An online editorial by the General Manager of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency outlines the Agency’s current problems very well. The Pajaro Valley relies on groundwater, affecting agricultural users in particular. Agriculture uses about 85%, and residential and commercial users consume the rest. The problem is, the amount of water being taken out of the ground is greater than the amount of water going into the ground, and since groundwater levels in the Pajaro Valley are below sea level much of the year, this overdraft condition causes seawater to contaminate the aquifer by filling the space previously occupied by fresh groundwater. Seawater intrusion extends as much as two miles inland in some areas.  The mission of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency is to solve this problem.

Unfortunately, at this point, the Agency doesn’t have either a viable plan or the financial resources to solve the overdraft problem, and litigation against the Agency has resulted in an order to the Agency to refund over-collected fees. A focus on the financial problems of the Agency is step one towards a solution for the overdraft problem. This afternoon, at 4:00 o’clock, an Ad Hoc Funding Committee is going to be examining what can be done. You can get more information below.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

PVWMA Meeting Notice
http://www.pvwma.dst.ca.us/whats_new/bulletin_board.shtml

PVWMA Editorial
http://www.pvwma.dst.ca.us/index.shtml

PVWMA Financial Situation
http://www.register-pajaronian.com/V2_news_articles.php?
heading=0&story_id=7626&page=72

One of the most significant land use policy decisions ever to be made in Monterey County will be coming soon to ballot boxes located in the Carmel Valley. After years of effort by Carmel Valley residents, the voters of Carmel Valley will soon have an opportunity to decide either in favor of, or against, the incorporation of Carmel Valley. A “yes” vote on incorporation will result in the creation of a new Town of Carmel Valley, with its own elected officials, and these elected officials will then make future land use decisions. A “no” vote will result in things remaining the same, with land use decisions made by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.

There are some important arguments both “pro” and “con,” and if you’d like to get an education on the issues, I suggest that you attend a special public hearing to be held by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors today, at 1:30 this afternoon. At that time, both proponents and opponents of incorporation will be given 30 minutes apiece to make an organized presentation. The general public will also have an opportunity to comment.

The presentations today are the result of the settlement of a lawsuit filed against Monterey County and the supporters of incorporation, alleging that incorporation is invalid and a waste of government funds. I’ve provided links to more information below.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information:

Information on Carmel Valley Incorporation
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/lafco/
carmel_valley_incorporation.htm

Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agenda
http://publicagendas.co.monterey.ca.us/

A brief staff report can be downloaded from the Agenda. Look for Agenda Item #S-7.

Senator Joe Simitian is the “author” of Senate Bill 211, but the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is the “sponsor.” Sometimes, members of the State Legislature author bills strictly on their own account, and so are in total charge of the content of the bill. Mostly, though, State Legislators introduce bills on behalf of some specific business, or other group. The group on whose behalf the bill is introduced is called the “sponsor.” The author of a bill and the sponsor of a bill make an arrangement that they both will have to agree to the content of the legislation, as the legislation is introduced and as amendments may be made throughout the legislative process.

As introduced, Senate Bill 211 would have established a “shortcut” for the process usually used to set up a special district, allowing the Board of Supervisors of Santa Cruz County to bypass LAFCO, the Local Agency Formation Commission, and directly to ask voters to set up an Open Space District. This bill was opposed by the Farm Bureau and the City of Watsonville, and in trying to accommodate Watsonville, the Land Trust, as the bill’s sponsor, agreed to changes that were opposed by environmental and land trust groups from around California. Because of that statewide opposition, Senator Simitian has decided not to push forward with his bill this year, giving more time for discussion.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information:

Santa Cruz Sentinel article on Open Space District Legislation
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/newsletter/ci_13229135

Text and Additional Information on Senate Bill 211
http://ct2k2.capitoltrack.com/BillInfo.asp?incarchive=
true&measure=SB%20211&ss=574billinfo1.xsl

Marine water quality is of critical importance to the health of the oceans, and to our local economic health. Two community celebrations held in Santa Cruz last week emphasized the broad local support in that community for effective action to protect and preserve the Monterey Bay and our oceans. If you missed the “Taste of the Harbor” fundraiser held last Thursday, on behalf of O’Neill Sea Odyssey, or the “Toast To The Coast” event benefitting Save Our Shores, which was held last Friday, you should check the links below, so you can sign up with these groups, and can be sure to be on their list for an invitation next year!

You might also check out a Monterey-based group that is working to protect our marine resources. I’m talking about the Monterey Coastkeeper, which is affiliated with the Otter Project. I never tire of pointing out that land use related decisions have a big impact on the health of our marine environment, and the work being done right now by Monterey Coastkeeper emphasizes this connection. You may not be aware of it, but there is an actual proposal to send bulldozers into the Salinas River, and to remove vegetation from the river for a distance of more than 90 miles, from the river mouth to San Ardo. The Coastkeeper is definitely fighting this proposal, which would have devastating impacts on both land and sea.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

O’Neill Sea Odyssey
http://www.oneillseaodyssey.org/

Save Our Shores
http://www.saveourshores.org/

Monterey Coastkeeper Website
http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?
c=8pIKIYMIG&b=4136551

Salinas River Channel Project
http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?
c=8pIKIYMIG&b=4136551

The Speaker of the California State Assembly, Karen Bass, has recently made a new appointment to the California Coastal Commission. For many years, Monterey County Supervisor Dave Potter has represented the Central Coast Region on the Commission, but this time around the Speaker gave the nod to Santa Cruz County Supervisor Mark Stone. In general, environmental groups around the state are pleased with the Speaker’s decision to appoint Supervisor Stone, and many of them, in fact, urged the Speaker to appoint him.

I was amazed, however, to see what developer attorney Anthony Lombardo recently said in an article in the Carmel Pine Cone Newspaper. “If it’s correct that Mr. Stone would support the position of the Sierra Club just because it’s their position,” Lombardo told The Pine Cone, “it will definitely make it more difficult for landowners.”

What on earth could make Mr. Lombardo think that the new representative of the Central Coast region would essentially transfer his voting responsibility to the Sierra Club? I followed this appointment process pretty closely, and want to reassure Mr. Lombardo (and everyone else) that Mr. Stone’s statements about the job indicate that he thinks the Commission needs to “balance” the concerns of all those impacted by the Commission’s decisions. Personally, I’m hoping that he will simply follow the policies of the Coastal Act. If he does that, he will be doing the right thing.

Mr. Stone’s first Coastal Commission meeting will be on September 12th.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

Carmel Pine Cone Newspaper, August 28, 2009
http://www.pineconearchive.com/downloads090828.htm

Coastal Commission Website
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/

September 12, 2009 Agenda
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html

Stone Statement on Coastal Commission Appointment
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13180517