County eyes teaming with Riverside to join QSA

EL CENTRO — Imperial County Supervisor Ryan Kelley wants to know what projects members of the Quantification Settlement Agreement Joint Powers Authority have done since it was formed in 2003.

The District 4 supervisor said the amount for projects, if adjusted for inflation, would be more than $250 million, up from the $133 million in 2003.

Kelley and the other four supervisors on Tuesday authorized county CEO Tony Rouhotas Jr. to work with Riverside County to come up with a joint resolution they would send to the governor to request membership in the QSA JPA.

“It’s more than just projects they are doing,” Kelley said Wednesday morning.

The QSA JPA was created on Oct. 10, 2003, by the state of California as an agreement between the California Department of Fish and Game, Coachella Valley Water District, IID and the San Diego Water Authority.

It was created to implement and fund certain obligations and limitations related to Salton Sea restoration, including environmental and mitigation requirements.

He said there is no animosity toward the Imperial Irrigation District or other members of the QSA JPA, but added the fund is supposed to be used for mitigation projects for the receding Salton Sea, which includes projects to reduce air pollution.

“We need to have a dialogue of what’s going on with more transparency,” he said, adding no one knows where to look for these documents that are supposed to be transparent.

Kelley said he knows where to look because he gets more information than the rest of the public.

“Right now our interests are not being attended to, and that is a problem,” he said. “How are they using the funds? They all vote on and approve projects.”

He said the public wants to know how the funds are being used.

“We want to be a part of the discussion and have a voice that is acknowledged,” he said.

Supervisor Chairman Mike Kelley said the county definitely has a vested interest with the increased playa at the Salton Sea right now.

District 1 Supervisor Jesus Eduardo Escobar said he fully supports a joint agreement being sent to the governor but wants to be realistic on the financial impacts to the county.

“We need to make sure we are on the same page fiscally,” Escobar said.

Ryan Kelley said it is not his intention for the county to have to pay.

“I don’t want us to pay for anything that is already contracted,” he said.

County Counsel Adam Crook said the QSA JPA would have to be amended for either county to be allowed membership, and then the current members would probably want the counties to pay a certain amount.

Ryan Kelley pointed out the state of California, specifically the Department of Fish and Game, is part of the QSA JPA, and it pays nothing.

IID Division 2 Director JB Hamby said he sees no problem with the

QSA JPA being more transparent, but does not want to amend the agreement to allow either county as a member.