Brenda:
I think you and Jane made good points at your meeting with the RB staff. I think they were really listening.
Plus – with the other stuff. It did not add up for the previous plan.
Hi everyone!
In talking to Regional Board staff person John Short, I learned that they are no longer planning to push hooking up Occidental and Camp Meeker to the Russian River CSD, but rather will encourage a local system with various components, including alternative technologies.
They recently had a meeting with OCC reps and SCWA about the pending fines. About 2-3 Reg. Bd. staff attended, about 6 SCWA staff, and 3-4 people from Occ. No one was there from CM. We were not invited.
They came up with 3 possible solutions:
1. Have SCWA certify the EIR over-ruling Camp Meeker’s rejection. No one liked that idea and it looks like it is off the table (Hurrah!)
2. Dust off one of the old EIRs. Reg. Bd. staff uncomfortable with this; they want an entirely new alternative. (The second project revamping the Occ. plant for both communities was too expensive anyway.
3. Have community and SCWA go before the Reg. Bd. and ask for relief while they pursue a new alternative. John liked this idea best and wants to have a mixture of solutions utilizing a combination of new/old ideas. His goal is to come up with something affordable.
It looks like we may have quietly won a major victory here. Our main goal has always been to resolve sewage projects locally and affordably. RRCSD projects are still on the table however, and we have to stay alert for future expansion ideas and projects that may attempt to regionalize the problematic RRCSD, which was recently fined $99,000 for 2.5 years worth of permit violations. Unfortunately a group in Monte Rio is looking to do just that. We will insist on adequate and appropriate environmental review if it looks like it will happen.
On another matter, I have attached a few items on the BOS calendar that may be of interest to you. After this coming Tuesday’s meeting, they won’t meet for two weeks (holidays).
Brenda