Opposition to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue to express my opposition to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, or BDCP. The BDCPs comment period closed at the end of July and California state officials reviewed comments from stakeholders throughout California as it determines the best route going forward. The result: the state has delayed implementation of the BDCP.

Since being elected to Congress in 2006, I've expressed concerns with this proposal. Building two tunnels that make it easier to ship Delta water south does nothing to address California's larger water issues. We need to focus our investments on recycling, desalinization, conservation, and storage--both above and below ground. Becoming better managers of our water resources will help prepare our state for wet and dry years.

As evident by the BDCPs delay, this flawed plan is based on unreasonable assumptions instead of sound science and has raised red flags from various federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That is why I offered an amendment to the FY15 Energy and Water Appropriations Act to ban the government from funding tunnels taking our water. We must focus our finite federal resources on initiatives that will result in increased water supply and storage capacity, not waste it on projects that take from one region of the state and send it to another.

The BDCP is not a plan that reflects the interests of all Californians; I along with my Delta colleagues remain willing to work with all parties on a statewide solution that considers all stakeholders interests.

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