Why the Coastal Commission will Approve Poseidon

The LA Times reports that Poseidon is paying  over a quarter million dollars per year to the Coastal Commission’s premier lobbyist.

Poseidon; photo credit Charles Lam of the Weekl.

Poseidon; photo credit Charles Lam of the Weekly.

Poseidon is close to receiving final approval on its billion dollar stick-up of Orange County Rate payers.  The largest remaining obstacle is Coastal Commission approval. The Los Angeles Times has a great story on Susan McCabe, the Coastal Commission’s premier lobbyist.  From the article:

In 2009-2010, Poseidon Resources, which builds desalination plants, topped the list [of McCabe clients] at $262,013.

McCabe still represents Poseidon’s interests, including a $1-billion project in Huntington Beach

She compiles detailed briefing books for the panel and, according to regular attendees, her team delivers recommended revisions to commissioners who sometimes adopt them with little or no public review or discussion.

As always, Poseidon uses its enormous lobbying budget to further a project that can not stand on its own merits.  Given the recent changes at the Coastal Commission, the project will probably be approved 7-5 when it comes up. There is still time to fight the project, however, as it does not appear on the May meeting agenda.


About Tyler in Irvine

Twenty Year Irvine Resident. Native Texan and proud Longhorn. Pro-Choice Ron Paul supporter. "Do I contradict myself? ... then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." - Walt Whitman