilities. Arrow points to Big Break in Oakley. From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

Parks District Employee Offers Different Perspective: Mike Moran – Ex-Officio

Mike Moran, although an Oakland resident, represents Contra Costa County interests on the SEC, having worked in Eastern Contra Costa County for 26 years, as of August 1st. He works for the East Bay Regional Park District at the Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley.

“Big Break was an asparagus farm that flooded in 1927,” he shared. It’s a 1,688 acre park that’s mostly under water. The East County trail runs through there. Plus, they have a 1,200 square foot model of the Delta on the ground.

“In my position at the park commission and the SEC, we don’t take a pro or a con on this issue. We try to interpret this thing and why it’s being proposed, why it’s being opposed, and not just build it or don’t build it,” Moran explained. “I’m an ex-officio giving folks’ perspective from the East Bay Regional Parks point of view. There’s not a direct correlation on the tunnel.”

“We have land out here and we have folks paying taxes to get access to that land. So, what does this mean? What is the impact going to be where our constituents live?” he asked.

Proposed new Southern Forebay adjacent to Clifton Court Forebay. From 2019-12-11-DeltaConveyanceSystemOverview.

Moran also studied fisheries in grad school. Asked about the fish and Clifton Court Forebay that Jim Cox is concerned about, he said, “It’s part of the state water project, right now. The new forebay would be right next to Clifton Court, built to the west.”

However, Cox responded with, “The fact is that they still intend to use Clifton Court fifty-percent of the time. If the tunnel water was the only water heading into the canal then it would be fine, but that is not the case. Clifton Court will still be part of the water system and that is why I feel improvements to it should be part of the project, not a separate project.”

“The Harvey Banks Pumping Plant is part of the State Water Project. That water is sent through the California Aqueduct and the South Bay Aqueduct serving Alameda and Santa Clara Counties,” Moran explained.

“The feds will require an Environmental Impact Study on the project because it affects federal waters. That’s the Jones Pumping Plant, which is part of the federal water project. That water is pumped through the Delta Mendota Canal,” he shared.

“At the Clifton Court Forebay, as the water is drawn in, there’s a screen that screens out the fish. But it’s old school. It’s an old screen,” Moran explained. “Jim’s saying if we’re going to put in these high-tech screens north of the Delta, let’s do it at Clifton Court.”

Proposed intakes near Hood. From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

“The screening for the proposed tunnel will be located in Hood (north of Elk Grove) on the eastern side of the Sacramento River. There will be three intakes and those would have brand new, top of the line fish screens,” he continued. “So, no fish will be put in that tunnel beyond those screens.”

“That’s one of the selling points for this whole project,” Moran stated. “What we have now, is the diversion is over the surface across the Delta. So, we’re bringing in both water and fish.”

He provided some history to the diversion of Delta water.

“The idea of diverting water, moving water from the north and east, through the Delta is from the 1910’s,” Moran shared. “A lot of the facilities we have now, are not the same thing, but they’re based on Robert Marshall’s plans. He ran the national parks and was pushing this big project of moving water around California. So, that’s part of the rationale of what we have, now.”

Proposed South Delta Facilities. From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

He also shared that “Antioch sued upstream water users in 1921 because of too much saltwater. So, this is nothing new.”

“Antioch is way ahead of the game putting in a brackish water plant. That’s a big, bold move,” Moran state. “But what are we going to do with saltwater intrusion up to CCWD?” (See related article)

Asked how the tunnel is a solution to the saltwater intrusion he answered, “It’s coming. If we divert or not, saltwater is coming. How do we prepare for that? In Antioch we build a desal plant. For those south of the Delta it’s a tunnel.”

“The way we’re doing things now, is water flows from the Sacramento River to the rest of the Delta. The pumps in Byron then pump it south,” Moran continued. “This water used to flow down the river and out into the Bay. Sometimes during the year, we have reverse flow, with the water from both the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. When folks started taking water out in the Central Valley, less water comes out of the San Joaquin River. It was dry for 60 miles as recently as 1994. That was rectified through a court case.”

Proposed South Delta Conveyance Facilities Site Plan. From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

Because the San Joaquin River is diverted before it reaches and “punches through the Delta”, farmers in the Delta have been relying on Sacramento River water.

“The Sacramento River, high quality, great water, it’s pulled down to the pumps. Not all the water, it’s less than half,” he said. “That goes against the natural flow and messes up the ecology.”

“We’ve gotten a lot of benefit over the past 100 years,” with the current system, Moran shared.

“So, if we don’t do something, if saltwater comes up, or if a levee breaks or a beaver chews through, that’s going to stop the flow of water.”

Rendering of proposed Pumping Plant Site Plan at the Southern Forebay. From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

“Much of the land in the Delta is under sea level because of that peat soil, which is great for farming,” he explained. “But because of decisions made over 100 years ago, because people in the Delta communities and economies, and their way of life, it’s not sustainable.”

“We’re only taking water out when there’s enough to come through,” said Moran. “Like we’re doing, now when there’s Delta Smelt at the pumps, and we have water quality going down the tubes, the feds tell them to stop pumping.”

