Poseidon's desalination adventure spells disaster for North County
By: MARK A. MASSARA - Commentary: | ∞
The Sierra Club applauds the decision by the Surfrider Foundation and the Planning and Conservation League to seek legal review of Poseidon Resources' proposal to construct the largest private desalination project in North American history, on public trust property at Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad (Jan. 15, "Green groups challenge Carlsbad desal plant").
Approval of the project by the Coastal Commission on Nov. 15, 2007, was a low point in Coastal Act history and an embarrassing display of political pandering by Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, San Diego City Council President Scott Peters, San Diego City Councilman (and Coastal Commissioner) Ben Hueso, and others.
In their zeal for Poseidon's plan, they told stories of wildfires and water shortages but gave not a glance toward the clear mandates of the law, the danger of giving away public trust water resources to private profiteers or San Diego County's ongoing, steadfast refusal to consider or implement meaningful water conservation measures or limit reckless sprawl.
Poseidon also intends to become one of the worst killers of fish in modern history, and despite their refusal to do accurate analysis of the extent of their plant's devastation, what we do know will take your breath away.
Poseidon intends to draw more than 300 million gallons a day of ocean water in an attempt to make 50 million gallons a day of fresh water for sale and profit. Limited analysis by Poseidon indicates they'll destroy 11 billion marine organisms a year. That's 16 million fish larvae a day!
Poseidon's own self-serving disingenuous analysis admits they will kill approximately 1 million garibaldi fish per day! The brightly colored, much adored garibaldi is the California state fish, and any killing of garibaldi, even one, is strictly prohibited by California law.
If you or I take even a single garibaldi fish we face fines and jail time, yet Poseidon intends a new fish genocide throughout Southern California at the very time ocean fisheries face collapse from numerous other forces.
Worse, Poseidon's private desalted water will not relieve or reduce fire threat or water shortages whatsoever. Because the water is to be sold to a number of local water agencies, both inside and outside the coastal zone, there is no way the Coastal Commission can prevent use of the "new" desalted water for new residential sprawl. Thus, San Diego's relentless paving over of its open space will continue unabated and unchecked, with water now available for sale to the highest bidder.
While there may be a sound role for desalination in Southern California's water future, turning over public ocean resources to private profiteers while refusing to implement water conservation reforms or limiting development sprawl is a recipe for disaster, not sound water policy.
-- Mark A. Massara is an environmental attorney and director of Sierra Club's coastal programs.
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dave from oceanside wrote on Feb 5, 2008 5:26 AM:boohoo, I cry a tear for nemo the poor little fish.
Ha
Yokozuna wrote on Feb 5, 2008 6:34 AM:If God had to deal with these fervent groups the creation of the world would still be a work in progress.
Walt wrote on Feb 5, 2008 6:50 AM:Wonder what water Mr. Massara intends to use for the same number of people in the crowded Big Box Transit Oriented Developments? Since when has restricting land use for development made housing affordable?
Pete wrote on Feb 5, 2008 7:02 AM:1 million garibaldi fish per day!? If there are that many to be killed how can they be endangered? Mr. Massara is lying to make his point or he is not very knowledgeable about the marine environment.
No positive suggestions made wrote on Feb 5, 2008 7:32 AM:Not one suggestion was made that would curb the intake of the fish larve. Since Poseidon won "conditional" approval, why don't the environmental groups help cure the problems. We need the water and to nix a good project withut trying to cure the problems makes one wonder about the real reasons some have for being against it. There is a large, wel-funded group that is pushing "Toilet-to-tap" and will try to stop anything it its way of COMPLETE success
Floyd wrote on Feb 5, 2008 7:56 AM:Population growth is going to occur whether you like it or not, which means you must plan to expand the infrastructure including the supply of fresh water. The Carlsbad desalination plan is a postive step to ensure that water. Does the Sierra Club offer us an alternate source of water to meet the need? Not so far!
Olaf wrote on Feb 5, 2008 8:35 AM:Typicall doom and gloom from the Siera club. I often wonder if they are fictional writers because they write so well about tragedy. Dante would be proud. C-bad from what I know has a cap on growth in their city. This is rare since I am sure no other city in the region has this so the doom of "paving over everything" is just false.
