Font ResizeEarlier, Operations Manager Ken Dean had accompanied representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Fish and Game, Army Corps of Engineers, County Planning Department and Supervisor Clif Clendenen to inspect the district’s infiltration gallery preparatory to expediting the permitting process that will allow RCSD staff to put a pump in the river so as to divert more water to the infiltration gallery and end, at least temporarily, the district’s water shortage.
Board member Fred Green was vocal in his frustration with the process for getting permission to take the necessary steps to bring the river flow back within range of the district’s intake pipes. His position was that it’s an emergency and the district should be able to deal with it as if it were a house fire. He said he had been at a gathering in Blocksburg over the weekend and people asked him why the district couldn’t just do what was needed without permits.
”I don’t believe in permits,” he said. “The whole damn system is wrong. I’d be willing to go down and do it myself. We’re letting government walk all over us.”
Chairman John Rogers said that he could understand Green’s feelings, and agreed with him that it took far too many agencies to get a permit, but they were working through the process and he preferred to get through it without paying significant penalties.
Rogers and Green got into a discussion about the need for regulations to protect the environment after Rogers said that he was glad that there were rules that protected the waterways from logging practices. Green scoffed at that. He and Rogers had different opinions about the history of the environmental movement. Rogers said that, as an environmentalist who had supported stricter forest practice rules, he saw some ironies in his situation of being on the other side of the regulatory agencies. But he still felt there needed to be regulation of activity in the river.
The stated purpose of the meeting was to extend the emergency mandatory water conservation declaration for another two weeks. Green wanted to know why they had to do that.
”It’s another one of those rules,” said board member Virginia Graziani, who had represented the district at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday. “We have to keep the resolution on the agenda and extend it every two weeks.”
She went on to say that it was probably required to prevent a district from declaring an emergency just to get around the permit process. Green expressed outrage at that idea that the board would have to meet every two weeks until the permit was obtained.
”We don’t like all the rules and regulations,” board member Linda Sutton said, “but let’s try to comply.”
”It’s crazy and ridiculous,” Graziani agreed, “but I just want to get the damn thing done.”
”Why?” Green demanded.
”Fred,” Graziani said, “let’s stop arguing and do it.”
”We just need to get through this,” Rogers said. “It’s beyond our purview to change the process at this time.”
Board member Michael McKaskle introduced the idea of passing a motion that would allow the Chairman to renew the resolution every two weeks so the board wouldn’t have to meet so often.
However, after more discussion, the board decided to pass one resolution to extend the original resolution, 09-10-01, for another two weeks, and to pass a motion that would allow the Chairman to order another two-week extension without calling a meeting. This would be done by a written statement to all the relevant agencies and parties.
Rogers said he was optimistic that the permit would be forthcoming within the next week. He said that he was encouraged that the agency representatives had been able to get down to the district so quickly and that it was an advantage that they had all come together and were able to discuss the situation with one another. Their main concern, he said, seemed to be whether or not the district board had jumped through all the right hoops.
In spite of their stated reluctance to meet every two weeks, the board will meet again in two weeks. It was felt they needed to be kept informed of the situation. Their next meeting is scheduled for August 5 at 4 p.m. at the district office on Empire Avenue in Redway, next to the fire station. Their regular monthly meeting will take place on August 19 at 7 p.m. at the Healy Center.
Operations Manager Dean did give the board members an update on the situation. He said that the residents of Redway had responded very well to the Level 2 Mandatory restrictions on water use and that use of water between July 16-22 had gone down by between 75,000 and 85,000 gallons. The water level in the tank had not dipped below 27 feet since the word to conserve got out to the community and he was feeling better about the town making it to the point where the permit is granted and the pump can be installed in the river.
The Level 2 mandatory measures will remain in effect until the board rescinds them.
”The emergency remains in effect until you hear otherwise,” Roger said before adjourning the meeting.
