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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-05-10 PUBLIC COMMENTS thedesertsun.com Salton Sea work bound to impact air quality Page 1 of 2 ✓1j'ir i�rLrtt r Lj���S[lJ Return to article i Return to Valley Voice Salton Sea work bound to impact air quality Ted Schade Special to The Desert Sun January 22,2006 If the Salton Sea becomes lower,smaller and drier,the air quality of the Imperial and Coachella valleys could suffer.As such, a major issue facing Salton Sea restoration is how to address these potentially significant air-quality impacts. Recently,some have argued that there will be minimal air-quality problems from exposing the Salton Sea lakebed,and thus there is no need to address air quality as part of any restoration plan for the Salton Sea. I would strongly caution against disregarding air-quality impacts at the Salton Sea. Indeed, instead of arguing about whether or not there will be impacts to air quality,Salton Sea restoration participants should be focusing on how to restore the sea and,at the same time, ensure that there will be no impact to air quality and the health of Coachella and Imperial valley communities. Emissions As the air-pollution control officer for the Great Basin Air Pollution Control District in Bishop and a registered professional civil engineer, I have spent the last 15 years studying dust emissions from the dried beds of Owens and Mono lakes in eastern California. I also have helped develop and implement plans to reduce those emissions to levels that meet the state and federal air-pollution standards. Both Owens Lake and the Salton Sea contain million of tons of salt.As the waters evaporate,enormous salt deposits are left behind.Although the type and mix of salts at the Salton Sea likely will be more stable than at Owens,at certain times and under certain conditions,the type of emissive surfaces that form at Owens could form at the Salton Sea. High desert winds are common at both lakes and can deposit the sediments large distances from the lake bed.At Owens Lake,the city of Los Angeles'water diversions caused about 45,000 acres to be exposed and more than 20,000 acres of this area emit dust.About 50,000 acres may be exposed with the Salton Sea water transfer. Even if only a fraction of this amount of exposed sea bed is emissive,there is still the potential for thousands of dust-blowing acres,which will cause increased PM-10 levels. PM-10 is very fine dust that lodges deep into the lungs and causes health problems, including asthma.PM-10 levels at Owens Lake can be 100 times greater than the federal standard and 300 times greater than the state standard. Even if the peak 24-hour concentrations at the Salton Sea are only a fraction as bad as Owens Lake,the levels could still be many times higher than the state and federal standards. Several years ago, I was invited to look at the Salton Sea's potential to emit dust due to lowering of the sea's level. I sat on a panel of experts that authored a paper entitled"The Potential for Fugitive Dust Problems at the Salton Sea If Water Levels are Lowered Significantly from Current Conditions." The type of dust found at the Salton Sea-not just the amount of dust-should be of concern.Sediment analyses at the Salton Sea indicate that dust emissions there could potentially contain more toxic materials than at Owens Dry Lake, including pesticides and uranium.Some of these elements are known to cause cancer. Almost a half a million people living in Imperial and Coachella valley communities could face health impacts from the fine dust. In addition, many thousands of acres of valuable agricultural lands could be impaired by blowing salt and sand.This would cause enormous economic impacts to the area. �. (2,5� ,.._ • Economic factors http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articic?Date=20060122&Category=COLUMN... 2/23/2006 thedesertsun.com I Salton Sea work bound to impact air quality Page 2 of 2 Also to be considered is the economic impact of dealing with the consequences of air-quality problems when it is too late. By next year,the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will have spent$415 million to construct,operate,and maintain approximately 30 square miles of dust-control measures on the Owens Lake bed.Los Angeles also will spend about$40 million per year for operation,maintenance,and purchased water costs to sustain the dust controls at Owens Lake. As an expert in the air-quality problems caused by the diversion of water from saline lakes,I believe there is no question that the diversion of water from the Salton Sea to the city of Sari Diego will cause some level of air pollution in the Salton basin. I urge all parties involved in the Salton