With a new State administration there is a real opportunity to make meaningful progress towards enhancing California’s environment and water supply. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), in particular, is positioned to benefit greatly from the changes in leadership. In response to a collapsing Delta environment, BDCP was designed to find the balance between protecting the Delta ecosystem while meeting the state’s water supply needs. Unfortunately, four years and $140 million later, BDCP has so far missed the mark.  However as we move forward, we must distill what was revealed from the BDCP process:

• It is not possible to maintain current levels of diversion from the Delta and have a healthy ecosystem.  This has been proven by every independent scientific review.
• Water users are unwilling and in most cases unable to pay their shares of a $12 to $20 Billion set of massive intakes and tunnels. 
• Secret negotiations do not result in durable solutions.

With all that in mind the Planning and Conservation League looks forward to being a constructive participant with the new State administration, the federal government and other stakeholders in developing realistic and affordable solutions. The sooner the better.