The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has revealed his new plan to build a giant tunnel in the state to catch rainwater for its residents.
However, he has received a lot of backlash from members of the community and politicians from different parties about his outrageous $20 budget for the tunnel system project.
The Delta Conveyance Project
According to Newsom’s proposal, the Delta Conveyance Project, the tunnel will be 45 miles long and 36 feet wide. This is to combat climate change and concerns about Californians’ dwindling water supply.
The proposed tunnel would gather rainwater from the Sacramento River and shuttle it south, where it would be stored, processed, and distributed for use by residents.
California’s Water Project
This project has been discussed for many years as many state officials have tried to create a successful water tunnel for the Golden State. It also comes at a time when water has already been taken from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta estuary in Northern California.
It was also transported south and used to supply 30 million residents and irrigate 6 million acres of farmland.
A State-Wide Project
This tunnel water system project is part of a much larger state-wide project. Therefore, it will affect people from different parts of the state in one way or another.
The project also includes many reservoirs, canals, and dams that provide water to about 27 million people and irrigate around 750,000 acres of farmland in California. Therefore, it concerns everyone in California.
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Original Idea of Two Tunnels
Jerry Brown, Newsom’s predecessor, was the one who came up with the initial tunnel project. Then, his administration’s idea was to build two tunnels in the state.
However, Newsom decided to make a single giant tunnel, stating that it would be a much better channel to collect rainwater after a storm and send it to the south for storage.
Californians Need the Tunnel
This state water project has been discussed for decades as new research continues to show that predicted climate change and environmental regulations would require new solutions to make water readily available for residents.
Therefore, the Delta Conveyance Project was formed to accommodate these changes and keep the state hydrated.
A Surprising Price Surge
The plan itself sounds great, and people are aware of the pressing need for an increased water supply. However, the general public has reacted negatively towards the proposed plan due to the incredibly high cost of the project.
Berkeley Research Group reported that the price of the, which was about $15 billion, has now increased to a whopping $20 billion.
Impact of Inflation
Reports also showed that the price surge was as a result of inflation in the economy and how it has affected the prices of both labor and materials.
Since the funding is going to come from 29 local water agencies, that also means it will come from the pocket of the public. Therefore, it is not surprising that the members of the public are outraged.
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Four Years in the Making
The members of the public are also quite upset because Governor Newsom has been talking about this project since 2020.
However, four years in, the people believe he doesn’t have anything to show for it, and a price surge of almost $5 billion is not sitting right with them, especially since the money is going to be paid with public funds.
Many People Oppose the Project
Other groups that strongly oppose the project are environmentalists and conservation activists. They believe that this project would greatly risk some of California’s wildlife.
For example, an endangered species of salmon exists in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta’s ecosystem, and it would be put at a higher risk if the project took off.
A Possible PR Stunt
Some of the people who oppose the project believe that the entire thing is one big publicity stunt that California and its residents do not need.
They believe that the state has failed to carry out a proper cost-benefit analysis to know the possible outcomes of the project. They also noted that the state has not considered many negative effects that the project could have.
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A Promising Benefit
On the other hand, most experts are in support of the project even though its cost is very high. They believe that the state will get a net $38 billion in benefits back to the state because it is offering a more stable source of water supply that is safe from earthquakes.
Davis Sunding, a UC Berkeley professor, also said that the long-term benefits of this project justify the high costs.
The Numbers Have Spoken
Other experts who have also analyzed the project have similar opinions to Sunding’s. They noted that for every dollar spent, the tunnel will create $2.20 in return.
Therefore, the experts believe that the numbers are beneficial, and even though it is a $20 billion project, it would have a good impact on the $2.3 trillion economy. The numbers have spoken for themselves in this case.
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