What's NeW

Visit this page for notices regarding activities and events related to the Cambrians For Water purpose.

September, 2020: NCAC recommends approval of the SWF. C4H2O issues position statements on opposing arguments

The North Coast Advisory Council considered the Coastal Development Permit (CDP) application for the SWF at their meeting on August 19th. (The CDP is also referred to as the regular operating permit.) With their 9-2 vote recommending approval, the permit application process is under way. Many of you wrote to support the SWF. Thank you.

At the NCAC meeting, however, there were a number of letters and comments opposing the SWF. The opposing comments included six recurring topics. Read C4H2O position statements addressing those topics.

August, 2020: Cambria has embarked on the final push to obtain a regular coastal development permit (CDP) for the Sustainable Water Facility (SWF)

Having adopted a revised project description, the CCSD notified San Luis Obispo County to process its CDP application. Following normal protocol, the County Planning Staff referred the matter to the North Coast Advisory Council for its recommendation. From there the permit application will go to SLO County Planning Department Staff, then the County Planning Commission and finally to the Board of Supervisors for the issuance of the permit. We expect the matter will also be appealed to the California Coastal Commission.

It would be very unfortunate if the usual project antagonists, a small but vocal group who have opposed the water project from the beginning, were to convince county officials that Cambrians do not support the SWF. Therefore, we ask you to click on the link below to join Cambrians for Water and receive our frequent emails as to how you can support the SWF. Below are some of the many facts why the SWF is so important to secure Cambria’s water security.

REASONS TO SUPPORT THE SWF:

The SWF will provide Cambria with water security, especially during dry summer months and extended dry spells;
The SWF will protect plant and animal habitats that depend on the San Simeon Creek aquifer;
Prudent use of the SWF, will protect and preserve the aquifer from permanent harm from soil overburden subsidence and salt water intrusion;
The SWF uses state of the art reverse osmosis technology and recycles treated wastewater effluent which is a core water management process embodied in California’s statewide water policy;
Among other necessary technical changes, the revised project description gives the CCSD local control of when and under what circumstances to use the SWF so that Cambria can avoid water emergencies and not just react to them. This is particularly important for those of us who endured the draconian water conservation restrictions imposed during the Stage 3 water emergency of the last extended drought. After all, Cambria has paid for the SWF and it should be allowed to use it to protect its residents, the surrounding environment and the aquifer.

JUNE 25, 2020: Green Light for SWF

The Cambria Community Services District Board of Directors, at a June 25 Special Meeting, gave CCSD Staff the go-ahead to complete and submit the Coastal Development Permit application for the Sustainable Water Facility. The proposed Project Description was accepted by the Board without changes. San Luis Obispo County planners are expected to receive the application by mid-July.

For more on this important milestone, see our notice, immediately below, regarding the June 25 meeting.

JUNE 2020: The CCSD Board of Directors to consider an updated Project Description for the SWF

The CCSD Board of Directors will meet via teleconference on Thursday, June 25, at 2 p.m. to consider an updated Project Description for the Sustainable Water Facility. This is the final step in completing the application for a regular Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for the SWF.

Once the CCSD Board approves the Project Description and directs CCSD Staff to submit a completed CDP application to San Luis Obispo County, the County is expected to act quickly on the request and to prepare a CDP for approval by the County Planning Commission later this summer.

The Project Description is a central element of the CDP application. It describes the purposes of the SWF and details how and when the project is to be operated. Most crucially, the proposed draft before the CCSD Board declares that the project is to be used not only for severe drought emergencies but also to prevent such emergencies by maintaining adequate aquifer levels and protecting the environment in the lower San Simeon Creek area. In doing so, it is fully aligned with the longstanding goals of Cambrians for Water.

Here is the agenda for the June 25 meeting, along with instructions for joining via phone or computer. The CCSD invites Public Comment, either written (addressed to boardcomment@cambriacsd.org) or oral. We urge members of Cambrians for Water to take this opportunity to express their support for the SWF and water security. You may wish to refer to the Talking Points that we have prepared on this subject.

--Cambrians for Water Steering Committee

The CCSD Board meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main Street, Cambria. Exceptions: January - 3rd Thursday of the month, April - 3rd Thursday of the month, November - 3rd Thursday of the month, and December - 2nd Thursday of the month.

The Cambrians for Water January 2019 Member Survey results have been tabulated. Here are some highlights:

Nearly 40% of those on the C4H2O mailing list responded.
The vast majority, 97%, agreed that C4H2O should “Advocate for Cambria to obtain a regular Coastal Development Permit for the Sustainable Water Facility (SWF), enabling Cambria to control operation of the facility with minimum restrictions.”
Among many information sources available to members, emails from C4H2O were ranked highest in importance, with 80% of you ranking them as “essential.” The Cambrian, in print or online, came in second with 61% calling it “essential.
Nearly 40% of respondents said they were interested in public advocacy – writing letters, attending public meetings and/or speaking. About the same number said they wanted to help recruit new members to C4H2O.

The full survey results are available here. We would like to thank all C4H2O members who participated.