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COASTAL COMMISSION REJECTS ZANY "WATER GRAB" PROPOSAL The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to send letters to the State Water Board in opposition to Alaska Water Export's proposal to pump "extra" water from the Albion and Gualala Rivers in Mendocino County and tow it via tugboats to San Diego in huge plastic bags the size of football fields. Within hours of the decision, CEO Ric Davidge emailed the Water Board asking the Board to cancel his applications. Davidge sought to make millions selling the water he'd taken for free. Coastal Commissioners and staff raised numerous and varied environmental concerns regarding the project, including impacts to wildlife, disturbance to ocean hard bottom and kelp beds, effects on marine mammals, altered river flows and temperatures, impaired views and compromised recreational resources. Newly elected Commission Chair Mike Reilly said that he had received as many as 400 phone calls from citizens opposing the project. Environmental groups, including Friends of the Gualala River, Public Citizen, Public Trust Alliance and Alliance for Democracy, all opposed the project. In addition, Julie Verran, a longtime leader in Sierra Club's Northcoast Chapter and reporter for the Mendocino County Independent Coast Observer led the nation in coverage of the issue. Davidge is investigating other California sources for water export; however, the environmental groups that fought the water grab proposal have decided to continue working together to monitor water issues in California- and to help other local groups if needed.
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