Washington, DC – In response to the inclusion of an outlier provision in the FY 2019 Interior and Environment funding bill – which would exempt the Environmental Impact Report and the Environmental Impact Statement for the California WaterFix plan from state or federal judicial review – Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) issued the following statement:
“This is another attempt to force the ill-conceived tunnels proposal on Californians, and undermine state and federal law – specifically those concerning the protection of our environment. California has led the nation in shaping forward-thinking policy that prioritizes environmental preservation, setting high standards in an effort to safeguard our natural resources. Mandatory environmental impact analyses are essential in determining whether a project can move forward. Prohibiting the option for judicial review of the WaterFix environmental impact studies would eliminate a critical check in our system and help clear a path for the tunnels to proceed without further oversight. This provision has no place in a crucial funding bill, and was dropped in as a last-ditch effort to circumvent the voices of Californians throughout the state who have said ‘no’ to the disastrous tunnels plan.”
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Rep. Jerry McNerney proudly serves the constituents of California’s 9th Congressional District that includes portions of San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Sacramento Counties. For more information on Rep. McNerney’s work, follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @RepMcNerney.
