Does Gavin Newsom Know What He’s Talking About RE Water Infrastructure?

Power lines tower over the California Aqueduct, the main canal of the State Water Project. February 5, 1997. Photo credit: Dale Kolke, CA Department of Water Resources.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently made a pit stop in Colusa, a rural community in the North state, on his California Jobs First press tour, where he touted the proposed Sites Reservoir and Delta Tunnel projects. During the conference, Newsom made questionable statements, both factually and culturally. Some of his statements even contradicted his own policies. The following is a list of questions for Governor Newsom, to better understand the his positions—and the facts.

Does the Governor know that science predicts dams and diversions like the Delta Tunnel and Sites Reservoir make climate change worse?

In December, Governor Newsom was all over the state pushing his two favorite water infrastructure projects, Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel. He called the tunnel the “single most important climate adaptation project in the U.S.” Apparently, the Governor doesn’t know that Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel will actually make the climate change crisis in California worse in major ways.

Did Governor Newsom consider how the massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions—in excess of 80,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles—emanating from Sites Reservoir directly conflicts with state law mandating carbon neutrality by 2045?

Sites Reservoir would be a major new contributor of greenhouse gas emissions – mostly in the form of methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gasses. In fact, average annual emissions from the proposed reservoir are expected to exceed that of more than 80,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles. This directly undermines recent state law mandating carbon neutrality by 2045, and the Governor’s own efforts to achieve this goal.

Sites Reservoir, when considered in the narrow context of energy production, creates significantly more emissions per unit of energy produced than other energy sources. Source: Estimate of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Proposed Sites Reservoir Project using the All-Res Modeling Tool, p. 21/22.

Is Governor Newsom aware of the massive amounts of energy demanded by the Delta Tunnel project and what would be required to mitigate its enormous carbon footprint?

Governor Newsom also seems to be unaware how his beloved Tunnel project will increase the energy-intensive pumping of water through the State Water Project – which, by the way, is the largest single use of energy in the state. Building the Tunnel will allow the pumping of even more Sacramento River water from Sites and other reservoirs, and would increase energy consumption and emissions, instead of reducing the State Water Project’s already massive carbon footprint. Maybe someone should clue Gavin Newsom in on the obvious – increasing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use is not a very smart or effective way to adapt to climate change.

What are Governor Newsom’s plans for resolving massive carbon emissions and environmental harms that will be perpetrated by the proposed Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel?

None of the above even starts to factor in the potential impacts of these climate-harming projects on fish, wildlife, water quality, and living rivers. Taking even more water from the environment will hasten the extinction of endangered plants and animals only found in California, exacerbate the occurrence of toxic algae blooms that threaten people, pets and wild animals, and degrade overall ecosystem health. Pushing species toward extinction and causing environmental harm is not an appropriate, nor humane, climate adaptation strategy.

Has the Governor convened meetings with tribal members impacted by the Delta Tunnel and Sites Reservoir as required under state law before asserting he has their support?

In his recent press conference, Governor Newsom misrepresented the stance of California Tribes on the Delta Tunnel and Sites Reservoir. In what may go down as one of the most tone-deaf press conferences of his governorship, Newsom falsely claimed broad Tribal support for Sites and the Tunnel, which many Tribes vocally oppose. All this while also making a plea to the incoming President Trump for funding and partnership.

Californians should be embarrassed.

To listen to the press conference, click here.