San Diego Demands Documents Regarding Purchase of Delta Islands

Press Release: 
San Diego Demands Documents
Regarding Purchase of Delta Islands

 

Yesterday, San Diego Water Authority sent a letter to Metropolitan Water District demanding immediate release of appraisal documents for purchase of the Delta islands in 2016. MWD refused prior public records act requests claiming that no appraisals had been completed. However, MWD's General Manager, Jeff Kightlinger recently discussed this appraisal in public, explaining that it was four years old.
 
If the appraisal of the Delta islands purchase is four years old, it suggests MWD had been involved early on in a long-con to purchase Delta land where the tunnels could be built. MWD’s lack of transparency with SDWA—one of their largest member agencies—regarding their purchase of the Delta islands raises the question of whether any MWD member agencies can trust MWD’s proposed analysis of costs and water deliveries, as well as their analysis of construction risk impacts.
 
Executive Director of Restore the Delta Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla said:
"Southern California ratepayers need to be very wary of statements made by MWD management. They will do whatever it takes to buy Delta land, and foist the Delta tunnels project on their ratepayers, regardless of the costs, and risks to their member agencies. Contradictions exist between the projected water delivery amounts for MWD found in CA WaterFix’s EIR, MWD’s presentations on water operations to its board members, and MWD’s own analysis of imported water deliveries within its Urban Management Water Plan. It really seems that the story of Delta tunnels benefits is altered to meet what the audience wants to hear in any given setting to push the project along. This is not the way a public agency should conduct its business.”
 
Click here to read San Diego Water Authority's letter.

 

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