The CVWD Board of Directors voted May 9 to oppose a state bill that would establish a Salton Sea Conservancy.
SB 583, authored by Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), would coordinate management of all conservation projects in the region.
Board Vice President Cástulo Estrada said he was concerned by the lack of local stakeholder input and stressed the need for time to engage regionally to address concerns with the bill.
Government and Regional Affairs Victoria Llort noted four more issues:
- Impact to the work of the Salton Sea Authority
- Confusion over the role of a conservancy in relation to the Salton Sea Authority
- Conflicting authority over water quality
- Overlapping jurisdiction with other public agencies
In other action, CVWD is one step closer to receiving a $2.7 million grant for the Valley View Project that will bring new water mains and reliable potable water to small disadvantaged communities in the East Valley. The board approved the application process for the grant from the EPA Community Grants Program.
The Valley View project, with an estimated total cost of $17.4 million, will be funded totally by grants. It is projected to go out to bid in spring 2024
The board also recognized the anniversaries of these employees who attended the meeting:
Director of Engineering Carrie Oliphant, 25 years, and Water Management Specialist I Stephanie Nunimaker, 20 years.
Other 20-year anniversaries were noted for Water Management Specialist I Julie Kretz, CMMS Specialist Valerie Luna, Collection Systems I Jorge Mojica and Water Management Specialist I Bryan Peterson.