District OKs smaller version of California water tunnel plan

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California water agency has voted for a stripped down, less costly version of Gov. Jerry Brown's $16 billion project to build two massive water tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District's board voted 7-0 Tuesday to adopt a set of principles endorsing a project with just one tunnel.

The San Jose Mercury News says the vote further throws the future of one of Brown's major construction priorities into doubt.

Recently, the Westlands Water District in Fresno rejected the plan, but the huge Metropolitan Water District of Southern California voted to pay its share.

The newspaper says if the governor decides to pursue a smaller Delta project, it could take years for new environmental and engineering studies.

The administration did not immediately comment.

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Information from: San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com         

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