Governor Newsom today signed SB 307, a bill that requires that any water mining projects such as the Cadiz water project undergo new additional review processes to prove it will avoid environmental harm. Many thanks are owed to the many MBCA supporters who wrote comments and called the Governor's office in support of the bill. The Governor's letter approving SB 307 outlines the reasons for his action. 

Stop Cadiz: Call the Governor to sign SB-307!

SB-307 on Governor’s desk

The State Assembly overwhelmingly voted to pass SB-307 (Roth) and the bill is now on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom for signing. It is vitally important that the Governor hear our voices and that we ask him to sign the legislation.

The office number is (916) 445-2841. You must first select a language (“1” for English, “2” for Spanish), then press “6” at the next menu to be transferred to a staffer. When a staffer answers, tell them: your name and where you live, and that you urge the Governor to sign SB 307.With Governor Newsom’s signature the controversial Cadiz water project will be subject to a thorough and desperately needed environmental review.

You can also email the governor's office using the web form provided on this website: https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/. A phone call carries more weight, so please consider calling before sending an email.

Following your call, please take the time to email Chris Clarke of the National Parks Conservation Association at [email protected] to let him know you've done so; it will help provide a sense of how many calls the governor's office is getting in support of the Bill.

I again offer my thanks to our many members and supporters for your activism in defense of our desert.

Sincerely,

Steve Bardwell President
Morongo Basin Conservation Association

Your 2019 MBCA Board 

Steve Bardwell, President                          Pat Flanagan, Director       
David Fick, Vice President                         Meg Foley, Director
Laraine Turk, Recording Secretary            Mike Lipsitz, Director
Marina West, Treasurer                             Ruth Rieman, Director
Sarah Kennington, Past President             

A judge's decision on June 21 has reversed the BLM's 2017 ruling (which was itself a reversal of their prior decision) regarding the need for federal environmental review for the railroad right-of-way that relates to the Cadiz pipeline project. The next action is back in BLM's court. More details can be found in this Desert Sun article and with greater emphasis on the legal issues in this Courthouse News Service article. Prior news updates from MBCA on this and other water conservation-related news can be found on our "Water Issues" page.

Senate Bill 307 passed through the California Senate and will next need approval in the Assembly to provide additional environmental review for groundwater transfers like the proposed Cadiz project. Read details about SB 307 from the Desert Sun.

In a Press Release delivered on Friday, May 10, Senator Dianne Feinstein urged the California Senate Appropriations Committee to approve SB 307 for further Senate consideration. The bill is key to protecting the California Desert from severe aquifer reduction should the Cadiz Water Project be approved. She states, “Enhanced state review is already in place for other treasured places in California, such as Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay and the California coastline. I strongly believe that California’s iconic desert merits the similar enhanced state review that SB 307 would provide.” Also, "I believe SB 307 is key to ensuring desert groundwater basins are not harmfully exploited by creating a commonsense state review process that safeguards California’s fragile desert lands and groundwater basins." The bill is scheduled for a hearing on May 16. Additional information can be found on Mojave Watch.org and the LA Times wrote an editorial against the project on May 15. 

In a letter to Cadiz CEO Scott Slater, California's Department of Fish and Wildlife expressed concerns about the possible effects of the Cadiz Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project on the ecological health of the Bonanza Springs area north of the proposed project. Concerns center on the environmental and hydrologic studies completed for the existing Environmental Impact Report. For more details read recent online articles in The Desert Sun and Mojave Watch and on local radio station KCDZ. 

MBCA Candidates Virtual Forum
San Bernardino Countywide Plan draft
San Bernardino County Fire District Service Zone FP-5: parcel fee
Cadiz Inc. groundwater harvesting project: AB 1000 update

Dear MBCA Members and Supporters,

After a bit of a summer hiatus, fall is here and things seem to be “heating up” again for the conservation community. Here’s what MBCA is tracking for you:

MBCA Candidates Virtual Forum

To provide additional perspective on local election contests for conservation minded voters of the Morongo Basin, MBCA contacted 21 candidates for town/city council and water district board positions (contested positions).

Candidates were offered the opportunity to reply to a single question that was both relevant to the office they seek and that touched on our interest in Morongo Basin’s rural character, economic well-being, and available resources.

For the candidates who responded to our questions, you can click on their name to read their response. We thank them for sharing their views on the issues that are important to Morongo Basin’s conservation-minded voters.

Click here to access the Candidate Virtual Forum page.