“It’s these local folks who are members of the committee saying, ‘wait a minute, we have lives that will be affected, too,’” he shared about his fellow SEC members. “The premise is let’s pretend this is getting built. If that’s the case, all you folks around the Delta who have this local experience and expertise, to advise the experts from the DWR.”

“So, that the water can be used all year round. That’s the point of it,” Moran continued. “Is there enough storage south of the Delta? If you’re going to pump water out of the Delta where are you going to store it? There’s the San Luis Reservoir, are we going to raise the height?”

Rendering of proposed Pumping Plant at the Southern Forebay. From 2020-04-22-SECMeetingPresentation.

“Every governor has dealt with it, but Newsom is getting more traction,” he shared. “They have this portfolio plan which includes storage, moving water and ground water restoration. Not just sticking straws in the Delta and sucking it.”

“When it’s a common pool and we all have to drink out of the Delta and we all have to be responsible for it including maintaining the levees, and agriculture in the Delta,” Moran concluded.

No Committee Member Supports the Tunnel

Asked about the members of the stakeholders committee and how they were chosen, Nazli Parvizi, the Stakeholder Engagement lead for the DCA, said, “There is not a single member on the committee who supports this project. That’s based on what they wrote in their applications and others, what they’ve said over and over during the meetings.”

“It was an individual application. Not everybody represents their area of work. The requirement was if you live, work or recreate in the Delta in certain categories,” she explained. “If you have an ag person you balance it out with an environmental person. So, I think we have a good broad representation.”

“What we’re excited about Karen…she’s as reliable a source on waterways and boating as Jim Cox would be,” Parvizi shared.

“It’s not a voting body. We don’t make decisions as the DCA,” she explained. “We try to come up with the best engineering and design, the concepts and drawings and give them to Department of Water and it’s up to them.”

“We’re doing our best to take into account the Delta as place,” Parvizi continued. “So, they don’t just make sense from an engineering standpoint, but also as Delta as place. The folks who lead the DCA are representatives from DWR and the agencies that are members of the DCA. Kathryn Mallon, the Executive Director of the DCA is listening and took into consideration the Delta as place. The SEC is the result of that.”

About the committee members’ involvement, she said, “It’s trying to make the best of the worst, while at the same time trying to make sure it doesn’t happen. Karen has done a great job for Discovery Bay and boaters.”

“So, fight on your own time, protest, sue us, whatever and we’re OK with that and several are suing us,” said Parvizi. “We do want to make sure we are respectful of what you care about. They give us incredibly valuable feedback.”

“They fight their war, but on the battles they’re very collaborative,” she stated. “We give them all this information, being transparent as possible and half of them send it to their lawyers, which is fine. But they tell us which is better, A, B or C, and we make our recommendations to DWR.”

“We haven’t seen two groups fight it out,” Parvizi said, and explained how the members of the SEC work collaboratively. “If you move it (the tunnel) this way, it’s good for fish, but if you move it here, it’s good for birds. Or it’s good for animals. But if you put it here, it’s good for business.”

“We can come up with the pros and cons and I think that’s very valuable,” she added.

Opposition Efforts Continue

Efforts continue to stop the new Delta tunnel by groups such as Restore the Delta that have been fighting since the twin tunnels plan was first proposed. They along with Contra Costa County and the other members of the Delta Counties Coalition, Delta residents, Delta business owners, tribal representatives, fishing and non-governmental organizations and other Delta community-based organizations have all asked the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to pause Delta tunnel planning processes that require public participation due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Department of Water Resources has refused.

Contra Costa is represented on the DCC by County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff.

In their letter dated April 7, 2020, the DCC wrote California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, “The Delta Counties Coalition (DCC) respectfully requests that you direct the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to pause all Delta Conveyance Project planning and engineering design processes that require Delta stakeholder engagement during the COVID-19 crisis, until the public can fully participate. We request that you ask the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) to pause its processes that require public participation, including Stakeholder Engagement Committee meetings, so that the Delta tunnel engineering design can be informed by meaningful public input. We also ask that you direct DWR and other resource agencies to extend public comment periods by at least 45 days beyond the end of the declared emergency.” 2020-04-07-Delta Counties Coalition-Letter-to-Secty-Crowfoot-re-Stay

The Secretary Crowfoot and the Department of Water Resources has refused, but have instead allowed the DCA and SEC to hold their meetings online.

Upcoming Meetings

The next meeting of the 20-member DCA Stakeholder Engagement Committee will be held on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 from 3-6 PM. Topics are expected to include: Scoping Update (DWR), Rehabilitation of construction impacted land, Final temporary and permanent boundaries, and Intakes Update (*subject to change). Ring Central Video Conference. Information Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1489140415;  iPhone one-tap: US: +1(916)2627278,,1489140415#; or Telephone: US: +1(623)4049000 Meeting ID: 148 914 0415.

Ways to Stay Informed

To stay informed of plans and progress on the Delta Conveyance Project visit https://water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project/Delta-Conveyance; Twitter @CA_DWR; email DeltaConveyance@water.ca.gov; or call the Project Hotline at 866.924.9955.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, East County, Environment, News, Recreation, The Delta

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