Restore The San Francisco Bay Area Delta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2025

Contact: 

Alexandra Nagy, alexandra@sunstonestrategies.org

Tribes and environmental advocates raise alarm over exclusionary “voluntary agreements” and ecological impacts

Sacramento, Calif. — The California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) released its long-awaited proposed updates to the San Francisco Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan (“Bay-Delta Plan”), a critical policy governing water quality and ecosystem health for California’s largest and most imperiled estuary. 

The updates and revisions include “voluntary agreements” (VAs), in which powerful water districts commit to provide limited additional river flows and funding in exchange for regulatory exemptions. This approach is drawing sharp criticism from Tribes, environmental justice organizations, and conservation advocates, who argue it represents a step backward for ecological protection and water rights. 

The release of the plan updates come despite an ongoing Title VI Civil Rights Act complaint filed by the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC), comprised of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, Restore the Delta, and Save California Salmon. The complaint is driven by the State Water Board’s failure to uphold basic environmental protections in the Bay-Delta, disproportionately harming Tribes and other communities of color.  

“We’re encouraged to see Tribal Beneficial Use designations of the Bay Delta Watershed still included in the Plan. We would have liked to see both the Tribal Cultural and Tribal Subsistence uses designated but still see the Tribal Cultural use designation as a win for tribes and an important step forward to tribal uses of water being protected should it remain in the final plan,” said Vice Chair Malissa Tayaba with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. “We’re disappointed to see the Voluntary Agreements still moving forward. We stand strong in our belief that the proposal is scientifically inadequate. Eight years of an experimental “voluntary” taking and giving of instream flow with questionable oversight is eight years too long that could mean complete devastation for our salmon relatives. Tribal voices and indigenous knowledge was completely and intentionally excluded from VA negotiations from the beginning and now that the Water Board has made it a viable proposal, language has been included to create optics of tribal inclusion with no real mandates for the actual incorporation of Tribal input, Tribal decision-making or Tribal co-governance.”

“It is clear that the State Water Board is continuing its inclusion of the Voluntary Agreements proposals despite the fact that there is a Title VI Civil Rights complaint filed against them, in part, for doing just that.” said Gary Mulcahy, Government Liaison with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe. “The VAs have been in process now for over 9 years, and have failed to include environmental justice communities, Disadvantaged Communities, and California Tribes in their planning and implementation processes. A clear violation of the civil rights of those groups who will be significantly affected by their actions.” 

The negotiations leading to today’s Bay-Delta plan draft update have been criticized for being conducted in secret and excluding Tribal and frontline communities. “The Water Board is now saying you need to talk to the Tribes, but that is the old term of a day late and a dollar short – 10 years after the VAs began planning,” said Mulcahy.

The proposed updates also raise fundamental concerns about equity, transparency, and science-based water governance. “The State Water Board is betting on the livelihood of Delta communities and future generations that will be left to live with the consequences of poor policy making,” said Cintia Cortez, Policy Program Manager at Restore the Delta. “The Board’s failure to address these issues is evident by their failure to resolve DTEC’s Title VI Complaint. Instead the Board is aligning itself with a Governor that continues to push an agenda for his personal gain and does not benefit Californians.”

The current Bay-Delta Plan has not been substantially updated since 1995, despite repeated admissions from government fish and wildlife agencies that existing flow standards are insufficient to support native fish species, including Chinook Salmon, Longfin Smelt, and White Sturgeon. Salmon fisheries have remained closed for three consecutive years due to catastrophic declines in their breeding grounds. 

“Fish need cold water in rivers, but today’s proposed updates to the Bay Delta Water Quality Plan show that the Water Board still chose politics over science,” said Devon Pearse, Lead Scientist of Friends of the River. “Outdated water quality regulations for the Bay-Delta Estuary have pushed the ecosystem to the brink, yet the Water Board’s own analysis found that restoring flows to protect the Bay-Delta will have minimal economic cost. Instead of solving California’s water crisis, this plan entrenches the status quo that’s bankrupting our ecosystems, fisheries, and future. But, it’s not too late! The Water Board can still change course and publish a scientifically-defensible final plan.”

