The 90-day comment period for the proposed scwd2 Regional Seawater Desalination Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will close at 5PM on August 12, 2013.
Comments on the Draft EIR may be submitted by mail to Heidi Luckenbach, Desalination Program Coordinator, City of Santa Cruz Water Dept., 212 Locust Street, Suite C, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 or email to hluckenbach@cityofsantacruz.com.
Comments received both orally and written will be posted to the project website in September.
Next steps of the environmental process include a review of the comments that were submitted, identifying any additional environmental work that may be needed, and further evaluation of various component alternatives.
For tips on how to comment on the draft EIR, visit: http://www.scwd2desal.org/Page-Project-phases_EIR_FAQs_Commenting.php
For more information on the EIR or to access a copy of the EIR, visit: http://www.scwd2desal.org/EIR
City and District to take closer look at refining project components
In the coming months, as part of the response to Draft EIR comments, the City and District will begin to take a closer look at the project components including the proposed treatment plant sites and the proposed intake and pump station locations. The Draft EIR analyzed three alternative desalination plant sites and eight alternative intake sites at an equal level of detail and compared the environmental impacts and the ability of each component location alternative to meet the proposed project objectives.
Further review will be underway, which will include public input, as the agencies begin the process to narrow these alternatives.