Sea restoration to take the necessary steps to ensure that restoration of the sea will include full mitigation to air-quality impacts.The quality of the air we breathe is a serious issue that requires serious attention. Customerservice Aboutthissile Conlactus F.A.Q Subscribe Nowl Advertise CLASSIFIED PARTNERS:Jabs:Careerauilder cam I Cars:Cars.com I Apartments:Apartments.com I Shopping:ShopLocal cam Copyright©2006 The Desert Sun Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy,updated June 7,2005 V,j W GANNM rOJ9C171MeLTIDV hitn•/Axnxnxr thaA ,tn TTK&XT 1)/,)1/�nn� Salton Sea Exposed: What's going on with the Sea's air gaa6ety? Recent .studies show that exposed Salton Sea shoreline will r�- likely impact air quality as the Sea recedes. As the Salton Sea's . water level drops in coming years, approximately half of the lakebed .���ntt,,„� that is exposed may cause major air quality problems for Salton Sea, Imperial and Coachella communities if the exposed lakebed is not � ' managed) effectively with control measures, according to recent I _ studies from the Desert Research Institute and the United States , Geological Survey. s The studies show that where water has already receded around the }:o-te ,. Sea, the surface areas contain a salty mix of sediments that canif'z:? change from a hardened salt crust to a fluffy soft layer of dust I Dr,Etyemez,art uses a PI SWERL device to test depending upon the season. the emissivity of exposed Salton Sea playa. Exposed sediments could elevate PM-10 levels throughout the region. Almost 120,000 acres of Salton Sea lakebed could be exposed as inflows to the Sea decrease in future years. Based on the studies, local communities may be affected by 60,000 potentially dust-blowing acres, which will cause PM- 10 levels to rise. The City of Los Angeles' water diversions caused about 45,000 acres to be exposed at Owens Lake, located in a similar desert environment, and by the end of this year approximately 30,000 acres must be controlled by the region's Could the Salton Sea (above) become local all control district. the next Owens Lake (below)? PM-10 levels at Owens Lake can be 100 times greater than the federal wH ; :`www . ,-..•-- standard and 300 times greater than the state standard. Even if the peak 24- " hour concentrations at the Salton Sea are only a fraction as bad as Owens Lake, the levels could still be significantly higher than the state and federal standards, threatening public health. Currently, the Imperial and Coachella Valleys do not meet existing standards for PM-10 levels. „ PM-10 is very fine dust that lodges deep into the lungs and causes health r.lh.n NIMN problems, including asthma. The California _ Air Resources Board in consultation with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has concluded that the potential impacts from exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution are significant. Health effects associated with PM exposure include premature mortality, ; increased hospital admissions for cardiopulmonary causes, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks and emergency room visits, respiratory symptoms and days with some restriction in activity. These adverse health affects have been primarily reported in infants, children, the elderly and those with preexisting cardiopulmonary disease. What can be done to control the air quality problems of the Sea's exposed acres? An advisory committee of federal, state, local and advocacy stakeholders, who is working on the Sea's restoration plan, voted unanimously to allocate a portion of water flowing into the sea to keep the dust from blowing throughout the region. Each of the State of California's alternative infrastructure water management plans will allocate one acre foot per acre per year for 50 percent of each of the plan's exposed areas. For the other areas of exposed shoreline, the restoration team will assume that these areas will either not emit dust or could be controlled with such measures as gravel cover and hardened salt crusts. The California Resources Agency will release two reports in late May 2006 for public comment. Your feedback is vital in choosing a viable restoration plan for the sea. To learn more and to help restore the Salton Sea, visit our website at P r vvv.