“This is a sad day for the State Water Board and one more on a long list of bad days for salmon,” said Scott Artis, Executive Director at the Golden Gate Salmon Association. “The Board seems to be collapsing under pressure from the Governor to approve the fatally flawed voluntary agreements. The VAs are a scam that could cost taxpayers billions, enrich water agencies and make the rivers even sicker. The VAs set the stage for even more damaging diversions by the massive Delta tunnel. Commercial fishing in California has been closed for 3 years because of unsustainable water diversions. This looks like a plan to kill California’s most important wild salmon runs and fishing jobs.”

Artis further explains, “the voluntary agreements aren’t a solution—they’re a water diversion tactic dressed up as progress, with consequences California’s natural heritage, salmon, people and communities can’t afford.”

The Water Board’s decision to advance the VAs instead of an “unimpaired flow” (UIF) approach, developed through 15 years of scientific review, has also reignited tensions over the state’s management of one of the most ecologically fragile regions in California. 

“Today’s movement on the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan had the potential to make real progress for water policy, but instead it is another lame-duck gesture meant to buy time to address the inadequate and out-of-date water quality standards for the Bay-Delta Estuary,” said Ashley Overhouse, Defenders of Wildlife water policy advisor. “Clearly, this is just the latest attempt by the Newsom administration to promote the woefully insufficient Voluntary Agreements, undercutting bare minimum protections for people and wildlife. The proposal to cut freshwater flows through the Delta during wet and dry years by over 20% will be devastating for species and the overall health of the Estuary. After years of delay, Californians and our wildlife deserve better.” 

“Over the past two decades, the State Water Board has admitted repeatedly that its water quality standards are totally inadequate to protect California’s clean water, fish, fisheries, and the people that depend on them,” said Jon Rosenfield, Ph.D. Science Director for San Francisco Baykeeper. “Even with additional protections under state and federal endangered species acts, California diverts over half of the water destined for San Francisco Bay in an average year. Today’s proposed updates to water quality rules for the Bay’s watershed double-down on a status quo that has brought seven native fish species to the brink of extinction, devastated fishing communities across the state, and promoted neon green toxic algal blooms in the Delta. The proposal is a complete capitulation to political pressure from Governor Newsom and powerful water barons.”

With a civil rights investigation still unresolved and the Delta ecosystem in crisis, the State Water Board’s decision to prioritize unregulated voluntary agreements over science-based regulation is drawing serious legal and ethical scrutiny. Questions remain including whether Governor Newsom will continue to attempt to insulate the Bay-Delta Plan from CEQA review, enforcement mechanisms for VAs that fail to protect beneficial uses and how water districts not party to the VAs will be held accountable. 

The Water Board will receive comments on the revised draft in writing by September 10, 2025 and at a public hearing on September 8 and 9, 2025.

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On July 23rd and 24th, Restore the Delta’s water quality testing program reported that HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) have been found at Windmill Cove, Buckley Cove, and the Louis Park boat launch in Stockton.

Our test strips maxed out at 10 parts per billion, meaning actual toxin levels could be even higher. This exceeds California’s warning thresholds for public health and is the highest we’ve seen since 2022.

The current blooms look like chopped grass floating in the water—as if someone dumped a lawnmower bag into the water. You might also see it just below the surface.

What to do if you see HABS:

• Avoid HABs-infested areas, especially with children, the elderly, and pets
• Avoid skin contact or inhalation near or along the shoreline
• Do not ingest the water

Stay alert, stay safe, and help protect our Delta community by spreading the word.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 17, 2025

Contact: 

Alexandra Nagy, alexandra@sunstonestrategies.org

Stockton, CA – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom referred to California Tribes, along with environmental and community groups opposing the Delta Conveyance Project, as “special interests.” His remarks in response to our collective Day of Action at the State Capitol yesterday mimic the way President Trump speaks about parties who disagree with him.

The Governor’s statements about the Delta Conveyance Project have been debunked in recent written testimony submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board by nationally renowned environmental economists, Tribal and environmental justice experts, climate and water experts, and fishery scientists. Restore the Delta and our Tribal partners in the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition rely on the work of these experts to validate our on-the-ground expertise.

