Congressional Democrats Want Probe Of Delta Tunnels Project

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Five California Democrats in Congress are seeking a new federal probe of Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tunnel project.

Their request Tuesday follows a federal audit of Brown's $16 billion proposal to build two giant water tunnels. The audit found that the U.S. Interior Department improperly used taxpayer money to help fund planning for the project.

Congressional Democrats from California are now asking the U.S. General Accounting Office to determine whether that funding was legal. Five California Democrats and one Arizona Democrat made the request.

Interior Department spokespeople in Washington D.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment made after hours there. The GAO will decide whether to do the review.

Brown's administration is currently trying to line up support for the project among California water districts.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.