New tunnel plan reduces footprint and cost, but may impact sandhill cranes

From the LA Times:

"The redesign shifts the northern portion of the tunnel system a few miles to the east, away from the towns of Hood and Courtland and closer to Interstate 5. It also shortens the tunnel's length by five miles, to 30 miles, and slashes the size of a water storage area near the diversion point from 750 acres to 40 acres.

The redesign cuts the footprint of permanent facilities by about half, to 1,851 acres, and moves some land uses from private to state-owned lands."

State says delta tunnel benefits exceed costs by billions

From the LA Times. The economic analysis says that the $25 billion tunnel project will actually come out ahead by $5 billion in a cost/benefit analysis.

And there's this:

"The report also concluded the tunnel project would generate $83.5 billion in statewide business activity over its 50-year life by averting further water delivery cuts and creating construction and maintenance jobs."

Opponents of the tunnel project are more than a little skeptical.