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Supes wade through Standing Committee agenda items |
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Wednesday, 29 October 2008 |
 The Inyo County/L.A. Standing Committee will meet Thursday, Nov. 6 to discuss a recreation plan for the Lower Owens River (above). The Committee will be talking about a Department of Fish and Game permit that is required for stream bed alteration. File photo By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
10-28-2008 Despite scheduling conflicts with leaders in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power that boiled the blood of at least one county supervisor, county staff will meet with LADWP officials in November to discuss some of the priority issues surrounding water in the Owens Valley.
The Inyo County Board of Supervisors last Tuesday reviewed and ultimately approved the Inyo County/Los Angeles Standing Committee agenda for 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 at the Bishop Elks Lodge.
Before the board could address the agenda, however, it had to discuss scheduling conflicts for the meeting.
According to Water Department Director Bob Harrington, LADWP CEO and General Manager David Nahai requested that Inyo County’s Standing Committee members either reschedule the Nov. 5 meeting, or hold the meeting in Los Angeles.
The supervisors were not happy, as this is at least the second time since Nahai took the general manager position that he has requested that the county reschedule a Standing Committee meeting because of his personal conflicts.
“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that he can’t manage his schedule better than this,” said Second District Supervisor Susan Cash.
“I think Mr. Nahai is being very disingenuous,” said Third District Supervisor Beverly Brown.
The supervisors all agreed that keeping the meeting in Bishop and rescheduling it for Nov. 6 was the best course of action.
With the time, date and location of the meeting set, the board went to work reviewing the agenda, which includes discussions and action pertaining to a Memorandum of Understanding between L.A. and Inyo County in regards to the Standing Committee’s duties, a discussion and progress report regarding Green Book revisions, a status report on the Lower Owens River Project and a discussion regarding the Owens Lake groundwater evaluation.
The Standing Committee had asked staff to develop an MOU identifying the responsibilities of the Standing Committee back at a meeting in February of 2007.
Since that request, members of the LADWP and the Inyo County Water Department have collaborated on the document and will be presenting it to the committee for review and possible adoption for the first time at the November meeting.
Harrington said Tuesday that he recommended adoption of the MOU.
Next on the agenda is a progress report and discussion on Green Book revisions, the technical guide to the Inyo-L.A. Long-term Water Agreement.
According to Harrington, Inyo County Water Department Science Coordinator Aaron Steinwand has been coordinating the work on the Green Book and will be making the presentation at the Standing Committee meeting.
Next up, the Standing Committee will discuss the 1602 permit, or streambed alteration permit, for work conducted on the LORP.
According to Harrington, the California Department of Fish and Game may require the streambed alteration permit for maintenance on the LORP. The MOU between L.A. and Inyo County provides for cooperation between the two agencies in obtaining the permit.
The LADWP will report on the status of the permit application at the meeting.
The Standing Committee will also hear a report on, and discuss a status report by Water Department staff regarding the joint funding agreement between L.A. and Inyo County for the LORP.
Finally, the committee will take up a discussion about groundwater pumping and evaluation from the Owens Dry Lake.
According to Harrington, the LADWP and Water Department have been working jointly in selecting a consultant to assess groundwater resources under the lake because, LADWP hopes to develop a groundwater resource to supply its dust abatement project.
Proposals have been received from seven consultants, and “staff is currently reviewing and ranking the proposals,” Harrington said.
Water Department staff will report on the status of the consultant selection at the meeting.
The Standing Committee meeting will be open to the public and has set aside time for comments from citizens.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 November 2008 )
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