July 15, 2007
SAN ONOFRE STATE PARK/TRESTLES vs. PROPOSED TOLL HIGHWAY SR241 (LCVSD supports the Park and opposes the proposed toll road) - Did you know that only two of San Diego County's elected officials support the Toll Road: Congressman Darrel Issa and State Senator Mark Wyland. You can see a list of TCA supporters on the ftcsouth web site web site. Of the 46 elected officials listed on their web site, only Congressman Darrel Issa and State Senator Mark Wyland are from San Diego County; no other elected officials from San Diego County appear on that list. Recently, Congressman Darrel Issa has been getting some bad publicity by a variety of local supporters of the park via letters to the editor. (click the link, then scroll down to see the letters).
SUNRISE POWERLINK (LCVSD opposes the proposed route) - SDG&E announced a change in the design of its proposed, $1.3 billion transmission line across Anza-Borrego State Park. The current, lower-voltage transmission infrastructure uses wooden poles within a 100 foot wide easement. In contrast, the original proposal proposed 150 foot-tall metal towers in an expanded easement of 150 feet. Now SDG&E is suggesting a new facility that could stay within the current easement and be built with "H-Frame" towers that would be 99-feet-tall and 80-feet wide.
During recent hearings by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC), a SDG&E Senior Vice President commented that the proposed PowerLink would help deliver renewable power from new projects in the desert to the east. However, he stated that they would not guarantee that only renewable power is carried and that it may also carry electricity generated from coal. Also, during the PUC hearings, considerable testimony was submitted regarding the costs, rate-payer obligations, and alternatives that may be lower priced. The final decision from the PUC is expected in early 2008.
NEW ALTERNATIVE ENERGY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION - A new non-profit trade association, CleanTECH San Diego, has been formed to foster energy and environmental technology businesses in the San Diego County. The organization will be incubated at CONNECT, UCSD's technology and business accelerator.
SMART METERS FOR ELECTRICITY CONSERVATION - SDG&E is proceeding with its smart meter project, which will eventually enable varying electric rates by time of day and critical peaks. In other parts of the U.S., users get pricing information that allows them to change their usage and save energy.
BAY POLLUTION LAWSUIT - San Diego Coastkeeper has sued the U.S. Navy, alleging that the military is polluting San Diego Bay by discharging storm water loaded with toxins. The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in San Diego by Coastkeeper, claims the Navy and the Department of Defense have allowed zinc, copper and other contaminants to enter the bay at nearly 400 times the legal limit. Coastkeeper asked the court to stop polluting and force the Navy to restore the bay, which could cost tens of millions of dollars. Coastkeeper's lawsuit is based on about four years of water-monitoring data that Navy officials submitted to pollution regulators. "By the Navy's own admission, they are violating their discharge limits pretty severely," said Bruce Reznik, Coastkeeper executive director.
MORE WIND POWER - Sempra has purchased co-development rights for a proposed 250-megawatt wind generation project in La Rumorosa, Baja California. The wind turbines would be built along the eastern ridge lines of the Sierra Juarez mountains near La Rumorosa. Sempra stated that all of its energy is planned for export to the U.S. Sempra also announced 20-year agreement to sell the electricity to Southern California Edison.
LOCAL BUSINESS FOR HYBRID ELECTRIC BUSES - ISE Corp, in Poway, announced more orders for its hybrid electric drive systems for buses.
GLOBAL WARMING AND THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO - Under pressure from the California Attorney General, the City of San Diego is revising it General Plan to reduce global warming. The AG wants specific measurable actions instead of the platitudes in the original draft. That is causing some tension and splits in city staffers and politicians; between those who want to accommodate development vs. those concerned with climate change.
program for solar water heating is being organized by San Diego's California Center for Sustainable Energy. $1.5 million in incentives have been set aside for that pilot program.
GLOBAL WARMING AND IMPROVED FUEL STANDARDS - Thanks to State Senator Christine Kehoe, San Diego, who has sponsored and is pushing for two bills to help global warming. One bill would increase use of renewable biodiesel. The second bill would fix in law, an executive order by Governor Schwarzenegger, to reduce carbon content in transportation fuels.
LAWSUIT FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF NAVY BROADWAY COMPLEX - The California Coastal Commission has been sued by Developer Doug Manchester to stop further review of his proposed Navy Broadway complex project near downtown San Diego.
DELAY OF THE PROPOSED DESALINIZATION PLANT IN CARLSBAD - For the fourth time, The California Coastal Commission has reject the plan for a desalinization plant proposed to be built near the Encina Power Plant on Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The unresolved issues focus on possible damage to sea life by the water intake, environmental mitigation and financial feasibility.
SEWAGE ON THE BORDER CONTINUES - The battles continue on how to deal with sewage flowing from Mexico into the United States, whether by the Bajagua plant and/or the International Treatment Plant (ITP). It appears that organizational "turf" issues and the huge monies involved have led to battles in Congress. In the meantime, the sewage continues to flow.
LOCAL BUSINESS WORKING ON BIODIESEL FROM ALGAE - Green Star Products, Inc., in Chula Vista, announced completion of its Phase II Algae-To-Biodiesel Demonstration Facility. While considerable research and development is needed to perfect Algae-To-Biodiesel technology, its promise has attracted venture funding to several companies. Such investments come from the potential of algae: (1) Algae may produce up 100 times more oil per acre than traditional food oilseed crops (i.e. corn, soy, etc.), 2) Algae eat CO2, the major global warming gas, and produce oxygen, 3) Algae require only sunshine and may use non-drinkable (salt or brackish) water, 4) Algae do not compete with food crops for prime agricultural land, 5) Algae are renewable and grow rapidly.
STATE SUPPORT OF SOLAR WATER HEATING - Solar bill, AB 1470 Solar Hot Water and Efficiency Act of 2007, has passed the State Assembly and one of three Senate Committees. Also, a test program for solar water heating is being organized by San Diego's California Center for Sustainable Energy. $1.5 million in incentives have been set aside for that pilot program.
GREEN BUILDING - The Ranch House at Del Sur, the information center for the newly opened master-planned community in north San Diego, was awarded a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a program of the U.S. Green Building Council and the most widely recognized standard worldwide for sustainable, high-performance, low-energy-use buildings.
NAVY HELPS IMPROVE AIR POLLUTION - The Navy has replaced an old generator with a cleaner burning gas turbine at the San Diego Naval Medical Center. Even though the power output is double the old generator, the emissions of nitrogen oxides are substantially reduced, by 14.7 tons per year.
LOCAL ELECTIONS MAY COST MORE - A State Senate committee, the Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee, has approved a bill that would eviscerate the ability of local governments to limit spending on campaign funds in local races. Assemblyman Martin Garrick, R-Carlsbad/Solana Beach is the sponsor of the bill which would allow unlimited "member communications", unless state law should also happened to have such limits. For some years, big-money interests have tried to used a "back-door loophole" to fund campaigns; beyond the limits set by local governments. The procedure involves big donations to political parties, who in-turn would send out "member communications" supporting a candidate. This proposed legislation would prevent local governments from capping such "back-door" donations.
