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State Assembly Bill 2986: California Clean Water Act of 2008 - Assembly members Mark Leno (District 13) and Jared Huffman (District 6), along with San Francisco Baykeeper and Friends of the Earth, are sponsoring a bill that seeks to inform every community in California about the health of their sewage infrastructures and to ensure that failing systems will be clearly identified to voters and residents.
January 25, 2007- Landmark Appeal Court Ruling: Power Plants need to clean up their act!
Learn more about this important issue:
January 18th: AES Workhop
What: The NPDES permit issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board to AES to regulate their ocean discharge requires that AES hold quarterly workshops to discuss their Comprehensive Demonstration Study and receive public comment.
Why: Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act requires that power plants use the best means available to
protect aquatic organisms from being killed or injured by the intake of ocean water. AES was required to explore all possible options to reduce the impact of their operations on marine life, and must hold public meetings to discuss their findings.
When: The next workshop is April 12th, 2006
Where: AES HBGS, 21730 Newland Street, Huntington Beach, CA
What are two of Southern California's biggest needs? Energy and Clean Water.
 As Orange County grows in population, the demand for electricity and freshwater will continue to increase. We certainly don't want to see another energy crisis in California, or worry about water from our tap! You've probably seen power plants along the coast (ie. San Onofre, photo at left taken by Martin J. Pasqualetti), and you may have even heard of desalination plants to turn seawater into freshwater, but have you ever thought about what impact they could have on marine life? Well, we have!
Non-profits like Coastkeeper and government agencies at the regional, federal and state level are trying to make sure we balance the need for energy and water with protection of marine life. Most power plants and desalination plants along the coast take in water for cooling through an ocean intake pipe, and discharge water from an ocean outfall pipe. The main concerns regarding these pipes are:
- What is being pulled in with the water, are fish being killed?
- Is polluted water being discharged back into the ocean?
Locally, Coastkeeper is closely following these issues with two plants- the existing AES Huntington Beach Power Plant and the proposed Poseidon Huntington Beach Desalination Plant. Keep reading to learn what's going on with these plants.
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This summer, two major decisions concerning the power plant were made:
- August 25th- The Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the NPDES permit for AES to continue discharging water through an outfall pipe to the ocean
- September 28th- The California Energy Commission (CEC) approved the final 5 years of the AES Power Plant's 10 year license. As mitigation for the ocean intake pipe, AES will give $6 million dollar to the Huntington Beach Wetland Conservancy to restore 61 acres of HB wetlands.
Keep an eye out in early 2007 for the CEC requirements regarding once-through cooling. Read below to get more background on recent events relating the the AES Huntington Beach Plant, and the issue of once-through cooling.
Once-through Cooling for Power Plants: April 17th, 2006- The California State Lands Commission passed a resolution to eliminate once-through cooling in the State of California. The resolution states that after 20 years, the State Lands Commission will not lease land to plants that use once-through cooling. The AES Huntington Beach plant at PCH and Newland is one of many throughout the California coast that currently uses once-through cooling. Coastkeeper considers this a positive step towards exploring options to lessen the environmental impacts of these plants.
California Energy Commission: On March 10th, 2001 the California Energy Commision granted the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station a conditional 10-year permit to modernize and update their facility. Part of AES's conditional permit is mitigation for the fish killed as water is brought in for once-through cooling. Now at the 5 year mark, the AES license was up for review.
Coastkeeper's AES Position Letters:
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On April 12th 2006, Coastkeeper's appeal of the Poseidon Desal Plant in Huntington Beach was heard by the California Coastal Commission in Santa Barbara. The Commission found several of the 12 issues Coastkeeper raised to be substantive; therefore, our appeal will now go under a full review by the California Coastal Commission. Stay tuned for the latest developments. Click the underlined links to view our and .
Coastkeeper's Poseidon Position Letters:
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Mid-Term Election: November 7th, 2006:
These 2 important water quality issues were passed on the ballot November 7th. Along with 30 environmental groups, we have endorsed the renewal of Measure M, the ½ cent transportation sales tax. At least $243.5 million is allotted for habitat acquisition, restoration and management in the freeway component. Coastkeeper encourages everyone to be engaged citizens, so thanks to everyone who voted in this election!
July 2006: Orange County Stormwater Program Community Workshop The Orange County Stormwater Program hosted two workshops on the renewal submittals for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) municipal stormwater permits. The NPDES permits are a result of a 1987 amendment to the Federal Clean Water Act. Under these permits, local government in Orange County must control urban sources of water pollutants.
- Coastkeeper Position Letter: After attending and participating in this workshop, Coastkeeper sent a comment letter to the OC Watershed and Coastal Resources Division. Click the link to read Coastkeeper's letter.
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