�adf®d2s� ��a4o 5®�.aaect. The Salton Sea Coalition is comprised of 13 organizations of varied interests and backgrounds that have joined together to support and advocate for the protection and revitalization of the Salton Sea--an important part of California's natural,cultural and agricultural heritage.The Coalition's environmental and recreation groups,as well as two local tribes,represent more than 1.3 million people.Contact us at 916.313.5800 xl07. i Good evening, Council and Staff, 5-10-06 Dana L. Stewart and James F. McKinley, Palm Springs (760) 864-4181 AXIOMS FOR DENIAL We would like to commend the Planning Commission for their unanimous vote to deny the extension of Shadowrock. The three"Cone Heads"on the City Council planned to reprimand them for listening to the reasons of numerous reputable;groups and individuals. We were very proud and gratified that they had heard us, at last. It is obvious that the Gang of Three here, has turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to their citizens. The people will be taking this to the streets to reverse the partial Council's outrageously inane decision. Until you do something to correct the Tuscany Heights dangerous land-destabilizing construction not another thing should be approved or built on the alluvial fans. 1. Every time you demolish our heritage, our views and our landscapes,you demolish our tourist dollars. It is very, very simple.: 2.The closer you get to the mountains,the shorter and less dense the buildings are to be. 3.There should be nothing on the alluvial fans. Most of them are more than a 10% slope. The city has been warned numerous times that building on more than a 10% slope destabilizes the land. The new Nonex rock crusher was quieter, but it still had a lot of us shaking with the second blast. Plus, the cost! It is$500 and up per rock. How many billions of rocks are there to be done? It does not pencil out, guys. No, we do not want this in our back yard, nor on our Tramway road for the tourists to have to suffer, as well. We are far more concerned about our bottom line of a BILLION tourism dollars, rather than the bottom line for the developers of a million or so. Mr. McCollough, how do you reconcile the fact that Mr. Bragg's backers have a number of clients, and have a total of$300,000,000, and the project takes$400,000,000? Have you read the Desert Sun about the 30%foreclosure trend? What about all those jumbo-loan APRs coming due at the end of this year and the beginning of next?The dollar is starting to take a dive because of the Chinese Yuan. If it happened that 9-11 stopped Bragg's funding, what would happen to it if any disaster, God forbid, would occur? Don't you think that an extension of 1 year is prudent, versus a ten-year extension that is grossly inappropriate considering the default of Mr. Bragg to proceed? Considering the sensitive terrain and growing public outcry to halt the destruction of a world-class natural wonder, can you not see the public lawsuits looming?. Our bottom line is improved when we enhance our heritage. That means for the developer, as well as his neighbors. Please bear this utmost in your minds as you make the decisions for your friends and neighbors, the people that are here NOW. We, the Palm Springs Public Counsel and/or Common Ground, formally request equal time and opportunity, as any developer has had, to submit our proposals that would include health and financial impacts, sustainable smart development, eco-tourism, land conservancy acquisition, and prosperous downtown development. There are better ways to make money with our heritage, our views, our lifestyles, and our lands. Tahquitz River Estates Neighborhood Organization '4 Deepweli Neighborhood Organization Warm Sands Neighborhood Organization EWA TI PA Hl Q lul 1, Ir 27. R 11 V it": F% W j H ®~ � Sunrise Way along S. Riverside to E. Palm Canyon Photos taken 12.2.05; 1 .4.06 and 5.8.06 C j View frorn Sunrise Bridge n Views ti71 Along Riverside t Y ' a A '� �5 • ki Dead oleander skeletons rn'.alq'u?wiur' - i ` Bare patches Dead and dying oleander as ' ' '- viewed from S. Riverside TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 2 Views from County Access Road i4 " z TRESPASSING LOITERING �yK FORBIDDEN BY LAW POSTED PfOPERY ' C:4LIF PENAL CODE SECFION 555 1tlVERSIDE-COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL ARfi WATER �NSERVATION DISTRICT +yam, y_ Trash near homeless encampment under Sunrise Bridge- since removed. .. 1 ,x TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 3 Aa, pt ! a eh &V 1 l ��y fit" ! µ4 rr 1 ! Homeless sleeping quarters u �A 011 I �i n '�J Disintegrating berm and bare patches TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 4 S i 1 rtu 1e+i ' �� it FR 1✓ �I 4 ( 11 Q�K _ r Collapsing berm and bare patches _� — �. The view from the street is only slightly better TREND Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 5 aiM v, y v.. 3 AA Zt , Water pipes, resident beautification project, eroding bank r x 1R. Y✓ ,y. r+'�' . �1 Q` x1 yy l►'}•�f'M'� ` M1Pi4A 'bpi ^}.iT� W M1 '��• y �. Trash in the wash TRENCH Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 6 � e S r. Shopping cart by footbridge. Evidence of graffiti. t �F r �.