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Vern here. Over the fall and winter I had the opportunity to read some popular fiction I might otherwise not have. And one famed trilogy culminated with the diminutive but brilliant heroine finally incapacitating her psychotic, mass-murdering, gigantic half-brother by nail-gunning his feet – at different angles – into the warehouse floor.
Don’t feel too bad for HIM – not only was he a sadistic mass murderer, he also “suffered” from a condition where he felt no pain. The important thing was that she nail-gunned his feet from DIFFERENT, opposing angles, making it impossible, with all his strength, to pull them back out of the floor, and he could only stand and roar helplessly and not keep killing people.
Just so, that is how we have to go after Poseidon Resources Inc, which has been trying for 15 years now to saddle us with this insanely expensive, environmentally destructive, and totally unnecessary Huntington Beach desalination plant. Hit them from all angles I say – the unnecessary expense, the pollution of air and ocean, the destruction of the SEHB neighborhood, the “moral hazard” they epitomize politically. That drives guys like Steve Sheldon – the red-faced OCWD member and former Poseidon consultant – crazy! He says, “You people are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks!” No, Steve, we are just telling the truth.
This came recently “over our transom,” from Dave Sullivan of Residents For Responsible Desalination (R4RD), who has a long-ass memory:
The once-fearsome water god Poseidon slinks away in disgrace.
Welcome to 2018!
2003 Was First Public Presentation by Poseidon.
The cost of desalination water: $800 per acre foot.
Cost of the project $250 Million with no taxpayer money.
This is Year 15 since I first saw a public presentation by Poseidon Resources of its proposed coastal seawater desalination project in Huntington Beach. The proposed project was to take the heated seawater discharge from the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station and use reverse osmosis to remove the salt and produce 50-Million gallons per day (MGD) of potable water at around $800 per acre-foot (AF). Poseidon’s product water would cost consumers less in future years than treated water imported from Northern California and the Colorado River.
Poseidon Resources had similar project proposals at power plants in Tampa Bay, Florida and Carlsbad, California where there were perceived needs for the product water.
2005 Poseidon’s Tampa Bay project goes Bankrupt.
By 2005, Poseidon’s Tampa Bay project had become a fiasco of bankruptcies, design deficiencies, and costly retrofits, which had to be borne by local ratepayers.
2006 Huntington Beach City Council gives Poseidon a Coastal Development Permit.
Cost of desalinated water: $850 – $950 per acre foot. Cost of project: $350 million.
A coastal development permit (CDP) was approved by a 4-to-3 vote in February 2006 despite a very flawed environmental impact report (EIR). The cost per acre-foot of product water was predicted to be less than that of imported water by 2015. Of note: At that time, Poseidon adamantly denied it needed, nor did they request, ratepayer subsidies.
2010 Huntington Beach City Council again approves the Coastal Development Permit.
Cost of desalinated water: $950 to $1050 per acre foot.
Cost of project: $700 Million.
The produced water was projected to cost less than imported water by 2026.
By 2010, Poseidon had gotten approvals for its Carlsbad project from the City. By the way, Poseidon claimed in 2010 that its HB project would be carbon neutral, which was the same claim Poseidon had made for its Carlsbad project that was found by the Coastal Commission to be an intentional lie. The project became operational in December 2015. The total cost for the water is about $2,400/AF to consumers – and increasing.
Of note: On Sept. 7, 2010 in a public hearing before the HB City Council, the Poseidon spokesman stated that the water from its Carlsbad project would cost “. . . between $1050 and $1150 per acre-foot”. Eight months later Poseidon presented a Term Sheet to the SDCWA where the water cost was nearly twice what was told the HB City Council.
October 19, 2017 Poseidon gets State Lands Commission go-ahead.
Cost of desalinated water: $1800 per acre foot with a taxpayer subsidy of $475.
Cost of project: $1 Billion.
Poseidon now negotiated that Orange County Water District (rate payers) will pay for and build the distribution system for the water which will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The cost of the water would be “no more” than 20% more than imported water. So instead of becoming cheaper than imported water desal will now be “no more than 20% more expensive.” And we pay for the pipes to get it to its destination.
Just how dumb does Poseidon think we are? We now know how dumb Poseidon thinks its project’s proponents are.
2018 Will be the Year Poseidon Survives or Passes Away.
NO REALLY – this is the year we make Poseidon quit wasting our time and money!!