NOTE: The Voter Registration deadline is October 22 to vote in the November 6 General Election. For information, including links to online registration and the California General election, click here.

San Bernardino Countywide Plan & Community Plans (aka Action Plans) A full house of residents attended the County Land Use Service (LUS) regional meeting on September 10^th at the Joshua Tree Community Center. LUS staff and a consultant working with the County presented up-dated information on the revised draft Countywide Plan and Community specific plans (now known as Action Plans.) After the LUS staff presentation, the audience was invited to ask questions and provide “feedback.”

Residents in the Morongo Basin expressed great concern in the first round of Open Houses that Community Plans were not to be included within the revised Countywide Plan. The concern is that eliminating Community Plans from the Countywide Plan denies the Community Plans the legal strength of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA.) In response to a question asked about this, Colin Drucker, the consultant for the County, presented a table showing a “Policy Matrix” listing each goal and policy from the 2007 Joshua Tree Community Plan and where it will be found or addressed in the future County Policy Plan. A “Policy Matrix” was created for each of the existing Community Plan. Click here for the Joshua Tree Community Policy Matrix.

LUS staff spoke to a primary goal and accomplishment of the draft Countywide Plan as to simplify, eliminate duplication, and make the plan accessible to the LUS staff, as well as the public. This will also be an “interactive” Plan– all pertinent policy, zoning and maps will be accessible and searchable online.

The County staff accepted every question presented by the audience and responded to each. While concerns and skepticism remain with several local groups in Joshua Tree, Homestead Valley and Lucerne Valley about the Community “Action Plans,” it was my impression that the response overall was that the audience convened in Joshua Tree felt the County made a good effort. Their response to questions was respectful, informed, and clear.

Per the County’s announcement of the meeting, it was stated that earlier public input lead directly to substantial changes to the Draft Countywide Plan documents and maps. For example, areas of Joshua Tree have been downzoned for lower-density. Also, the commercial district around Turtle Island is to be rezoned as “franchise free” in response to residents’ suggestions.

The current Countywide Plan is incorporating two laws passed since the last general plan update: SB 379 and SB 1000. SB 379 requires that a general plan include a safety element for the protection of the community from unreasonable risks associated with the effects of various geologic hazards, flooding, and wildland and urban fires. SB 1000 further requires that the safety element plan address climate adaptation and resilience. The Countywide Plan will encourage growth within areas that have existing infrastructure. This encouragement is reflected within the very low growth rate anticipated for the desert areas.

We’re still waiting to know when section 4.10 of the RECE (the County Renewable Conservation Element), long delayed in implementation, is expected to be on the Supervisors’ agenda in October. Section 4.10 concerns utility scale development in existing Community Plan boundaries and in RL zoned land. We will want to be present in the Supervisors’ chambers to continue our pressure for implementation of the original language vs. the developer friendly version. If you’ve been following this saga, you know that after a vigilant community effort the Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the original language be implemented – residents must continue to weigh in as the Supervisors decide the future renewable energy in RL (Rural Living) zoned areas. Read about the Planning Commission action in MBCA’s May 25 News Update.

San Bernardino Co. Fire Protection District Service Zone FP-5 A special meeting on August 27^th at the Joshua Tree Community Center and other locations was sponsored by County Fire to provide information about the expansion of the boundaries Service Zone FP-5 boundaries and increased assessment fees.

The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Board of Directors, as well as the County Fire Protection Districts Fire Chief, announced plans to expand Service Zone FP-5 as the best way to generate needed revenues to maintain existing fire protection and emergency services. They also stated that current property tax revenues are insufficient to cover the costs of providing fire and emergency medical services. Each legal parcel within Service Zone FP-5 is assessed an annual parcel fee. The current assessment is set at $157.26/year, and can increase up to 3% each year. Public Notices have been mailed to all parcel owners.

For detailed information, including San Bernardino County Fire Chief’s PowerPoint presentation on FP-5, including a PDF of the protest form – click here.

Opposition has been expressed by organizations that include the Homestead Valley Communities (HVCC) and LVEDA (Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association.)  Here’s the link to the Fire Tax Q&A posed by Chuck Bell, President of LVEDA to Supervisor Ramos. For an edited list of Molly Wilshire’s, Supervisor Ramos chief of staff, responses to some questions posed by LVEDA, see below:

  ‘All FP-5 proceeds must be spent in the service zone in which they were generated.

