Monterey Bay desalination project is approved despite environmental injustice concerns
San Mateo District Judge Michael Leavitt’s ruling on Thursday is not a license to violate environmental laws.
Judge Leavitt’s ruling on Thursday is not a license to violate environmental laws.
Yet, the unanimous ruling on behalf of the California Coastal Commission is a big milestone toward the environmental justice of the San Francisco Bay, which includes the San Francisco Bay Delta and San Francisco Bay.
The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved the San Mateo District Court’s decision to advance the nearly billion dollars worth of desalination work at the San Francisco Bay.
The San Francisco Bay Delta is a wetland ecosystem of more than 20 square miles, which can serve as a water source and provide flood control and habitat for wildlife.
The San Francisco Bay Delta was established in the late 1930s, with the San Francisco Bay serving as its reservoir.
The San Mateo District Court, which is based in San Mateo County, is the first court of the region to consider environmental justice issues raised by the San Francisco Bay Delta desalination project.
The decision will be followed through by the California Coastal Commission’s Office of Water, which has jurisdiction over water quality issues relating to the desalination project.
The San Mateo District Court’s ruling has significant impacts on the overall Bay Delta development because it approves a major infrastructure project that will use both underground and surface water – in addition to a potential sea wall that would protect the delta from salt water intrusion.
Because the project will rely on groundwater to provide about 90% of the potable water, the impact on the delta is likely to have an impact on the entire Bay Delta environment.
The project also would require the construction of two large marine outfalls on the west side of the San Francisco Bay.
The outfalls will likely lead to more pollution and runoff to the Bay, potentially affecting the entire Bay Delta ecosystem.
The impact of the outfalls will also be felt within San Mateo County, where the Bay Delta flows into the Pacific Ocean, where two tidal creeks and many springs have been diverted.
The court has also upheld the need for a
