Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a significant budget proposal aimed at fast-tracking the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), demonstrating the administration’s commitment to modernizing California’s aging water infrastructure. As part of the May Revise, this proposal will streamline administrative processes to save time and costs.
“For too long, attempts to modernize our critical water infrastructure have stalled in endless red tape, burdened with unnecessary delay. We’re done with barriers — our state needs to complete this project as soon as possible, so that we can better store and manage water to prepare for a hotter, drier future. Let’s get this built.”
— Governor Gavin Newsom
Why This Matters:
- 27 Million Californians Depend on It: The State Water Project delivers water to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.
- Climate Resilience: California is projected to lose 10% of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions, with State Water Project reliability potentially reduced by up to 23%.
- Economic Impact: If the service area of the State Water Project were its own country, its economy would rank eighth largest in the world, generating $2.3 trillion annually.
The Governor’s Streamlining Proposal Will:
- Simplify Permitting: Eliminate certain deadlines from existing water rights permits and strengthen enforcement of Water Board rules for permit protests.
- Confirm Funding Authority: Ensure the Department of Water Resources has clear authority to issue bonds for DCP costs, to be repaid by participating public water agencies.
- Prevent Unnecessary Litigation Delays: Streamline judicial review of future challenges to the project, similar to successful models used for other large public works.
- Support Construction: Streamline land acquisition authority to facilitate the project’s construction.
Looking Forward
While accelerating the project, the budget proposal also balances environmental responsibility with decisive action. The plan includes strategic funding for ecosystem protection and community mitigation measures, addressing key stakeholder concerns. A newly formed interagency task force will coordinate permitting processes across all levels of government.
Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot emphasized that the accelerated timeline won’t compromise environmental standards: “We remain fully committed to implementing this project with robust environmental protections while recognizing the urgency climate change brings to our water security challenges.”
