GROUNDWATER REPORT, TULE WIND LAWSUITS AND SDG&E PLAN TO BOOST CAPACITY ON SOUTHWEST POWERLINK ARE ON BOULEVARD PLANNERS’ AGENDA THURSDAY, AUG. 7

By Miriam Raftery

August 1, 2016 (Boulevard) -- On Thursday, August 4 at 7 p.m. the Boulevard Community Planning Group will meet at the Boulevard Fire Training Room.  View full agenda.

County groundwater geologist Jim Bennett will give a presentation on local groundwater monitoring results.

The agenda includes an announcement that Protect Our Communities Foundation has filed an appeal with the 9^th Circuit Court requesting a hearing by a full 10-judge panel on a decision made by a smaller panel not to block construction of Tule Wind. Phase 1 is slated to start construction in September in McCain Valley.  A separate appeal was filed July 22^nd by Backcountry Against Dumps, a nonprofit.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has indicated it expects Iberdrola, the developer of Tule Wind, to seek take permits that would allow it to inadvertently kill golden eagles for up to 30 years without penalty.

The federal and county government have already approved most portions of Tule Wind.  A hearing on a wind lease application on state land will be heard by the State Lands Commission on October 13^th, which is scheduled to be heard in San Diego.

The Boulevard Planning Group’s agenda also reveals that the California Energy Commission has docketed an SDG&E proposal to increase import capacity on the Southwest Powerlink by 500 to 1,000 megawatts at an estimated cost to ratepayers of $700 to $900 million. SDG&E also wants to reduce local capacity requirements in the San Diego area by converting part of existing infrastructure (within existing right of way between Arizona and Miguel Substation near Bonita) from AC to high voltage direct current, or HVDC, by 2025. 

http://docketpublic.energy.ca.gov/PublicDocuments/15-RETI-02/TN211927_20....