Sierra Club
Redwood Chapter Newsletter
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Sonoma Group's November Environmental Forum Sonoma Group Examines Albion and Gualala Rivers Water Extraction Monday, November 18th 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. Environmental Center, 404 Mendocino Ave., Suite A Downtown Santa Rosa | |
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Alaska Water Exports (AWE) has applied to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) for the rights to extract 6200 and 8700 acre feet of water annually from the Albion and Gualala Rivers, respectively, to fill bladder bags as long as three football fields and tug these bags through the ocean to sell the water in San Diego. These applications, we are told by the SWRCB, will be released for public comment on Friday, September 13th. The public will then have 60 days (possibly 90) to file protests with the Water Board. These protests raise all of the environmental and legal issues of concern regarding this project. These concerns range from the impacts to estuarine ecology, near shore marine life, salmon, and migrating whales to the local community's loss of control of its water supply. |
Those of us who are familiar with the local issues and the permitting process would like to help the Sonoma Group, and any other interested individuals, fill out the protest forms. This is both to establish the administrative record and to continue to apply our political will to encourage the Water Board to deny the project. There will be an informative presentation and all protest materials necessary at the workshop on November 18th. For more information, see the Mendocino Group Report, or visit Friends of the Gualala River. Call 544-7651 for more information. Open to the public. |