Any contiguous parcels, improved or unimproved may be combined through the Assessor’s Office process, for a one-time fee of $108.00.  This is for the purpose of the assessment only.  There is a link on our website that will take you to the Assessor’s Office form and procedure(s). (Here is the link for the County's contiguous parcels combination and recession form AOS-047 which also contains directions for this process.)

The assessment will provide parity across the district for all parcel owners to pay the same amount for fire, rescue and EMS services.  Whether developed or undeveloped, the need for service on vacant or improved land cannot be anticipated whether the need for service be due to man-made or natural disaster. 

The protest forms can be obtained by those not having computer access by calling the fire district to request a form to be mailed to any address provided.  The absence of the protest form in the mailer was not contrived, but was simply following the accepted protest process procedures.’

• October 15, 2018: Last day to receive mail in protest letters. Must be received by close of business.
• October 16, 2018: Last day to receive walk in protest letters. Must be received by the closing of the public hearing.
• October 16, 2018: Public Hearing 10am, San Bernardino County Government Center, 1st Floor Covington Chamber.

Desert Groundwater Protection – State Assembly bill AB 1000

As you probably know by now, after strong public lobbying to state legislators in support of AB 1000 – “Desert Groundwater Protection” - that sought to increase California’s involvement in the Cadiz project by requiring “a state review process for potential groundwater extraction projects in the California desert,” the bill died after being shelved by the Senate Appropriations Committee in the final day of the legislative session. This outcome struck a huge blow to all advocates of California desert conservation.

The bill would have required a new state environmental review before the company could move forward with its plan to pump groundwater out of the Mojave Desert to sell for their profit to Southern California cities.

As reported in the Desert Sun: “It is a failure of the legislative leadership to follow through on its stated commitment to preserve California from the onslaughts of the Trump administration” said Chris Clarke, California desert program manager for the NPCA. “We had the votes in the Senate. The legislature as a whole was ready to act on this. They were prevented by leadership”.

A major hurdle to be cleared before up to 16.3 billion gallons of groundwater per year is pumped from land surrounded by the Mojave Trails National Monument is the conveyance of the water from the desert via the Colorado aqueduct.  As of today the Metropolitan Water District has not granted permission to utilize the aqueduct, citing potential concerns of mixing chromium 6 tainted water with Colorado River water.

MBCA will continue to track this threat to desert springs and wildlife. We will join conservation partners in lobbying that the project must undergo a state environmental review. Here’s a link to our August 30 News Update about Cadiz.

MBCA’s Community Calendar

Don’t forget to check the Calendar for the MBCA curated community events that we think are of interest to Members and Supporters! Several events have been added since our previous E-Blast, including several on desert-wise plants and landscaping, both locally and in the Coachella Valley.

Permaculture lecture and 2-day course at the Harrison House (October 12-14)

Climate Change Assessment Symposium at UCR. (October 12)

Giant Rock Round Table (October 18)

Desert Garden Community Day at UCR (October 27)

Bats of the Coachella Valley Lecture and Film Premiere (October 30)

Healing, Helpful, and Edible Native Plants workshop (November 3)

Thanks again for your attention and support in these challenging times. We need to be vigilant and keep informed! MBCA remains strong in commitment to our mission to protect our rural lifestyle. We so appreciate everything our community does to protect the healthy desert environment that sustains our well-being.

Sincerely,

Sarah Kennington, President
Morongo Basin Conservation Association

Your 2018 MBCA Board
David Fick, Vice President                          Steve Bardwell, Treasurer
Marina West, Recording Secretary             Pat Flanagan, Director
Meg Foley, Director                                     Mike Lipsitz, Director
Ruth Rieman, Director                                 Claudia Sall, Director
Seth Shteir, Director                                    Laraine Turk, Director

www.mbconservation.org

MBCA advocates for a healthy desert environment
that nurtures the region’s rural character,
cultural wealth and economic well-being.

 

The Cadiz company's long battle to pump desert groundwater and sell it to coastal cities, and desert protectors' long battle to prevent damage to desert ecosystems will likely come to a head on Friday, August 31, via a vote on California Senate Bill 120. The August 28 Desert Sun article by Sammy Roth includes a quotation from David Lamfrom of the National Parks Conservation Association, stating that passing SB 120 is "the immediate and only opportunity we have to make sure that this project would not cause substantial harm to Mojave Trails National Monument."  Roth's article gives an overall and detailed view of this ongoing battle to preserve precious desert water.