�r M r_. "1't _ills Graffiti along cement embankment Multiple colors of paint adds to the blight TRENCi Tahquitz River Wash Assessiment 8 a ��r ,' . '• � '" Ltd �)1 I k t .s i e m.• 'f 1. \ ... ,�, .vsly. Y'4x' ri' ,',"-s,•,� r • Tahquitz River Wash 1 I .y • 1 �'x L� Litter, broken concrete, etc. No Dogs Allowed ! riiCLG A CROJI oeswuns 1" - } TREND Tahquitz River Wash Assessment '10 r � 'k � ' IY .- U. �;:. YI ,n r '+r'"f�j 'r "v SxEi 1M YL 1. P I yN5 N •�� M H aAi^tr y : S:i�Ill, 7tS � f TREND Tahquitz River Wash Assessment i J+ - �� li 4 4 1 ' x, [,yyytdgy d,}�yryMrf* ^?Y`�N9FN h: ••mif P4 .l.nj. Just about says it all... More like this . . . j Ilk •4, f 1 A vLl f H. _ t 7r✓s 41 r TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 12 y � i a Contact Information: Tallguii'z River Esiafes Neighborhood Organization April Hildner,Chair 318.2618 Paul Crippan,Vice Chair 416.0992 Joan Martin, Committee Chair 325-4449 Deepwell Estates Neighborhood Organization: Jim Lundin, President 992-9005 Warm Sands Neighborhood Organizaflon: John Hansen,Chair 864.9833 TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Assessment 13 Tahquitz River Neighborhood Organization Tahquitz River Wash Neighborhood Assessment and Recommendations Sunrise Avenue to S. Palm Canyon May 10, 2005 Contact: April Hildner, Tahquitz River Estates Neighborhood Organization 318-2618 History: Many long term residents remember when the Tahquitz River Wash was a natural river bed; a place where people picnicked and enjoyed the natural landscape. Today,the wash along the north side is a lovely parkway, used by pedestrians, runners, bicyclists and dog owners and enjoyed for its paved pathway and attractive landscaping. On the south side of the wash lies the proverbial ugly stepsister, noted for its dying and remnant oleander shrubs, an unsightly and unhealthy amount of dog waste, homeless hideouts, litter, dumped household goods, and unheeded no trespassing signs. From the time TRENO neighbors first started to come together to form a neighborhood organization the:condition of the south side and lower portions of the wash have been a constant topic of concern. In early 2005, the TRENO advisory council contacted Riverside County about holding a neighborhood clean up day and was discouraged because of liability issues. One neighbor reported that a few years ago City staff had projected a cost of$60,000 to bring the south side of the wash up to par with the north parkway. Not,surprisingly homeowners were discouraged from further attempts to gain improvement in this area, although a few residents have taken it upon themselves to remedy sections of the berm across from their homes. At the TRENO annual meeting in November,2005, Wash issues again emerged. David Ready was in attendance and stated that neighborhood residents and city staff should get together at the wash to review conditions and determine if anything could be done to meet the neighborhood's concerns. The:TRENO advisory council has made the Wash a priority for the coming year, as this area is one of the! neighborhood's special attributes and is a subject of ongoing concern for residents throughout the neighborhood. For TRENO, developing and implementing a plan to improve the condition of Tahquitz River Wash will be a tangible accomplishment that will go far in establishing goodwill and support for the organization. To prepare for a meeting with City staff,several TREND members walked and photographed the wash to fully identify and clarify the neighborhood's issues and concerns, and to make recommendations for the improvement of this community asset. TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Beautification and Trails Project T S. Riverside Berm and Access Roadway • Along S. Riverside Way, between Sunrise and the pedestrian bridge at S. Camino Real, a 4 foot high berm was installed many years ago and planted with oleander. Over time the oleander shrubs have become diseased. Some of the dead shrubs have been cut back,with the stumps left behind. Others are dying. Many are still in good health, but are overgrown (note: City maintenance staff has recently trimmed the shrubs). • The watering system for the berm is controlled by several manually operated valves. We were told by a resident of S. Riverside that City staff periodically turn the wafer on and leave it on for an extended period of time. • Because much of the planted area is unsightly due to the death and/or removal of the oleander shrubs,a few residents have taken it upon themselves to beautify their section of the berm, planting and hand-watering a variety of plants. • Large piles of dead oleanders have accumulated for three years on the access road across from 1377 So Riverside Dr. (recently removed) • The asphalt berm between