Poseidon will try for permits from Regional Water Quality Control Board and Coastal Commission.
For the past 15 long years Poseidon has been attempting to get a local water agency to commit to purchasing their water, despite the price continuing to increase and better economic and environmental alternatives becoming available. We didn’t need it then – and we need it less now! Nonetheless, Orange County Water District keeps throwing money at studies for a project they don’t need.
But this year Poseidon has finally submitted applications for State permits they have needed all along. And although the laws protecting the environment have been clarified in new regulations adopted in 2015, Poseidon has refused to fully comply.
It’s been clear from the beginning that this project has only survived on support from politicians who benefit from Poseidon’s largesse – not from any real need for the water. But this year the project’s fate will hang on getting permits from the Regional Water Quality Control Board and Coastal Commission — regulators who have a duty to enforce California laws protecting ocean water quality and marine life.
When those meetings happen, R4RD will be there to make sure decision makers follow the law, not political expediency.
Yes, the end may finally be near.
STAY TUNED – WE KNOW YOU’LL WANT TO JOIN US!!
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING R4RD’S ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, PROMOTE CONSERVATION AND KEEP WATER COSTS IN LINE BY DONATING WHATEVER YOU CAN — OR BY STEPPING UP TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME!
Regards to all and Happy New Year!
-Dave Hamilton, V.P.
-Residents for Responsible Desalination
Poseidon Entrained.
Just SOME of our Previous Coverage of Poseidon:
- HB Council Respectfully Asks Coastal Commission to Shitcan Poseidon. (July 2013)
- Poseidon Runs Headlong into Infiltration Gallery (report on Nov 2013 Coastal Commission hearing)
- Poseidon’s Water Boy: Matt Harper Quietly Pushes Desal Scam Past Ratepayers. (May 2014)
- OCWD’s Sheldon Clams Up on Poseidon Vote, Flory Shakes Things Up! (June 2014)
- Who owns the OCWD, you or Poseidon? YOU DO! Remind them, tonight! (June 2014)
- Unpacking Poseidon’s Latest Propaganda Blitz with Debbie Cook. Pt 1: The CNN Puff Piece. (June 2014)
- Recent Poseidon-Probolsky Push-Poll Threatens Candidates and Misleads Voters. (Nov. 2014)
- Sheldon’s Unethical Culture Challenged by Legal Complaint (Dec. 2014)
- Poseidon & OCWD Bring their Snake-Oil Show to the Pumpers Tomorrow (Dec. 2014)
- Surfin’ Sheldon, Little Lost Dina, Righteous Flory – What You’ve Been Missing at OCWD! (Jan. 2015)
- Poseidon Update: OCWD “just sticks the tip in…” (Jan. 2015)
- Sheldon Says “Suck it Surf City!” The Poseidon Shill is also Behind our High Density Development. (Feb. 2015)
- OCWD’s Forecast for the Future: Cloudy with a Huge Chance of Error. (March 2015)
- Pat Bates Baits Us with Bogus Doomsday Drought Scenario. (March 2015)
- Swan Song for Poseidon? A Blast of Truth from Irvine’s Peer Swan. (March 2015)
- Cage Rattled Hard, OCWD Dons Fig Leaf Before Marrying Poseidon. (April 2015)
- Our Celebrated Groundwater Replenishment System Steals Poseidon’s Lunch Money. (April 2015)
- OCWD profile #1: Phil Anthony, the Quiet Skeptic. (April 2015)
- Showdown at the OCWD Corral Nears, R4RD launches Volley. (May 2015)
- The Poseidon Adventure Sails On! (May 2015)
- Dina Nguyen Stands Up Garden Grove, Skips Fascinating Poseidon Forum. (May 2015)
- Will OCWD be Shipwrecked by Mermaids? (June 2015)
- Cathy Green Falsely Carries Poseidon Water to Coastal Commission (June 2015)
- Watch Poseidon Joke over Proposed Property Tax Increase to fund their “Privately Funded” Desal Project. (July 2015)
- Bao Stands for Garden Grove Against Poseidon, the rest of Council Waffles. (July 2015)
- Phan is the Man – who Stopped this and Needs to Start it Again! (July 2015)
- OC Can Do Desal Better – Use Salt to Lock Up CO2 Emissions. (August 2015)
- San Diego Has Too Much Water – but is Paying $1 Billion for Their Poseidon Plant. (Dec. 2015)
- Poseidon Progress Report: Eight Ways to Screw the Public. (Feb. 2016)
- Why the Coastal Commission Will Approve Poseidon. (April 2016)
- Poseidon in denial over the obstacles ahead, and more… (May 2016)
- Dispatches from the Battle Against Poseidon, Summer 2016 (July 2016)
- Poseidon Plays the Race Card, LULAC Dances to their Tune. (July 2016)
- Fullerton Reaches its Day of Decision on Poseidon (Jan. 2017)
- OCWD Tonight: Replenish the Aquifer with the Winter’s Fabulous Snows! (April 2017)
- John Earl: The Ideological War Behind Poseidon. (August 2017)
This is your Weekend Open Thread.
