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Garamendi Urges California to Consider Western Route for Delta Conveyance

March 23, 2020

Sacramento, CA—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), who represents the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in Congress, sent a letter to Director Karla Nemeth of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) objecting to the agency's lack of consideration of the "western route" for the new Delta Conveyance Project. To date, DWR has failed to examine a possible western route for the project, even though the western route could more effectively preserve the ecology of the Delta. According to a map released by DWR, the state is focusing solely on tunnel routes under the central and eastern Delta for the conveyance project.

"DWR is failing Delta communities by refusing to evaluate a potential western route for the Delta Conveyance Project," Garamendi said. "In April 2019, Governor Newsom directed state agencies to reassess plans to modernize conveyance through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. DWR has failed to fulfill the Governor's directive by refusing to consider the western route."

"Significant work has already been done to evaluate the western route. Failure by DWR to study the pros and cons of a western route relative to other options is an abdication of the agency's responsibility to the Delta and Californians. I will continue to urge DWR to consider this option throughout its planning for the Delta Conveyance Project," Garamendi concluded.

A copy of Congressman Garamendi's letter is available here.

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