Billionaire-backed California Forever fails to file shipyard proposal amid legislative push

California Forever, a billionaire-funded effort to create a futuristic megacity in the Bay Area, has been holding weekly talks with Solano County officials about a proposed shipyard in the Collinsville area, but assistant county administrator Debbie Vaughn says the group never submitted a pre-application or project proposal. The shipyard concept, originally linked to defense startup Saronic’s $3.2 billion Port Alpha plan, lost that partner when Saronic relocated to Texas last month.

County staff outlined an accelerated approval path that would still require a draft environmental impact report within months, yet without any submission the process stalled. Backers including Marc Andreessen, Reid Hoffman, Michael Moritz and Patrick Collison are lobbying for special legislation to fast-track the shipyard and the broader city project before the August legislative deadline, enlisting former Democratic leaders Darrell Steinberg and Bob Hertzberg.

State Senator Christopher Cabaldon’s office says it has not received draft legislation and stresses the need for transparency and compliance with environmental laws. Assemblywoman Lori Wilson’s office notes she has not been asked to sponsor a bill, emphasizing that annexation and zoning should follow existing procedures.