Sunrise and the concrete section is crumbling and losing its ability to hold back soil.The concrete section of berm west of the Camino Real footbridge is in excellent condition. • Dog feces are abundant all along the access roadway, most especially along the section between the pedestrian bridge and S. Palm Canyon. • West of the pedestrian bridge there are more divergent species of trees and plants. Much of the vegetation along this section is dying or dead. Chunks of asphalt and cement have been dumped in this area. • An above ground water pipe is lying in the west end plantings, across the street from First Church parking lot. Sprinklers and water pipes are old and broken between foot-bridge and First Church. • Litter is found throughout the entire area. • Tall and unkempt oleander shrubs create cover and camouflage for sleeping. During our walk, one person was found asleep in the shrubbery not far from Sunrise Way;evidence of another area that had been used for sleeping was found close to the pedestrian bridge. Pr'Diect Goals, Partners and Funding Sources • BEAUTIFICATION • Develop landscape plan conducted by professional engineering and landscape architectural firms. • Remove dead and dying oleanders; replace with low maintenance/low water plants/trees • Remove decaying asphalt and grade berm to reduce the slope so that no erosion barrier is required. • Install new irrigation system. • Install native and drought tolerant trees and plants. TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Beautification and Trails Project 2 • Discourage homeless occupation by maintaining open spaces under and between plants and shrubbery and regular maintenance and cleans ups of Wash basin. WELCOME AND PROVIDE FOR DOGS AND DOG OWNERS • Although there are signs posted on both sides of the wash citing the no dogs allowed ordinance,we have observed that most people who use the parkway and the south side roadway are walking their dogs. We suggest that people be allowed to walk their dogs in this area, and the city takes proactive steps to control the amount of waste by installing doggie-doo depositories on both sides of the Wash. • Note: The Parks and Recreation department has ordered signage that replaces no dogs requirement with a dogs allowed on leash only signage. They also have two dog waste depositories that are ready for installation. • RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES • Open up roadway for pedestrian use. This is a wonderful opportunity to link both sides of the Wash with existing bike and walking paths that lead to downtown and mountain trails. o Riverside County Flood Control has indicated that a bike /walking path is an appropriate and acceptable use of the County roadway. o Create path using crushed rock for easier and less costly installation and maintenance. o Reduce trash in wash and along pathways by installing trash cans at pedestrian bridge and engaging neighborhood volunteers in Wash clean up events. Note: Parks and Recreation has installed trash cans on the north and sides of the footbridge. • PARTNERS & FUNDING SOURCES • City of Palm Springs, Parks and Recreation* • Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District* • Private individual and corporate donors* • Neighborhood Organizations: o Tahquitz River Estates Neighborhood Organization* o Deepwell Estates Neighborhood Organization* o Warm Sands Neighborhood Organization* • Coachella Valley Association of Governments • Grants * Contact has been made. TREND Tahquitz River Wash Beautification and Trails Project 3 rw STEPS TAKEN: 1. December: Assessment walk with local residents 2. February: Presentation to department heads during ONIC meeting 3. March: Tour of Wash with County representatives, meetings with Parks and Recreation and Public Works 4. April: On-going discussions,secured major benefactor, trash cans installed, Parks and Recreation submits request for capital improvement funds for Wash included in budget; TRENO learns that request has been eliminated from proposed capital improvement budget. 5. May: Meeting with Landscape Architectural firm to initiate study and "typical' landscape plans for cost estimation; presentation before City Council to request support and funding. NEXT STEPS: l. Create stakeholder committee 2. Assess trail linkages and fully flesh out long term vision and plan for the Wash 3. Build budget and meet with funding partners to identify level of commitments 4. Build public awareness and develop fundraising campaign; 5. Build Tahquitz River Friends organization to conduct regular clean ups; 6. Secure funds and work on full landscape plan; 7. Initiate beautification and trails projects; 8. Celebration and Dedication TRENO Tahquitz River Wash Beautification and Trails Project 4