Also consider this message from the National Parks Conservation Association:

MBCA thanks the many MBCA EBlast subscribers who responded to our August 27 EBlast request to contact legislators about the vote on SB 120. Calls to Senator Jean Fuller would still be helpful today and tomorrow (August 30/31).

UPDATE: Extended deadline to make calls to stop Cadiz - Friday, Aug. 31st

Dear MBCA Members and Supporters,

I have additional details on the Cadiz water-harvesting bill before the State Senate. If you haven’t already made calls to both Senator Fuller and Assemblyman Mayes there is still time: the Senate deadline to vote on the bill is midnight Friday, August 31^st.  

Continue to make calls to both Senator Fuller & Assemblyman Mayes through Friday!

Please also note a corrected phone number for Senator Fuller’s Morongo Basin office, listed below. As I mentioned in the E-Blast earlier today, even if you made calls on behalf of the previous version (AB-1000), we need you to call again now in support of SB-120!

Takes less than a minute each to make phone calls to:

Assemblyman Chad Mayes 
Capitol office 916-319-2042
District office 760-346-6342

Senator Jean Fuller
Capitol office 916-651-4016

Morongo Basin office 760-228-3136 (apologies, there was a typo in the phone number listed in previous E-Blast – this is the correct number.)

Provide the staffer who answers the phone or the answering machine:

1) your name,
2) the city you live in,
3) that you (or your business/organization) support SB-120, and
4) that you urge the Senator/Assemblyman to support SB-120 to protect California from the disastrous Cadiz project.

Thanks again for taking a few minutes out of your day – to stop the horrendous Cadiz water-harvesting scheme!

 

Sincerely,
Sarah Kennington, President
Morongo Basin Conservation Association

Your 2018 MBCA Board

David Fick, Vice President                         Steve Bardwell, Treasurer 
Marina West, Recording Secretary            Pat Flanagan, Director       
Meg Foley, Director                                   Mike Lipsitz, Director
Ruth Rieman, Director                               Claudia Sall, Director
Seth Shteir, Director                                  Laraine Turk, Director

 

www.mbconservation.org

MBCA advocates for a healthy desert environmen
that nurtures the region’s rural character, cultural wealth
and economic well-being.

TODAY, Monday, August 27^th call to protect Mojave desert ground water: SB-120 goes to vote tomorrow, Tuesday.

Dear MBCA Members and Supporters,

We’ve come down to the wire! We need you make two calls TODAY, Monday, August 27th to our State Senator and Assemblyman in the California legislature urging their support of SB-120 to protect Mojave Desert springs and ground water.

Even if you made calls on behalf of the previous version (AB-1000), we need you to call again now in support of SB-120!

You know about the Cadiz corporation planned project to pump 16 billion gallons of ground water each year for 50 years that would affect springs within Mojave Trails National Monument to sell to a water company in coastal Orange County.

MBCA and our conservation partners, including the National Park Conservation Association have been engaged in a lengthy struggle to defeat the Trump-backed Cadiz water-mining project.

Takes less than a minute each to make phone calls to:

Assemblyman Chad Mayes
Capitol office 916-319-2042
District office 760-346-6342

Senator Jean Fuller
Capitol office 916-651-4016
Morongo Basin office 760-228-3136

Provide the staffer who answers the phone or the answering machine:

1) your name,
2) the city you live in,
3) that you (or your business/organization) support SB-120, and
4) that you urge the Senator/Assemblyman to support SB-120 to protect California from the disastrous Cadiz project.

We have support from Senator Feinstein, Governor Brown, Lt. Governor Newsom, and Assembly Speaker Rendon, but Cadiz is a formidable opponent with power and money that is influencing the political process. Still, we have a good chance of getting this bill passed this week – with your help.

Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day – this is a once in our life-time critical step to protect the fragile Mojave ecosystem groundwater! I know we can count on you!

Sincerely,

Sarah Kennington, President
Morongo Basin Conservation Association

Your 2018 MBCA Board

David Fick, Vice President                         Steve Bardwell, Treasurer 
Marina West, Recording Secretary            Pat Flanagan, Director       
Meg Foley, Director                                     Mike Lipsitz, Director
Ruth Rieman, Director                                Claudia Sall, Director
Seth Shteir, Director                                    Laraine Turk, Director

 

www.mbconservation.org

MBCA advocates for a healthy desert environment
that nurtures the region’s rural character, cultural wealth
and economic well-being.