Diverse Coalition of Labor Leaders, Legislators and Businesses Unite at the Capitol to Support Governor Newsom’s Delta Conveyance Trailer Bill
August 21, 2025
For Immediate Release: August 20, 2025
Contact: Emma Lenz, emma@swansoncomm.net
SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, a broad coalition of California leaders, state water contractors, labor unions, business organizations, and water agencies gathered at the State Capitol to call on the Legislature to pass Governor Newsom’s budget trailer bill advancing the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP).
The Governor’s budget trailer bill will help streamline the review process for the Delta Conveyance Project – the proposed project to modernize California’s aging water infrastructure, protect water security for millions of Californians, and address the costly and redundant obstacles that have stalled critical projects like the DCP for years—all while maintaining strong environmental protections for Delta communities and habitats.
“If the State Water Project service area were its own nation, it would rank as the eighth largest in the world,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of State Water Contractors. “Threats to the SWP are threats to California. This budget trailer bill will reduce barriers to innovation, save time and money, and ensure we can secure a reliable water supply for our communities.”
“For too long, infrastructure projects have been bogged down by frivolous lawsuits and duplicative reviews,” said Tracy Hernandez, Founding CEO of Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed). “This bill cuts through those obstacles and ensures reliable water supply for homes and businesses throughout California.
“Water reliability is an equity issue. Disadvantaged communities suffer most when access to water is disrupted,” said Martin Ludlow, Founder of Groundswell for Water Justice. “Moving the Delta Conveyance Project forward is a commitment to fairness and justice for all Californians.”
“The Delta Conveyance Project will protect affordable water access and create thousands of well-paying union jobs,” said Jeremy Smith, State Building & Construction Trades Council of California Chief of Staff. “This is exactly the kind of investment California needs.”
A recent report from the Department of Water Resources found that the Delta Conveyance Project continues to be one of the most effective climate adaptation strategies. With California facing increasingly severe climate swings, from record-breaking droughts to devastating floods, the state’s water infrastructure must be updated to match the urgency of the moment. Legislators, labor unions, businesses, and water leaders agree: It’s time for us to protect our most important resources and deliver on the Delta Conveyance Project to secure California’s water future for generations to come.
Watch today’s press conference here.
About Californians for Water Security
Californians for Water Security is a broad and growing coalition of local governments, labor unions, family farmers, business organizations, community leaders, taxpayer associations and others working to ensure a safe, reliable and affordable water supply for California’s future.
For more information on Californians for Water Security, visit: www.watersecurityca.com