California Forever, backed by billionaires, has shifted its focus from ambitious plans for a new Bay Area city to a more immediate goal: fast-tracking a sizable shipyard project. However, their efforts faced a setback when Solano County supervisors voted against supporting the necessary legislation after a lengthy meeting Tuesday night.
This revised proposal, known as the “Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act,” aims to expedite the approval of a 1,350-acre shipyard and maritime hub in Solano County. Notably, it does not offer special considerations for California Forever’s envisioned megacity, which has been a central element of their initiative.
The vote represents a blow to the developers, who have been seeking legislative support in Sacramento amidst strong local opposition and skepticism from two Democratic lawmakers representing the region.
At the meeting, a variety of speakers expressed their opinions on the shipyard proposal. Some organized performances, like one man who dramatically pulled stuffed animal weasels from his vest, while others emphasized the importance of job creation.
Vallejo resident Jeff Deiss described the shipyard initiative as a “sweetheart deal,” asserting that its uniqueness emanates from the financial prowess of its proponents.
Supporters, on the other hand, argued that Solano County should not miss the chance to bring thousands of jobs in manufacturing and construction to the area.
Local veteran Selena Perez shared what she referred to as “millennial wisdom,” urging supervisors to embrace bold decisions for the county’s future. “Scared money don’t make money,” she claimed.
The proposed legislation does not pertain to the separate megacity plan and lacks provisions for special approval processes. Instead, it focuses on facilitating the shipyard and maritime hub, including a streamlined environmental review and permitting. This push comes after the shipyard initiative experienced a setback when defense company Saronic opted for Brownsville, Texas, over Solano County for its $3.2 billion Port Alpha complex.
Assemblywoman Lori Wilson and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon are currently involved in negotiations, but neither has committed to sponsoring the new legislation. Reports suggest they might support it, but that remains unconfirmed.
Wilson has indicated that should the proposal progress, it could be included in a trailer bill, a type of legislation often used to rapidly implement changes linked to the state budget. Meanwhile, Cabaldon’s office noted that the current proposal aligns with his support for shipbuilding, being stripped of any connection to the controversial city project.
Complications may arise for California Forever following Tuesday’s vote, which could undermine their persistent attempts to gain traction in Sacramento. Last year, Wilson and Cabaldon clarified they wouldn’t pursue an earlier shipyard bill without local political backing.
Recent months have seen California Forever engage in quiet discussions with officials, including a notable meeting between CEO Jan Sramek and Gov. Gavin Newsom. After this meeting, Newsom’s economic development team encouraged state officials to back the shipyard initiative, framing it as having significant statewide and national security implications.
To further their cause, California Forever has recruited former Democratic leaders like Darrell Steinberg and Bob Hertzberg for a robust lobbying effort.
Supported by a lineup of prominent Silicon Valley billionaires, including Marc Andreessen and Reid Hoffman, California Forever’s intentions have sparked much discussion.
However, officials behind the initiative have not provided comments regarding the latest developments.
It was previously reported that California Forever has been regularly meeting with Solano County officials concerning the shipyard but had yet to submit any application needed to initiate local approval procedures.
County authorities indicated that they had offered a faster conventional approval route, which California Forever ultimately rejected, citing potential delays and litigation issues tied to California’s environmental regulations.
The newly constructed legislation proposes creating a specialized approval process for qualifying shipyard and manufacturing projects that could leverage Solano County’s past environmental assessments, significantly reducing the burden of additional reviews.
Although the Board of Supervisors doesn’t hold the authority to approve or reject state legislation, their vote signifies a lack of local support for California Forever’s legislative ambitions. The revised proposal now faces a steep challenge as the legislative session is set to conclude on August 31.