GO FOR IT!
*Chairman Vern, in fact does his homework. We are always amazed at the depth and detail that Chairman Vern will go to – while investigating the story. However, while the in depth reporting is not only important and cogent……the reality of the necessity of the situation can some times be occluded. Here is our point: The current supply of water is loaded with chlorine and other fecal matter that is not disclosed. It sort of reminds us of
the 70’s when pieces of toilet paper floated obviously right out of the tap….right here in The OC. OK, right now they have removed the toilet paper pieces…..that you MWD and IRWD you are doing one heck of a job. Meanwhile, as growth puts new Residential and Commercial Properties in play….the need for quality water still remains. This is called dealing with Quality of Life Issues. We would encourage Chairman Vern to invite a sales person from EcoSystems ….currently at COSTCO…..and have them check his tap and current water supplies….both bottled and drinkable. Don’t be afraid….just have them check the quality. Obviously, the City and County are not going to deal with it.
OK. Poseidon……has actual water that is non-toxic, drinkable and won’t cause warts on your skin….How about those red spots…..you think you are not taking enough vitamins?
Spare us….your BS! Get the facts.
Once again, this is ridiculous.
Assuming it’s not, the current model for the water pirates is to steal infrastructure from the GWRS and dump desalinated water into groundwater recharge basin (boron and all) which then mixes with storm water, recycled water, and imported water to become ground water.
It then all goes through the same process as all other ground water after being pumped from a well.
*So many reasons why the Ox is gored and by whom! Problem Solving begins with a realistic and honest appraisal of the need vs risk. Out of pocket vs healthy solutions. Kind of reminds us of right after 911 when we drove up to Fresno to Interview Dick Cheney and Ann Venneman…the AG secretary at the time. We asked Ann about the low quality produce from Central and South America that was replacing our Central Valley produce on grocery sheves.. Her answer was rather clear….she said: “Just go to the local Farmers Markets You can still get good stuff there…” ….that was 15 years ago…mind you. The Water is just the same issue only Today….RC have you had your tap, shower and drinking water tested lately? As we said: EcoSystem will come to your house and show you what you are ingesting, either by mouth or through your skin. Don’t be shocked….find out and then
let us know about whether or not we can use a thorough refutation of perchlorates, high density chlorine and about 50 more not so nice articles including radium.
Not relevant.
Even a little.
Is spam allowed here?
*It’s the Winships, grandfathered free-associators.
“They cannot be stopped; they can only be contained.”
If you’re REALLY stuck for a weekend activity, how about learning to play the glass harp ?
(But wait, it IS topical ! – See, they’re using WATER !)
I would like to say, from the perspective of one not having to try to push the website uphill anymore, that it is good to have Vern back!
Just saw the headline for the story in the Weekly that Julio Perez has been fired.
http://www.ocweekly.com/news/oclfs-perez-ousted-8734120
I’m sorry that he apparently did these various things of which he was accused. (I am interested in his version of the events, which I presume is discrepant from that of the OCLF based on his being fired rather than having quietly resigned, but if he thinks that he’s been railroaded he can find good representation.)
I[m not sorry for my not having prejudged him based on the available evidence.
I suppose that I shouldn’t be sorry at these words celebrating Julio’s demise:
Andrew McKercher, lead organizer with IBEW Local 569 in San Diego, soon after the delegate vote confirmed Perez’s firing in a Facebook post. “Bye Bye Julio Perez of UFCW 324 / OC Labor Federation!” McKercher wrote. “After months of administrative leave and a thorough investigation, OC Labor Federation terminated Julio amongst sexual harassment allegations. #cleaninghouse.”
