Board of Supervisors Special Hearing on Governance Structure

On Friday, September 28th the Board of Supervisors will hold a special hearing to consider signing onto a governance structure for the Cal-Am owned desalination facility. Download a copy of the agenda.

Meeting Details:
Board of Supervisors Chambers
168 West Alisal Street
Friday, September 28th at 9 AM

LandWatch has always advocated for public ownership of any desalination facility in our Hybrid and Updated Hybrid Project. However, we believe there are many legal and technical constraints that have yet to be addressed by the applicant and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) making the decision tomorrow premature. Additionally, the Cal-Am project has not been approved by the CPUC. We believe a better approach would be to advocate for the CPUC to direct Cal-Am to work with a public agency on the desal project.

View our letter to the Board of Supervisors. (89K PDF file).

The proposed governance structure which the Board has been asked to consider in fact amounts to support of the Cal-Am project. The structure is only needed in the event a private for-profit alternative is selected. Since the Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority has yet to recommend a desalination alternative, the Board of Supervisors support of the proposed governance structure is untimely.

The need to assure affordable drinking water to Monterey Peninsula residents has been reinforced this week by the Governor’s signature of AB 685 which declares water as a human right. It states, “It is hereby declared to be the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes.” It directs all state agencies to consider this state policy when considering regulations, etc.

The Supervisors should hear from you that you not only support public ownership but you support postponing tomorrow’s decision.

Please email the Clerk of the Board to reach all the Supervisors and urge them to support public ownership of any desal proposal and urge them to wait to take action on a governance structure for a Cal-Am owner facility (cob@co.monterey.ca.us).

Amy L. White
Executive Director

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posted: 09.27.12