HomeMy WebLinkAbout95-132 - Wetland Water Supply Project OppositionRESOLUTION NO. 95 -132
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NEWPORT BEACH EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE
PROPOSED IRWD "WETLAND WATER SUPPLY PROJECT."
WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach is home to more than 10,000
• small boats and has the largest small boat harbor on the West
Coast; and
WHEREAS, in addition to being the largest small boat harbor,
Newport Bay offers unparalleled public recreational activities such
as swimming, sailing, fishing; and
WHEREAS, Newport Bay and neighboring ocean beaches attract
millions of visitors each year and these visitors are essential to
the Newport Beach economy; and
WHEREAS, the Newport Beach City Council and many Newport Beach
residents have, for many years, been engaged in efforts to improve
Newport Bay water quality, and Newport Bay has been designated a
"no discharge" harbor because of its heavy recreational usage and
the potential impact of discharges on the public health, safety and
welfare; and
WHEREAS, the Newport Beach City Council and many residents
have engaged in a public information and education campaign to
eliminate discharges that adversely impact Bay water quality and
inform the public of recent improvements in Bay water quality; and
WHEREAS, the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) has proposed
a "Wetland Water Supply Project" (Project) which would, if
approved, discharge 5,000,000 million gallons of tertiary treated
waste water per day into San Diego Creek which will flow into the
Upper Newport Bay during the fall and winter; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has retained experts to evaluate the
Project and related environmental documents to determine if the
• Project could have a significant impact on Bay water quality, flora
and fauna in Upper and Lower Newport Bay, and the potential for
adverse effects on public health and welfare; and
WHEREAS, reaction to this Project by Newport Beach residents,
and the public generally, has been overwhelmingly negative with
many questions regarding the adequacy and accuracy of the
environmental document prepared by IRWD, in conjunction with the
Project; and
WHEREAS, many informed citizens question the conclusions in
the environmental documents regarding the potential public health
and water quality impacts of the Project; and
• WHEREAS, IRWD has expressed the intent to proceed with
certification of the environmental document on December 4, 1995,
prior to the date on which City of Newport Beach will receive
reports from all experts on the potential impacts of the Project on
Bay water quality and human health; and
WHEREAS, certification of the EIR would effectively foreclose
IRWD's ability to consider information from experts retained by the
City of Newport Beach prior to certification of the EIR for
approval of the Project; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of Newport Beach intends to oppose
the Project because the Irvine Ranch Water District has not
established with certainty that the proposed Project will not have
any adverse impact on public health or welfare, or any adverse
impact on flora or fauna in Newport Bay.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the
City of Newport Beach is opposed to the "Wetland Water Supply
Project," and will take all action necessary to protect the public
health, safety and welfare of all persons who could be adversely
impacted by the discharge of tertiary treated waste water in
Newport Bay.
ADOPTED, this 27th day of November, 1995.
• ATTEST: -,
CITY CLERK
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MAYOR
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