Key facts
- Solano County supervisors voted Tuesday to reject a plan by California Forever to build a shipbuilding facility.
- The plan would have allowed the use of an 18-year-old environmental report.
- The vote was 3-2 against the proposal.
- The initiative was backed by Governor Gavin Newsom's office.
- The proposed "Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act" would have exempted 1,350 acres from the California Environmental Quality Act for maritime and manufacturing uses.
- Proponents pitched the shipbuilding facility as a source of at least 10,000 jobs.
Solano County supervisors voted Tuesday to reject a plan by billionaire-backed California Forever to build a shipbuilding facility, a decision that effectively kills the initiative for this year and deals a blow to Governor Gavin Newsom's economic development efforts.
The supervisors' surprise 3-2 vote opposed using an 18-year-old environmental report for the project, which proponents argued would create at least 10,000 jobs and boost the county's lagging economy. Supervisor Mitch Mashburn, who voted against the proposal, stated that the legislation was rushed and placed too much responsibility on the county for environmental protection, while also noting that some labor and tribal groups felt excluded.
Assemblymember Lori Wilson indicated that without the county's approval, the proposed "Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act" could not be introduced in the state legislature this year. Governor Newsom expressed his support for the project, stating he would have voted for it if he were on the board and suggesting that county leaders would "inevitably" embrace the development, while also criticizing their decision to delay.
California Forever's head of public affairs, Jim Wunderman, voiced disappointment, stating that the supervisors "punted" on an opportunity that could have benefited the county for generations. The proposal faced opposition from local groups, including "Solano Together," whose members protested the development. Notably, a major shipbuilder, Saronic Technologies Inc., which California Forever backers said was considering the site, has since announced plans to build a facility in Brownsville, Texas.