Overview

• Legislators declined to move a sweeping streamlining measure before adjournment, halting the governor’s push to speed the tunnel this year.
• The proposal sought to compress permitting, land acquisition, water-rights decisions, funding and litigation timelines for the Delta Conveyance Project.
• The tunnel would run from the Sacramento River to a reservoir near Livermore and is estimated at $20.1 billion to bolster supplies for 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.
• Delta lawmakers and environmental, fishing and tribal groups welcomed the stall, citing community disruptions and salmon risks flagged in state analysis.
• Supporters, including the State Water Contractors and major water agencies, say the need remains urgent and that planning will continue under regular processes.