MAILBAG - Feb. 22, 2007

Desalinating water

is forward-thinking

Several years ago, I received a mailing from a company that wanted to build a desalination plant in Huntington Beach. I liked the idea for a lot of reasons. They were going to build next to an existing power plant and near the waste treatment plant. They didn’t want any government money. But my primary support came from my belief that for the sake of future generations, including my grandkids, we needed to start desalinating water.

I knew not everybody was going to think it’s a good idea, so I knew we were going to have to go through a “process” and we were going to hear all kinds of stuff from both sides. I knew there was going to be a political part and a legal part, and hopefully after the “process,” a desalination plant.

But in my mind, I had real reasons for thinking a desalination plant would be a good idea. Reasons like:

I figured that after everyone looked at the reality of the situation, they would conclude that desalination is the next necessary step in the evolution of systems designed to supply the increasing fresh water needs of California — a drought-proof system that can supplement California’s existing systems and systems that are completely dependent on rain and snow pack.

Ninety-nine percent of the water on this planet is in the oceans, and the oceans are contiguous, an inexhaustible supply. Desalination is not an experiment — there are more than 250 plants operating around the world with capacities up to 250 million gallons a day.

The debate and legal wrangling needs to end, and we need to construct a desalination plant — a plant with undeniable imperfections and limitations.

TIM FLORIO

Huntington Beach

Plant needed due to

low water supply

I hope that this ruling from the East Coast does not affect the Poseidon project. We need the desalination plant for the future as there is less and less fresh water available.

The Colorado River is at its lowest point in years and getting lower not only from the lack of rain but from all of the other states drawing water. Northern California has its own problems and does not want Southern California to have its water.

With all of this going on, we need to get real and produce our own water.

DON MACALLISTER

Huntington Beach

Court ruling won’t

affect Poseidon plan

The recent U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision should not have any bearing on the plan to approve and build a desalination facility in Huntington Beach, “Cooling ruling heats up plant war,” Feb. 15). That court has no jurisdiction in California.

The Poseidon project will be a valuable freshwater resource and economic asset. The agencies with jurisdiction in this matter should approve the desalination plant for Huntington Beach, as a separate and independent facility from the nearby AES power plant, without additional delay.

CHARLIE BUNTEN

Huntington Beach

Desalinate before

it’s too late

I am a resident of Huntington Beach, and I am in favor of the proposed desalinization for our city. It is patently obvious that the state will continue to increase its population. I doubt that rainfall is planning on doing the same.

It will be easier to plan for the future by completing this project prior to its crucial need.

TERRY BATTELLE

Huntington Beach

Water power

comes at a price

The recent Second Circuit Court of Appeals’ opinion (regarding Poseidon and ocean-cooling loops) should have about as much effect on the final approval and building of the Poseidon plant as the recent congressional “nonbinding” resolution, expressing disagreement with the troop surge in Iraq, will have on halting its progress.

Not only does the Second Circuit not have jurisdiction in California, but the court’s vague edict to the EPA to rewrite its rules on power plant cooling loops (even if complied with anytime soon) does not address the fact that the AES cooling loop could be utilized by Poseidon independent of the power plant and without its current EPA restrictions — as the Clean Water Act does not apply to desalination plants.

In fact, the proposed Carlsberg Poseidon plant is already making plans to operate independent of the Encina power plant, which may indeed move to another location (possibly within the decade), leaving its cooling infrastructure for Poseidon to lease.

By the way, operating without a power plant in the loop would not only greatly reduce the amount of water circulated, but it would also mean that no super-heating of that water would be involved — both resulting in far less marine life mortality, without added EPA intervention or regulation.

In any case, all power (and water) for human consumption comes at a price. In the Northeast, they’ve decided that allowing coal plants to spew their deadly pollution into surrounding neighborhoods is a price they will accept to heat and light their homes. We, who live in the coastal desert of Southern California, have chosen to live with some negative effects from gas-powered steam generators, and ocean-cooling loops. There is no free ride, but I’ll take our method of power generation over theirs any day (can you imagine a coal plant at the AES site?)

However, the bottom line is that whether or not AES eventually goes to a closed-cooling loop — or is dismantled completely — it is far past time that we, sitting right next to Earth’s ultimate source of H2O, finally begin to accept responsibility for creating our own fresh water, rather than arrogantly and selfishly transferring any or all of the negative effects of our water-convenience inland to those rivers and streams from which we now “steal.”

TOM POLKOW

Huntington Beach

Let’s progress

with Poseidon

The federal appellate court’s decision does not affect the proposed desalination project.

First of all, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals does not have jurisdiction in California.

Secondly, their application to the California Coastal Commission will include both scenarios of operating a desalination plant with or without an operating power plant.

Since the court ruling will not have any impact on the proposed facility, it is my hope that the project progresses and that we will have an alternative water source in our future.

SUZANNE BEUKEMA

Huntington Beach

Police need

nonlethal weapons

Everyone is minimizing how dangerous somebody who is incoherent with a knife can be, but I know how quickly even the smallest person can kill somebody with a knife to the right spot (“Ruling: Police justified to shoot,” Jan. 25). Ashley MacDonald was obviously very disturbed and extremely dangerous. But having said that, I don’t understand why police officers don’t have more options for nonlethal force. If they did, they could have saved this woman’s life and been real heroes. A Taser maybe? Police need to start saving lives instead of taking them.

FRED GOMEZ

Huntington Beach

Patriotism lives

in our city

I always look forward to Jerry Person’s “Look Back” column on Huntington Beach history. Last week, (“Standing at the altar of freedom,” Feb. 15) he described a 1919 city celebration called the Altar of Freedom. He ended his column saying, “I only wish that this show of the spirit of American patriotism could once again be seen … across the nation, instead of those ‘Sob Sister’ parades against America, and against those men and women who serve and those who have given their lives to the country they so believe in.”

I fully agree with his sentiment, and I want to ensure Jerry that the spirit of patriotism still exists in Huntington Beach. Less than two years ago, we adopted the 3rd Battalion 1st Regiment U.S. Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton. Our purpose was to support the Marines and their families and to show them that Huntington Beach appreciates them.

In that short time, almost 2,000 people have become involved, including well over 1,000 schoolchildren. More than $200,000 has been contributed to the cause (currently people are able to contribute via an insert in the water bill).

There is insufficient space to report all Huntington Beach has done to show support. Some highlights: We sent packages to the 800-plus Marines, while they were in Iraq and when they returned. We’ve sponsored numerous events for them, including a Christmas party for their wives and children when they were in Iraq.

We honor them every year in our Fourth of July Parade followed by a grand picnic. In March, we are providing them with a Family Day event just prior to their deployment.

Every time I see our Marines, one after another asks me to thank the people of Huntington Beach.

DAVE SULLIVAN

Huntington Beach