California environmental officials proposed upholding the state’s approval of the Delta Conveyance Project in a draft decision Monday, rejecting most of the legal challenges brought by opponents while ordering a redo on two environmental issues that could complicate the project’s path forward. In a draft ruling released Monday, the Delta Stewardship Council rejected the bulk of 10 appeals challenging the Department of Water Resources’ consistency certification for the long-contested Delta Conveyance Project — a planned 45-mile tunnel to move more water beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — finding the state had sufficient evidence to comply with most Delta Plan policies.

Other Delta tunnel news:

• Daily Republic (Fairfield, Calif.): State’s high court agrees DWR overstepped tunnel funding authority