Since the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced its lawsuit Friday against the federal and state governments and local air pollution control district, officials and citizens here have begun to assess possible impacts and criticize the mega-utility for its attacks. One of the impacts could be on Mono Lake.
DWP has asked the court to prevent payment of fees to APCD, declare hearing procedures of the state illegal, and to strike down signed agreements and laws on air quality here. It was federal air quality standards that helped set the required water level at Mono Lake during negotiations with the State and DWP. Mono Lake Committee Director Geoff McQuilkin said his group is concerned about this latest lawsuit.
McQuilkin said, “The Department of Water and Power case appears to be focused on air pollution mitigation at Owens Lake, however similar air quality regulations also apply at Mono Lake, which is also a major national source of particulate air pollution as a result of past water diversions.” McQuilkin said that the Mono Lake Committee is carefully reviewing the filing by DWP to determine what the implications are, if any, for the “well-established air quality attainment plans underway at Mono Lake.”
In its press release DWP points at Owens Dry Lake and tries of make APCD Director Ted Schade the villain. Schade points out he is basically an air cop enforcing the state and federal laws and signed agreements over air quality here. DWP’s fights with APCD have cost nearly $1 million in legal fees recently which LA now refuses to pay. APCD has gone to court to enforce orders that LA must pay.
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DWP is coming after Mammoth Creek, and they will not stop. Mammoth has other worries to consider in the near future. Like the fact, they will be buying water from DWP at 100% increase in price. Whats going on with Mammoth? Do they have some bad Karma that is being dealt to them? Seems like they are getting it from every which angle…
Wow 1.2 billion dollars spent on dust control on the Owens? More on courts? .. I would say bury it in concrete. We have the means.
Concerned,
You say we “have the means” as if you are speaking for LADWP? They are the only ones that I can think of that can come close to having the means.
That’s a common practice of DWP to make out others to be in the wrong. But when you have a major influence of money like LADWP does you can bulldoze your way anywhere, I mean look at Mitt Romney for a example how much Money has it taken to portray him to be electable?
So it is true when you have money the politicians and cops tend to make a priority to serve them in ways others don’t see.
$1.2 B is DWP’s own self-reported figure. Take it with a grain of salt.
The ways to control dust have been their choice – flood, vegetation, or gravel. Other methods must be tested and proven effective and acceptable to the land owner (CSLC), per the conditions of the law.
The latest gravel cover project at the northern end of the lake was an engineering challenge, but appears very effective and visually appealing.
DWP doesnt want to accept responsibility or pay it’s acquired legal fees. Shocking.