Delta Conveyance Project Public Hearing Begins February 18
The State Water Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a hearing regarding the Delta Conveyance Project (also known as the Delta Tunnel) beginning on February 18, 2025 at 9 a.m. The hearing will address the water right change petitions filed by the Department of Water Resources’ State Water Project to add two new points of diversion and rediversion on the Lower Sacramento River to build the Delta Conveyance Project.
The State Water Board will use the evidence presented during the hearing to determine whether to approve these petitions, and if so, what specific terms and conditions (if any) should be included in the amended State Water Project permits. Parties to the proceeding may submit exhibits and testimony relevant to a list of issues and sub-issues to be considered, including:
Would approval of the petitions impact tribal lands, tribal interests, or tribal cultural resources? If approved, what terms and conditions, if any, within the Board’s authorities should the Board include in the amended permits to protect these interests?
Hearing information and how to participate:
-
First policy hearing day (see calendar below for more dates): February 18, 2025 at 9 am
-
The hearing will continue on March 24 with any remaining policy statements and presentation of the Petitioner Division of Water Resources’ case-in-chief
-
In person location for February 18 hearing date:
Sierra Hearing Room
Joe Serna Jr. CalEPA Building, Second floor
1001 I Street, Sacramento, California.
-
Zoom join link: bit.ly/aho-dcp-zoom
-
Call-in number: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 969 6180 8415 (Passcode: 750159)
-
Any person or entity can request to participate in the hearing as a party by demonstrating why they want to participate (“good cause”) by contacting the Administrative Hearings Office at DCP-WR-Petition@waterboards.ca.gov and completing a Notice of Intent to Appear (NOI). Email is preferred, but the Office can be reached by mail at:
State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office
P.O. Box 100
Sacramento, CA 95812-0100
-
If participating as a party and providing testimony, case management statements must be submitted to DCP-WR-Petition@waterboards.ca.gov by February 11, 2025. The hearing officer will receive comments on topics such as proposals to visit sites that would be affected by the project, what time limits should apply to witness cross examination and objections, how witnesses should be organized for presenting testimony and order of cross examination included in the Second Amended Hearing Notice, and any other procedural issues.
For those interested in watching but not participating, the hearing will be livestreamed at: bit.ly/aho-youtube.
-
Second Amended Notice of Hearing and Procedural Ruling (includes hearing details and background, procedures, how to request language or other services, list of issues to be considered, list of Protestants, interested persons). Note that the dates listed in the notice are subject to change.
-
Subscribe to emails related to this proceeding by visiting bit.ly/swb-subscribe and selecting “Delta Conveyance Project Public Hearing” in the Administrative Hearings Office subscription topic group.
Schedule / Deadlines (subject to change)
|
|
Deadline for submission of hearing management statement and joint proposal for site visit.
|
|
Hearing begins with policy statements from 9 a.m. to approximately 12 p.m., and consideration of remaining procedural issues starting at approximately 1 p.m.
|
|
Hearing continues with remaining policy statements and Petitioner’s case-in-chief.
|
|
Hearing continues with Petitioner’s case-in-chief.
|
March 25, and April 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 14, 17, 22, 23, & 24, 2025
|
Deadline for Protestants to submit case-in-chief exhibits, exhibit identification indices, and proposed permit terms or statement of no appropriate conditions for approval. Deadline for Petitioner to submit any additional case-in-chief exhibits based on any revision to hearing issues or newly available information.
|
|
|
|
