Legislative leaders pushing a $9.4 billion overhaul of the ecologically fragile Delta are executing a political strategy designed to neutralize Contra Costa and the other Delta counties, say two of the region's state senators.

Sens. Lois Wolk, of Davis, and Mark DeSaulnier, of Concord, say backers of water policy and funding bills crafted behind closed doors and introduced last week are intentionally cutting deals with legislators and interests from outside the Delta region to secure the votes they need to pass the package. The Legislature began hearing the bills late Monday.

"The Delta is being thrown under the bus," Wolk said. "It's a 19th century approach, where a small group like the Big Five gets in the room, decides what to do, and then they go out and pick everyone off."

It's unclear if it will work. The policy bills need a majority vote of both houses, while it takes two-thirds to put the water bond on the ballot.

As evidence, Wolk points to provisions in the bills that protect the water rights of upstream users but not those of agencies that tap directly into the Delta, including the Contra Costa Water District.

The shift would leave Delta water-rights holders responsible for providing 100 percent of the water required to restore the failing ecosystem, said Contra Costa Water District Assistant General Manager Greg Gartrell. The district has threatened to withdraw its support if the provision is not removed.

Senate

"It would be the first conservancy board in the country where the area to be conserved doesn't have a majority vote," DeSaulnier said. "I have great respect for Darrell and the work he has done, but I think you have to have more representation from the Delta."

In a third example, the San Francisco Public Utility Commission last week reversed what had been fierce opposition to Steinberg's water policy legislation.

The utility has said publicly that it switched its position after getting language to protect its upstream water rights.

But behind the scenes, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, reportedly at Steinberg's request, leaned on the agency to change its position. Newsom had been a declared candidate for governor but Friday dropped out of the race. Critics say the utility's endorsement was political cover for San Francisco legislators in a bid to lure a few hard-to-get Bay Area votes.

"The people I know at the PUC were not happy with being told, 'That's what the mayor wants, and that's what you are going to do,'" said East Bay Municipal Utility District Director John Coleman, whose agency is dissatisfied with the package and opposes it. "And when I was in Sacramento (last) week, I was told that if we didn't come on board, we would be impacted. That's not good government."

It's hard to blame Steinberg for plowing softer fields.

Contra Costa's opposition to legislation with even a whiff of a peripheral canal is deep and renowned.

The proposal sets out a defined process under which its proponents could seek approval for a canal. It does not grant express approval for it.

That nuance may not pass muster with East Bay voters and their elected officials, who correctly view the canal as politically toxic.

DeSaulnier has a close relationship with Steinberg and said the men have had "numerous and sometimes difficult" meetings about water.

But in addition to opposing the geographic makeup of the Delta governing board, the Concord senator says the bill lacks sufficient protections for water quality and views it unlikely that state voters would pass a bond of this size.

DeSaulnier also recently lost a tough 10th Congressional District primary against Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and has to think about his Senate re-election campaign in 2012.

"The Delta is seen as being obstructionist, but I don't think we are," DeSaulnier said. "We are willing to compromise. ... Let's change the process to be more public and keep working on it until we can get an agreement with everyone."

Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo, whose 15th district contains a chunk of the Delta, opposes the canal but came under fire during her 2008 campaign for saying she would even listen to competing views.

And Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, is running for state superintendent of schools. The repayment of a general obligation bond, as the water legislation proposes, would come out of the state's general fund and potentially cut into funds for education.

"It would very difficult for any East Bay legislator to vote for a bill that hints at a peripheral canal," said former Democratic Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla, of Pittsburg. "So, the leadership goes around them. They are neutered. That puts the East Bay in a weakened political position, with no one to speak for us who has any real clout."

Reach Lisa Vorderbrueggen at 925-945-4773 or www.ibabuzz.com/politics.