Fifteen California lawmakers from both parties are up in arms over Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest proposal to to use the budget process to fast-track the Delta tunnel — a deeply controversial, $20 billion plan to replumb the estuary and funnel more water south. With the clock ticking for the Legislature to pass a budget bill tackling the state’s $12 billion deficit, Newsom dropped a spending plan last week that would add sweeping changes to permitting, litigation, financing, and eminent domain and land acquisition issues aimed at speeding approval of the massive project. … Assembly and Senate Democrats and Republicans representing Delta counties, including Sacramento, Yolo, Contra Costa and San Joaquin, fired back in a letter last week, saying it would “change several, separate parts of state law to benefit only a portion of California, to the detriment of Californians north of the Delta.”

Other Delta tunnel news:

• Los Angeles Times: Delta-area lawmakers vow to fight Newsom’s plans for $20-billion water tunnel
• The Stockton Record (Calif.): San Joaquin County leaders push back on Newsom’s proposal to fast-track $20B Delta tunnel
• KQED (San Francisco): California Delta leaders blast Newsom’s push to fast-track $20 billion water tunnel
• KCRA (Sacramento, Calif.): Why is Gov. Newsom trying to fast-track the Delta tunnel project again?
• The Sacramento Bee: Opinion: On water, Newsom is out of time and making his riskiest move as governor