Unfortunatly some fish will be killed from what I have read. But just like the San Onefre plant the fish will vacate the area and it will not be a viable place for them. Sierra club makes it sound like the ocean total population will be killed. The problem here is that the region as a whole is in a desert and needs water. So I see the sierra club coming up with problems but no solutions. Just like these groups. The Colorodo river won't last forever. So build the desal plant, or kill off some people to lessen the need, or ???????? you decide or come up with something to get people water but just saying no is not the answer.
I don't get it wrote on Feb 5, 2008 10:33 AM:So you want to destroy the very ecosystem that supports all life. What's wrong with you folks? The plant at San Onofre has had to spend millions upon millions of dollars to rehabilitate wetlands and the environment because of the harm they cause. Yep, that's right folks..right out of the taxpayers' pockets. The Poseiden project will be no different. You'll pay more for water and then turn around and pay for environmental damage whether you want to or not. That's the law.
Jim wrote on Feb 5, 2008 10:34 AM:Ummm... Doesn't the powerplant already draw in all that water today in order to cool their turbines? Isn't that killing the fish today? Poseidon simply takes the water that has already been used by the power plant - they have nothing to do with the power plant's process.
Typical of the Sierra Club, all they can do is throw stones, but they never come up with solutions themselves.
A Little Dishonest wrote on Feb 5, 2008 11:50 AM:Even if the 1 million number is accurate, what is being killed is microscopic larvae, not actual fish. The picture the author attempts to create, namely of piles and piles of a million fish a day, is blatantly dishonest and misleading. Too bad the folks who are supposedly protecting our environment stoop to such lows. At times, they may actually have a good point, but they put out so many exaggerations and mis-truths, it's hard to figure out when they are actually telling the truth.
ProEnviron wrote on Feb 5, 2008 1:48 PM:The clear enemy against the environment is exemplified by the ignorant comments on this page. I assume these are the same people contributing to the over population problem. Stop breeding stupidity and take an ecology course. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean its not important - just ask all the pro-lifers out there. Get educated people! Oh, and if ya'll stop watering your lawns you might have more water to drink!
Roberto1 wrote on Feb 5, 2008 3:35 PM:Time give up let the enviormental. whackos have their way. No refineries in over 30 years built in the us...no power plants, no nuclear plants...let other countries like Canada & Mexico produce out power as for water, lets drinks less.
Illegitimus Non-carborundum: wrote on Feb 5, 2008 4:58 PM:If Council Member Sanchez is opposed to it, this must be a good idea. I suppoprt the new RO plant.
Floyd wrote on Feb 5, 2008 5:31 PM:Providing sufficient fresh water for a growing population is good planning, not ignorance.
Harpo wrote on Feb 5, 2008 7:41 PM:So, exactly where will these million dead Garabaldi a day be? Piled up on the beach? Hauled off in a Sierra Club Prius? You envirowackos need to stop breeding!
RobertM wrote on Feb 6, 2008 7:38 PM:Garibaldi are very territorial and stay close to their own home. Once all the garibaldi are sucked up from outside the plant, they will stop sucking in garibaldi. A million a day is a ridiculous estimate.
Green wrote on Feb 7, 2008 2:45 PM:Uh... yeah. The problem is that the educated environmentally conscious folks AREN'T breeding but those of you who have nothing better to do than preach against what you know nothing about are doing it like rabbits.
And microlarvae are pre-fish.
Peace.
any wrote on Feb 27, 2008 5:13 AM:People need to understand that this plant is the "model" for the many that will be planned along the CA coastline. It is unfortunate that politics and economic intrests did play a role in the Coastal Commission tenative approval. For years I have heard Peter say they will take 2 gallons out of the ocean to make one. Now the truth hits the light of day and that number is really 6:1. This ocean water SHOULD be taken from underground wells, vastly reducing the amount of larvae and fish and other marine organism that will die, because we need to continue to let massive amounts of water run down the street and off of our lawns each day, and we simply must have those track and custom homes continue to eat up what natural chapparral remains. Then of course current FEMA thinking is we should continue to allow building into extremely fireprone areas - and clear the brush 300' around each home to "protect" from fire. Mr. Massara is right - the ocean is in trouble - and the planet is warming at an unprecedented way. Read any credible research these subjects and you know. Yet instead of doing the obvious thing first, conserving water - particularly landscape water, this plant will expend massive amounts of fossil fuel energy, and put UNNESSARY strain on our ocean resources to keep the status quo in place. That the Sierra Club has turned to the courts to sort this out - is no surprise - this is how things are resolved in our Country. There's simply no need for name calling. Mr. Massara is highly educated and well read.
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