Trumpian tactics from the Governor are beneath his office. The truth will stand. Californians already reject the Delta Conveyance Project, which EcoNorthwest has demonstrated will cost between $60 billion and $116 billion. As the facts continue to come to light in the opposition’s collective testimony, voters will become more and more disturbed by the Governor’s misinformation on water and his bullying of impacted communities.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2025

Contact: 

Alexandra Nagy, alexandra@sunstonestrategies.org

Sacramento, CA – Tribal leaders and environmental justice advocates met with legislators today for the 2025 Day of Action for Water Justice, urging lawmakers to reject Governor Newsom’s proposed trailer bills that would fast-track the Delta Conveyance Project and bypass critical environmental protections. 

The day-long event began with power meetings between Tribal members, environmental advocates and legislators to urge support for equitable, science-based water solutions that protect the Bay-Delta and to reject the financially reckless Delta Conveyance Project that threatens ecosystems, Tribal sovereignty, and public health. 

Advocates cited a recent report published by the California Water Impact Network prepared by ECOnorthwest that estimates the project could in reality cost anywhere from $60 to over $100 billion – three to five times higher than the approximately $20 billion that the Department of Water Resources is claiming. These skyrocketing costs would largely fall to ratepayers across California. The Metropolitan Water District, serving 19 million people in Southern California, already proposes up to 14% in rate hikes to support tunnel planning and construction, placing even greater burdens on working families.

At the press conference on the Capitol steps, advocates called on lawmakers to reject trailer bills that would provide CEQA exemptions for the Delta Conveyance Project, circumventing existing law, court rulings and public opinion. Specifically, the coalition called on lawmakers to:

• Vote NO on SB 72 which undermines the Delta Reform Act and sets arbitrary water supply targets;
• Vote YES on AB 362 which protects tribal beneficial uses of water and to;
• Vote YES on AB 263, extending emergency protections currently in place for the Scott and Shasta Rivers, a high priority for the recovery of coho salmon.

Speakers at the press conference included tribal representatives from the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe as well as elected leaders and representatives from Restore the Delta, Sierra Club California, Friends of the River, Defenders of Wildlife and the Delta Counties Coalition.

Statements from tribal leaders and environmental advocates:

“Delta tribes deserve a responsible and equitable approach to water management in the state that does not require jamming a tunnel through the Delta, destroying our ancestral homelands and waterways, or desecrating sacred sites and ancestral remains. Our culture and identities are intrinsically tied to the Delta. There is no price tag worth paying that would ever justify the harm done to us or the unquantifiable costs that Tribes and disadvantaged communities would ultimately bear.”

Vice Chair Malissa Tayaba with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians

“There is nothing about the Delta Tunnel Project that significantly benefits anyone except Big Ag and south of the Delta water agencies, while putting endangered species, tribal cultural resources, and disadvantaged communities and the viability of the S.F Bay-Delta itself at risk. CEQA exemptions continue to attempt to erase Tribes from water governance.”

Gary Mulcahy, Government Liaison with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe

“The Delta Counties are not trying to deprive anyone of Delta water supplies. Rather, we are asking for smarter investments in resilient water projects. Regarding the major changes in law proposed by the Governor through the state budget to make way for the Tunnel, we ask that there be a transparent and robust process to vet these proposals through the normal legislative process.”

Pat Hume, Chair of the Delta Counties Coalition

“Public opinion points to the need for local, sustainable water solutions – not a $100 billion dollar tunnel that will cost Southern California ratepayers and the Delta economy alike. Introducing trailer bills that circumvent existing law, court rulings and public opinion to advance the Delta Tunnel is bad policy, and at a minimum, deserves rigorous policy review in the legislature.” 

Morgen Snyder, Policy Manager, Restore the Delta

“California’s salmon fishing economy has been shut down for 3 years because of unsustainable water diversions. The Delta tunnel would worsen that problem by sucking much more water through this massive 36 foot diameter tunnel. Fishing jobs are not the only human impact from the crash of the Bay-Delta ecosystem. Delta communities and tribes are also suffering.  We are here today united in opposition to this damaging boondoggle. It’s decades past time for the State Water Board to update their failed 30 year old standards to protect salmon and the Bay-Delta ecosystem.”

