Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/desalination/page/2/)
Ray Hiemstra, associate director of programs with OC Coastkeeper, writes that Poseidon’s desalination work in SD has locked that community into a bad deal and the proposal for Orange County hides the true cost of distributing the water.
It appeared the Garden Grove City Council would take a stand against a controversial desalination plant in Huntington Beach, but activists opposing the project were disappointed when council members quickly retreated.
A strong turnout is expected at today’s meeting of the Orange County Water District board, where board members are slated to move forward with their consideration of the Poseidon project.
Reversal came after MWDOC officials faced questions from the public about the legality of the closed session.
Seismic risk and cost estimates are among information that Coastal Commission officials say is needed before plans can advance.
Twice in recent weeks, Roger Faubel Public Affairs has received lucrative public contracts, even though it was initially not rated the best qualified firm.
The appeal is the latest move in a longstanding dispute between environmentalists and desalination proponents.
Fred Ameri of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board was until Thursday a senior vice president of a firm that made hundreds of thousands of dollars working on the Poseidon desalination project.
The
water quality board allows the plant to draw up to 126.7 million
gallons of ocean water per day.
The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board postponed
until February a vote to permit the Poseidon Resources plant to
draw water directly from the ocean.