Instead, I choose by be inspired by the #cleaninghouse tag. If anyone thinks that they have a case of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation against any of the unions comprising the OC Labor Fed — and heck, in McKercher’s honor I’ll throw in IBEW Local 569 in San Diego — I will be happy to evaluate their case for free.
I expect that the Building Trades especially will appreciate my offer of help with their #cleaninghouse. You can contact me via mail2greg4-bernie at yahoo dot com. (I’ll make this its own post at some point — but not yet, because it would be unseemly.)
It’s weird that our political enemies have been frothing at the mouth (many in anonymous trashed comments over here) for us to make some kinda statement against Julio BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONCLUDED. I guess I’ll do mine (much as I’m nobody’s “trained monkey”) on the more appropriate post that Ricardo wrote the other day.
Chemical Lewinsky has already graced us with his review of Greg’s statement, which he deems an example of “Whataboutism.” First of all, what a dopey neologism, but I guess I can see what it means. And I guess Greg’s last two paragraphs referencing the more conservative unions COULD be called “whataboutism.”
But once again, Dan’s blissful projection/unselfawareness continues to astound. He EXHALES “whataboutism” every five seconds. ANY criticism of anyone he likes – no matter how spot-on – is met with, “Well what about…?” If a Republican criticizes something a Democrat does he kneejerks, “Well, what about what such-and-such a Republican did? (Maybe ten years ago even.)” If one of his dear corporate Dems is criticized he kneejerks, “Well, what about what such-and-such a progressive did?” Whenever he himself is criticized for the trash he allows on his blog … up pops the big foot and it’s “Greg and Vern are worse!”
Dan C is the Reigning Douchebag of Whataboutism.
No, those last paragraphs are not “whataboutism.” Now that I know that the unions consider fighting sexual harassment among their ranks to be such a high priority, I will be GLAD to do my part to help them, and the union movement, in my capacity as a plaintiff’s employment lawyer. They can hardly complain, right?
While Chumley’s article is nominally about Julio Perez, it is mostly about me and Vern — because that, rather than sexual harassment, is his real target. I’m still waiting for Danielle Serbin to release details on the serious problems she reports there having been within OC Young Democrats; instead she has kept quiet about them despite having been entirely willing to go after Julio Perez. As a Democratic committee member, I want to see our dirt swept out as well — and not just selectively, solely against progressives.
With former DPOC Executive Director Mike Levin — whose campaign I understand to be managed by former DPOC Executive Director Nick Anas (whom I like, but who keeps some bad company) and my guess is supported by former DPOC Executive Director Melahat Rafiei — in the news, it’s a newsworthy time to ask Danielle Serbin what she knows but ain’t telling. Not having been an OC Young Democrat, I’ve been left out of the gossip, but I know from overheard conversations that there’s plenty of it.
Chumley also has this to say about me:
Note to DPOC Chair Fran Sdao — YOU know that there is one blog — ours — that does not violate confidentiality by spilling the secrets of DPOC Executive Board meetings and that there is another blog — Chumley’s — that does so whenever the mood strikes. You also know that I generally have not taken gratuitous pot shots at DPOC for what happens at its meetings — and that I have not written here about what happened at the last meeting, where DPOC adopted a policy on sexual harassment THAT WAS NOT LISTED AS AN ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA; WAS NOT ITSELF ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA; WAS NOT PASSED OUT TO THE DELEGATES BUT JUST PROJECTED ONTO A SCREEN, MAKING DISCUSSION ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE; ETC.
Now, given the above, I have little choice but to defend myself and explain exactly why I opposed a policy coming to our body under the above circumstances. (Preview: the use of such a policy — where the DPOC itself for the first time becomes judge, jury, and executioner in overturning the results of a constitutionally protected election rather than merely removing its own officers — to oppress political dissenters with spurious complaints OF EXACTLY THE SORT THAT IS CELEBRATED ABOVE is a big reason why.
I’m sorry that it has come to this — I’ve tried to avoid it — but that’s the fruit of the sort of poisonous environment that DPOC leadership and its eye-rolling membership have allowed, while ignoring our former Communication Chair’s blog making common cause with literal white supremacists and the like. You don’t like to read the blogs — well, this is what happens when you don’t.
(I’ll make most of the above into its own post — or two, or more, of them — once work obligations settle down.)
Speaking of STOOOPID-
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-01-29/fitness-tracking-app-accidentally-reveals-secret-us-military-bases-cia-black-sites?