Commercial redevelopment, a controversial powerplant and an aging waterfront remain top concerns among candidates for Redondo Beach mayor and city attorney ahead of the March 2 elections.
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
On January 20, 2021, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted a new statewide general Waste Discharge Requirement (WDR) order for winery process waste discharge facilities (New Winery Order). This action will affect thousands of wineries and wine processing facilities throughout the state. Though the State Water Board adopted the New Winery Order to streamline and improve permitting consistency while also strengthening environmental protection, wine industry groups have expressed concerns over its burdensome compliance costs.
Regulatory Background
Each of California’s nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB) regulate waste discharges to land by issuing WDR permits to discharging facilities that could affect the quality of waters of the state (including groundwater). They issue two types of waste discharge requirements: permits that are tailored to specific dischargers (individual WDRs) or permits
OVN Editorial:
with attorney general
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has leaped into the water lawsuit adjudication pool with a resounding splash, ripping the proposed Physical Solution (a step, not an end, in the water adjudication process) with a letter vigorously admonishing the city of Ventura, on behalf of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Resources Control Board.
The state Department of Justice outlines the missteps of the Ventura City Council on numerous procedural issues, including the rush to judgement ahead of the Watershed Criteria Report that is to be completed this year and its modeling work in 2022; lack of transparency regarding five phantom experts; neglect to serve all parties in the case; the assumption that surface water rights can be included when they have yet to be ruled upon by the judge; a deficiency of findings to support Ventura’s claims of rights; a failure to meet requirements relevant to California statutes; the unmet burden-of-proof
The year 2020 was not a good one for a lot of us, and certainly not for the unfortunate souls and families impacted by the coronavirus. However, there is some good news on the local conservation front. One is that the Bear River between Rollins Reservoir and Lake Combie is still flowing unimpeded by the proposed Centennial Dam. Second, there are positive changes at the Nevada Irrigation District.
To recap, the proposed Centennial Dam is a 275-foot-high dam with a 110,000 acre-feet capacity, flooding the popular Bear River Canyon recreation corridor with a $1,000,000,000 ($1 billion) price tag.
Three of the original architects of the proposed dam left NID in 2020. General Manager Rem Scherzinger resigned, Director Nick Wilcox retired, and Director Scott Miller lost his seat in the 2020 election.