Bay Area Council Derides Hetch Hetchy Lawsuit

The Bay Area Council took strong exception to a lawsuit filed by the group Restore Hetch Hetchy that seeks to tear down the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir — one of Northern California’s largest and most important clean energy and water storage and delivery systems — in the midst of an historic and catastrophic drought. Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman today (April 22) issued the following statement:

“Who needs an historic drought when there’s a group that wants to tear down one of California’s critical water storage and clean energy systems. Dismantling Hetch Hetchy would cost at least $10 billion, cause enormous environmental damage and put at grave risk the reliable water and clean energy supply for more than 2.5 million residents and businesses. The idea is so unpopular that a whopping 75 percent of voters in 2012 rejected a deceptive ballot measure this group mounted to tear down the Hetch Hetchy water and power system. The proponents say that eliminating the Hetch Hetchy reservoir will have little or no impact on water supplies, but these spurious claims do not hold water. The court should quickly dismiss this lawsuit and let us focus on the real threat of combatting California’s drought.”

To engage in the Council’s water policy work, please contact Policy Director Adrian Covert.