State Legislature Greenlights McNerney’s Plan to Protect CA’s Water
The state Legislature today unanimously approved State Sen. Jerry McNerney’s SB 872, which is designed to protect California’s primary water source for decades to come.
Supported by environmentalists and State Water Contractors that have often been at odds over water use, SB 872 would safeguard both the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the State Water Project’s (SWP) canals.
“Historically, California’s water wars have pitted North against South, environmental groups versus State Water Contractors,” said Sen. McNerney, who is co-chair of the Delta Caucus and whose district includes the heart of the Delta. “The unanimous passage of SB 872 sends a clear message: California is ready to finally end its water wars. We’re ready to join together to support vital projects that will protect California’s water and the Delta, while also benefitting the entire state.”
SB 872 won unanimous approval in the state Senate today after the Assembly unanimously approved it on Wednesday. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk.
SB 872 would establish the Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund, which would designate state, federal and private dollars to repair the aging levees in the Delta and the SWP’s California Aqueduct and canals, which are being undermined by the historic overdrafting of groundwater.
SB 872 is supported by the environmental group, Restore the Delta, and the State Water Contractors.
"We applaud the Legislature's passage of SB 872, prioritizing the investment in our aging Delta levee infrastructure. This is an important, proactive step to protect our Delta communities, economies, ecosystems, and water supply in the face of a changing climate," said Morgen Snyder, director of Policy and Programs of Restore the Delta.
“Subsidence is one of the biggest threats to California’s water security — risking reliable water supply for millions of residents and thousands of acres of farmland. Senate Bill 872 sets the stage for funding that is urgently needed to maintain reliability and affordability for the 27 million people who rely on the State Water Project and would otherwise be burdened with the full cost of repairs for damages they did not cause,” said Jennifer Pierre, general manager of the State Water Contractors. “We applaud the state Assembly and the state Senate for passing SB 872 and urge the governor, Assembly, and Senate to provide the Year 1 funds necessary in the 2027 budget to effectuate the bill.”
Together, the Delta and the SWP make up California’s primary water system, providing freshwater supplies to 27 million people, businesses, and farms in the Central Valley, the Bay Area, and Southern California. The Delta also supports a vibrantly diverse ecosystem of plants and animals.
But many of the Delta’s aging levees are at risk of collapse, threatening the entire Delta ecosystem and the surrounding region with catastrophic flooding. The SWP’s California Aqueduct, meanwhile, is being seriously impacted by sinking land, known as subsidence, imperiling up to 87% of the system’s water supplies.
Funding for the Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund is part of budget negotiations during the final days of this year’s legislative session, which ends Aug. 31.
Sen. Jerry McNerney is chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, and his 5th Senate District includes all of San Joaquin County and Alameda County’s Tri-Valley.
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