Barry Nelson, Policy Advisor, Golden State Salmon Association

As a resident of LA County, I don’t want to see our already high water bills and property taxes, or rent, go up any further to pay for the expensive and unnecessary Delta Conveyance Project. The Department of Water Resources predicted the project would cost $20 billion, but a new report from California Water Impact Network found that it will actually cost closer to $60-100 billion. Metropolitan Water District is already doubling water rates this year and next, and raising property taxes, just to pay for the planning phase of the project. I can’t imagine how high rates will be to pay for the actual construction of the project, especially with the true cost revealed, and MWD knows that it will be unreasonably high or they would not have fought so hard to try to pass those sneaky trailer bills last month, or push for them to resurface next month. We cannot see AB or SB 131 pass. The cost of living in California is too high, the impact to Tribes and EJ communities is too great, and we should instead be investing in water recycling for more communities to ensure a reliable source of water in the future.

Caty Wagner, Water Campaign Manager, Sierra Club California

“Decades of backroom water deals have hidden how California hands water to the wealthy, and harms the public’s right to clean water and thriving fish and wildlife populations.  Today, Governor Newsom is continuing that sad history, by pushing budget trailer bills that will hide the latest water giveaways from legislative and judicial review. Water business-as-usual will irreparably harm California’s tribes, fishing businesses, and San Francisco Bay’s seven imperiled fish species. The state must adopt science-based safeguards for its water and its people — Governor Newsom can’t hide that truth any longer.”

Jon Rosenfield, Ph.D. Science Director, San Francisco Baykeeper

“There’s no argument that California needs to take swift and decisive actions to fight climate change. But the last thing our state needs is to push through projects that would actually worsen climate change impacts, while harming the environment and costing Californians billions of dollars. The legislature needs to resist efforts by Governor Newsom and special interests that would fast track boondoggles like the Delta Tunnel, and rob citizens of the chance to ensure that new projects actually solve our economic and environmental challenges.”

Keiko Mertz, Policy Director, Friends of the River

“Instead of prioritizing water affordability and protecting vulnerable communities, Governor Newsom is pushing a Delta tunnel that will break the bank and going on podcasts to throw trans kids under the bus. He is unfit to hold any elected office ever again.”

Max Gomberg, Senior Policy Advisor, California Water Impact Network

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Read more from our Flood and Land Restoration Manager, Artie Valencia

“On May 2nd, 2025, the Trump Administration announced proposed cuts to the Army Corps of Engineers’ construction budget as part of its FY 2026 “skinny budget” that slashes funds for levee upgrades by 53%. The Delta is a system that is held by a thread by aging levee infrastructure. Due to historic disinvestment, this region has fallen decades behind on critical upgrades and rehabilitation measures to ensure its robust holistic protection. Time and time again, Delta levees are being challenged during wet periods, causing erosion and adding pressure to the levee barrier that protects 600,000 residents and 740,000 acres of land in the Delta” (Hanson, Courthouse News Service).

The Looming Threat of Massive Flooding in our Community

Without this significant investment, Delta levees will remain vulnerable to climate extremes like Atmospheric River Storms which are expected to increase by 10-40% across the Sierra Nevada by mid-century (Huang & Swain). These conditions will only increase flood risk in the San Joaquin Valley. 

The 2023 Atmospheric River Storms provide a glimpse into the possible future for this region with the current infrastructure in its degrading form. In San Joaquin County alone, there were 15 levee boils due to erosion and pressure from record snow water equivalent levels 300-400% of normal in certain areas of the Sierra Nevada. Eventually, snow melts. Coupled with extreme periods of heat in April and into the summer months, state hydrologists report that snow melt increases flood potential as a result of this rapid melting (Smith, LA Times). 

In a 2024 webinar hosted by Sustainable Conservation, UCLA Data Climate Scientist Daniel Swain highlighted that due to climate change, more winter storms will bring more rain than snow. This will lead to the faster filling of rivers and reservoirs in both the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas, thus increasing flood risk.

In practical terms, the Atmospheric River Storms have the potential to overfill these systems, causing river stage levels to increase due to heavy flows coming down and through the 100-year old levee system. Such conditions are the perfect brew for a flood event that could lead to millions in damage to homes, farmland, and infrastructure.

