Water truths

In response to a recent letter in the Herald, there are missing truths our community should know.

First, Cal Am expended $212,840,000 over 12 years mostly in legal and consulting fees on a desalination project with no progress to date except a flawed slant well and harm to the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin's critically over-drafted aquifers.

Second, LAFCO's denial of latent powers, or actual powers, was wrong. Why? Because MPWMD's actual powers have been operational since the mid1990s. Assembly Bill 1329 from 1977 stipulated in Part 4, Sections 301 and 328 (a) that Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) has authorization:

“The district shall have the power to acquire public or private water systems necessary or proper to carry out the purpose of the law;” and “To appropriate and acquire water and water rights and to import water;” and “The district may exercise the powers which are expressly granted by this law, together with such powers as are reasonably implied from such express powers and necessary and proper to carry out the objects and purposes of the district.”

Third, LAFCO violated the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg law that requires LAFCO to vote for the public good as a whole and not for local appointing authority interests.

Fourth, LAFCO acted in collusion with Cal Am in a biased decision to thwart the citizens' constitutional rights as expressed in Measure J.

Fifth, Monterey Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills, ruled that MPWMD has authority to recover all attorney fees. Water truths win.

— Margaret-Anne Coppernoll,

Marina