The new Secretary of the Interior toured the Delta today and announced some of the Stimulus Package monies that Reclamation will be spending in California. So far, nothing rules out the possibility that some Stimulus Package money will go towards the Peripheral Canal.
Secretary Salazar says that California will get $400M to spend. The Governor’s Office spells out $260M of that. I can’t find an accounting for the other $140M; I would believe that they haven’t dedicated it to any specific project yet. The Recovery Portal tracking project doesn’t help, and all of the language I’ve seen anywhere is vague enough to include a Peripheral Canal. “Ensure adequate water supplies in Western areas impacted by drought” and “restore the Delta” don’t rule out a Peripheral Canal.
I favor a Peripheral Canal, so this doesn’t bother me. But if you are a Peripheral Canal opponent, I think you can keep your suspicions alive.
LATER: A knowledgeable reader wrote me to suggest that the other $135M will be water recycling projects, which is a third or so of the $450M Reclamation got to spend on Title XVI water recycling projects and rural water projects in the west. He pointed out the very handy site detailing how Reclamation will spend its Stimulus Package money. Thank you, knowledgeable reader!
On the public record 