Stockton in particular faces flood risk on all sides, both on the San Joaquin and Calaveras River end due to high tides and sea level rise due to increased rainfall and runoff in the San Joaquin watershed. Localized or otherwise known as street flooding poses another risk due to high water tables that can seep into foundations and outdated street and infrastructure design that is not built to drain or move high volumes or water. As it stands, Insurance Journal Report, claims that Stockton is the second most flood-vulnerable city in the U.S., with 93% of residential properties at risk of flood damages within the next 30 years. Additionally, in the CA Flood Future Report Summary, the Department of Water Resources referred to Stockton as a flood prone area of concern with levees that could pose a catastrophic risk if breached. The Central Valley Flood Protection Board also identifies Stockton’s levees in the high-hazard and deficiencies classifications. Currently, including the Delta and the entire Central Valley region, the Central Valley levee system protects approximately 1.3 million people and $223B in assets yet still they remain vulnerable. Earlier this year, data from the Delta Stewardship Council reports that $10 billion worth of farmland, businesses and infrastructure is at risk. A flood can also affect economics in the Delta since these assets generate $2 billion per year. 

Funding for The Lower San Joaquin River Project is Possibly at Risk

The funding cut will target future levee and flood projects including mitigation and restoration in California. Efforts like the Lower San Joaquin River Project may be impacted. In April, the Ten Mile Slough project broke ground in Brookside with a $2 million budget to reduce flood risk for over 120,000 residents. In general, the Lower San Joaquin River Project focuses on North and Central Stockton but includes specific phases of sites and reaches including Smith Canal/Fourteen Mile Slough, Calaveras River Corridor, Shima Tract, Van Buskirk/San Joaquin River-French Camp Slough, and Mosher Slough. The entire project will protect 300,000 residents from flooding in the San Joaquin Basin Project.

Ultimately, the $1.65 billion requested in Trump’s budget is not sufficient to meet flood risk mitigation, ecosystem restoration and community needs. This was emphasized in a letter sent by 12 congressional members to the chairperson and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee and Energy and Water Subcommittee.  Hopefully this will help pressure the administration to reverse the proposed cuts to the US Army Corps of Engineers’ budget. However, if not, the entire Delta and San Joaquin Valley will remain at risk for a Hurricane Katrina level flood that will not only impact homes and livelihoods, but will have irreversible consequences for communities like Stockton. Oftentimes, communities never fully recover from a flood–Pajaro and New Oreleans are examples of that. 

Real-Time Flooding Impacts Today

On July 4th, a catastrophic flash flood occurred on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas. Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Barry links the heavy rainfall to warming atmospheres and oceans. Unfortunately, these conditions led to rising floodwaters that overwhelmed infrastructure and caused significant damage to nearby residences and camps. Heartbreakingly, with the damage also came a significant loss of life. In 2023, the community of Pajaro experienced a levee breach that left 3,000 displaced and decades of damage. With the recurrence of atmospheric river storms on the rise, this tragedy is another reminder of what can happen in the San Joaquin portion of the Delta. 

The grim connection between these regions is aging levee infrastructure and emergency warning systems that need to adapt to the most current extreme conditions. Just like limited funding from the State for the San Joaquin Valley, Texas lawmakers disregarded the investment for sirens that could alert the public in the event of loss of power or even reach people in rural areas with limited cellular service. Additionally, that disaster was exacerbated by sparse and delayed real-time river-gauge coverage which delayed internal emergency response coordination and mandatory evacuation orders for residents in low-lying areas. Current proposals by the US Bureau of Reclamation to defund Delta gauge tracking will worsen flood warning for the protection of Delta residents.

To prevent future tragedies, local and state governments must invest in adaptive tools like outdoor sirens and weather radios that deliver real-time warnings regardless of connectivity. Regions may share similar histories, but with the right investments in levee infrastructure and emergency response systems, the story of the San Joaquin portion of the Delta can be different.

