Tag: Delta Conveyance Project

Court Rejects State’s Attempt to Disqualify Sacramento & Stockton’s Lawyers in Delta Tunnel Fight

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

On March 27, 2026, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto denied the California Department of Water Resources' motion to disqualify Somach Simmons & Dunn, the law firm that has represented the County of Sacramento, City of Stockton, and other local agencies in Delta Conveyance litigation since 2007. DWR's motion, supported by some 5,000 pages of … Continue reading Court Rejects State’s Attempt to Disqualify Sacramento & Stockton’s Lawyers in Delta Tunnel Fight

DWR’s Selective Conflict: It Applies in Court, But Not Before the Agencies

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

On Monday, February 9, 2026, Administrative Hearing Officer Nicole Kuenzi denied Somach Simmons & Dunn's motion to stay the Delta Conveyance Project water rights hearing pending resolution of DWR's disqualification motion in Sacramento Superior Court. The hearing will continue as scheduled, with most of the protestants' rebuttal case likely to conclude before the March 20 … Continue reading DWR’s Selective Conflict: It Applies in Court, But Not Before the Agencies

Court Grants Stay in Delta Conveyance CEQA Cases — Judge Questions DWR’s Position

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto today granted Somach Simmons & Dunn’s motion to stay the consolidated Delta Conveyance Project CEQA cases through March 27, 2026. He set a hearing on DWR’s motion to disqualify the firm as counsel for Sacramento County and the City of Stockton for March 20, 2026. From the bench, … Continue reading Court Grants Stay in Delta Conveyance CEQA Cases — Judge Questions DWR’s Position

State Tries to Sideline Sacramento & Stockton’s Lawyers — Court Hears Stay Request

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

On January 23, 2026, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) filed a motion in Sacramento County Superior Court seeking to disqualify the law firm of Somach Simmons & Dunn, longtime counsel for the County of Sacramento, the City of Stockton, in three of the ten consolidated cases challenging DWR’s approvals of the Delta Conveyance … Continue reading State Tries to Sideline Sacramento & Stockton’s Lawyers — Court Hears Stay Request

Hearing Officer Blocks DWR’s Attempt to Maintain “Inchoate Right to Object” to Delta Conveyance Proceeding

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

In what may be the most significant California water rights proceeding since Decision 1275 granted the original State Water Project permits in 1967, Hearing Officer Nicole L. Kuenzi has issued a procedural ruling to protect the integrity of the Delta Conveyance Project hearing process. The May 2, 2025 ruling directly addresses the Department of Water … Continue reading Hearing Officer Blocks DWR’s Attempt to Maintain “Inchoate Right to Object” to Delta Conveyance Proceeding

Delta Independent Science Board requests extension on Delta tunnel Draft EIR comments

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

On September 2, 2022, Lisa Wainger, the new Chair of the Delta Independent Science Board, sent a letter to the Department of Water Resources Director, Karla Nemeth, asking for a 30 day extension of time to comment on the Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR. The DISB Chair's letter gave the following reasons for asking for … Continue reading Delta Independent Science Board requests extension on Delta tunnel Draft EIR comments