August 4, 2007
LEGAL CONSENT DECREE TO IMPROVE THE SEWER SYSTEM - The City of San Diego will spend approximately $1 billion over the next six years to make improvements to its sewer system under a comprehensive settlement filed by the Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The consent decree filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California by the United States, along with co-plaintiffs Surfrider Foundation and San Diego Coastkeeper (Baykeeper), is the third settlement that addresses current violations in the city's sewer system, and will require the city to continue to undertake capital projects and perform operations and maintenance through 2013, to prevent future spills of raw sewage from San Diego's system.
SAN ONOFRE STATE PARK/TRESTLES vs. PROPOSED TOLL HIGHWAY SR241 (LCVSD supports the Park and opposes the proposed toll road) - Senator Dianne Feinstein is receiving many letters, including a letter from the LCVSD, asking her to support the amendment to the Defense Authorization bill sponsored by the Congresswoman Susan Davis. That amendment would remove the previously authorized, special exemption to State and Federal laws. The Davis amendment does not block the proposed six-lane highway through the state park. It simply eliminates the special exemption so that the project would be subject to the same environmental reviews and approvals as other projects.
SUNRISE POWERLINK (LCVSD opposes the proposed route) - After hearings by the PUC, the design and cost-benefit estimates are being extensively revised by SDG&E. The revisions are expected to take months to prepare.
WIND POWER PROJECT IN LA RUMOROSA - Sempra announced that they expect the unlevered-internal-rate-of-return to be in the high single digits for the proposed wind facility in La Rumorosa, Baja California. Previously, Sempra announced a 20-year agreement to sell the electricity to Southern California Edison. Question: Which transmission lines will be used by Sempra to send the electricity north from Baja?
GLOBAL WARMING VS. SANDAG - The California Attorney General has sent a letter to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) telling them to revise their regional transportation plan to fight global warming. Previously, the Attorney General has pressured the City of San Diego on this issue.
GLOBAL WARMING VS. STATE BUDGET BATTLE - During the recent battles over the state budget, some Republicans pushed the legislature to stop the California Attorney General, Jerry Brown, from acting on global warming.
GLOBAL WARMING NOT ALLOWED IN SANTEE? - In the City of Santee, Mayor Randy Voepel, has refused to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. He says he believes that the mayor's agreement is "frivolous" and the climate change, if any, is simply part of the earth's natural cycles. Over 630 mayors have signed the agreement, including mayors of Solana Beach, San Diego, La Mesa, and Del Mar. The Mayor's stance has "heated up" the race to find candidates to oppose him in the next election.
DEVELOPMENT OF NAVY BROADWAY COMPLEX - The City of San Diego has been asked to review the project again because of a new report that documents an active earthquake fault near the property.
SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR PLANT IMPROVES SECURITY - Embarrassed officials have quickly improved security procedures at San Onofre after an sleeping illegal alien rode a rail freight car onto the facility. The intruder did not get through the inner perimeter fence.
DESALINIZATION PLANT IN CARLSBAD COMPLETES APPLICATION - The staff of the California Coastal Commission has accepted the application as completed. The Commission will schedule a formal hearing sometime between November 14th to November 16th. Poseidon is seeking to build the desalinization plant near the power plant in Carlsbad. Poseidon is already contracting with water agencies for the fresh water.
NATURAL GAS PROJECTS BY SEMPRA - Sempra Energy's CEO, Donald Felsinger, told financial analysts that its multi-billion-dollar bets on expanded liquefied natural gas (LNG), interstate natural gas pipelines and LNG storage facilities are close to payoff.
PROPOSED EXPANSION OF CASINO VS. WATER SUPPLY IN CAMPO - The Golden Acorn Casino, located in East County on I-8, is proposing a major expansion. Recently the County Community Planning Group of Boulevard voted to oppose this expansion; because the entire area depends on water from wells. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob has requested the county's hydrologist examine the water supply.
ANOTHER COMPANY FOR ALGAE BIOFUELS - Another company, the San Diego Center for Sustainable Bioenergy, is being formed in San Diego County to develop biofuels from algae. We previously reported that Green Star Products, in Chula Vista, is also working on algae biofuels.
WATER CONSERVATION 2007 SUMMIT - As we continue through the 2nd year of the major drought, a special summit will bring together a variety of professionals to encourage market-based strategies for water-efficient landscaping, water auditing, and recycled water use. The summit meets 8 a.m. to 4 pm, October 12th at the University of San Diego's Joan Kroc Center for Peace and Justice.