Project is Overvalued, Under-Analyzed, and a Massive Blow to Ratepayers and the Environment

Dear Friends,

On behalf of our friends at California Water Impact Network, who completed this excellent work, 

We want to share a powerful new report and testimony that shares the updated costs of the Delta Conveyance Project. Prepared by the environmental economics firm ECOnorthwest, this report documents how the DCP “simply doesn’t pencil out”, said Carolee Krieger, C-WIN’s executive director.

Read C-WIN’s full press release and testimony here: C-WIN Submits Damning Testimony on the DCP
 

Continuous research highlights why we must still oppose the Delta Tunnel due to its excessive costs, environmental harm, and lack of benefits for Californians.

For Immediate Release:
July 8, 2025

Contact: Alexandra Nagy, alexandra@sunstonestrategies.org
 

Stockton, CA –  Restore the Delta has been awarded a major grant from North Valley THRIVE’s Catalyst Fund to support the next phase of the Mormon Slough Restoration project, a transformative effort to reconnect Stockton’s communities with their waterways while improving flood protection, environmental health, and economic opportunity.

The grant is part of North Valley THRIVE’s Catalyst Fund, which received 72 proposals totaling over $37 million in requests. Restore the Delta’s project is one of just 21 selected to move forward for final approval by Merced College’s Board of Trustees this week. The awarded funds will cover design charrettes for two priority restoration sites and an economic cost-benefit analysis to guide the project’s long-term implementation.

“Mormon Slough restoration is a one-of-a-kind multi-benefit project built by and for the Stockton community with Tribal governments, and government agencies,” said Artie Valencia, Flood and Land Restoration Program Manager at Restore the Delta. “After decades of disinvestment, we have an opportunity here to increase flood protection and biodiversity, and most importantly, to reconnect our community to its waterways and produce the economic benefits that come with a healthy physical environment.”

The project is grounded in collaboration with the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians to ensure the restoration reflects Indigenous knowledge and priorities.

“Restoring our environment is not just a duty for the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians; it is a testament to our shared responsibility for peace and healing,” said Jesse Galvan, Tribal Historic Preservation Office Coordinator. “Together, we can create a future where every Tribal and non-Tribal community thrives, and the voices of marginalized individuals are heard.”

The project envisions transforming Mormon Slough—a nine-mile former river channel running through South and East Stockton—into a publicly accessible greenway and park that addresses local flood risks while fostering community health and economic growth. Grant-funded activities will include site inventories, Tribal- and community-led design sessions, and foundational economic analysis to ensure that restoration creates equitable benefits, honors Tribal perspectives, and avoids displacement of unhoused residents currently living near the slough.

“With this investment from North Valley THRIVE, we’re thrilled to continue growing momentum for the long-term restoration of Mormon Slough,” said Davis Harper Zapata, Director of Strategic Planning at Restore the Delta. “It’s a privilege and honor to collaborate with Stockton community members on a collective vision for the slough that prioritizes Tribal leadership, environmental health, and community wealth generation.”

Erick Serrato, Director of North Valley THRIVE, also celebrated the award. “This award by the North Valley THRIVE Steering Committee is not just an investment in the Mormon Slough project, but in Restore the Delta itself,” said Serrato. “Investing in Climate Smart Infrastructure is a key pillar of our work; we’re excited to know this important economic and climate-responsive project is in good hands.”

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Senator Christopher Cabaldon is making it clear that the decades-old Delta Tunnel proposal should be put to rest.

“This project doesn’t make sense for anyone – not the people of the Delta or the water users in southern California. It’s time to let go of this fantasy and move on to solutions that don’t harm the Delta and have a realistic chance of being built,” Senator Cabaldon told the Daily Republic.

The senator’s comments follow a recent victory by Delta representatives, who successfully blocked Governor Newsom’s attempt to fast-track the project through the 2025-26 budget. Opposition to the Tunnel has been mounting, with a broad coalition of Delta residents, farmers, environmental groups, and business leaders voicing their concerns. 

Senator Cabaldon strongly criticized the massive cost of the project, advocating instead for more affordable, sustainable solutions like water recycling and strengthening Delta levees. “These solutions cost money, but they will be much faster and cheaper than the $20 billion-and-counting that the state proposes to spend on the tunnel”, he said.

Read the full story from the Daily Republic here.