At least 57 groups, ranging from local governments to crab boat owners, filed suit against the mammoth twin-tunnel project in the Sacramento River delta, using “one of the most powerful legal weapons found in any courtroom — the California Environmental Quality Act,” reports the Sacramento Bee. “History suggests that suing under the California environmental law won’t be enough to kill the tunnels.”
“More typically, the courts will require developers to redo some of their environmental impact reviews — a process that could lead to delays and even some modifications, but not outright cancellation of the project,” said the Bee. “Some groups have been able to use CEQA litigation to drag projects out to the point that developers give up.”
With an estimated cost of $17 billion, the 35-mile-long tunnels would stretch beneath the delta, drawing water from the Sacramento River for delivery to Southern California users, including the Westlands Water District. Growers in the delta say the project will divert irrigation water from their backyard.
Even if CEQA litigation can’t halt the tunnels, the project isn’t exactly home free. The south-of-Delta water agencies that will have to pay for the project are expected to vote next month on whether to commit. At least one major agency — Westlands Water District, which serves farmers in Fresno and Kings counties — has indicated the project might be too expensive,” reported the Bee.