(July 25, 2016, 2:07 PM EDT) -- SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California does not have to pay private property owners up front to conduct environmental and geological testing as part of the state’s water tunnel project, the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled July 21 (Property Reserve, Inc., v. The Superior Court of San Joaquin County, et al., No. S217738, Calif. Sup.; 2016 Cal. LEXIS 5085).

(Opinion available. Document #95-160811-001Z.)

As part of an investigation into the construction of two water tunnels from Northern California to Central and Southern California, the California Department of Water...