What is supposed to be Carlsbad’s “natural lagoon” is quickly turning into an crowded industrial zone.
Let’s see: there is the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute fish hatchery, and the Carlsbad Aqua Farm oyster business. Then Poseidon Resources Inc. got Coastal Commission approval to put in a desalination plant and now NGR Engery is hoping to put in a second power plant over by Interstate 5 with two smaller stacks and a wall that runs down the side of the freeway, but they wouldn’t decommission the old plant for “five or six years” according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The California Energy Commission, which decides on major power plants in the state, will hold an informational tour of the site tomorrow [Monday December 17, 2007 at 3:15 PM] followed by a public hearing [at 5 PM at the City of Carlsbad – Faraday Center, Conference Room 173B, 1635 Faraday Avenue]
At this point it’s like why not just throw in a nuclear reactor and a ship dismantling plant while we’re at it? We’re sure it would mean increased revenue for the city. Please leave your thoughts in the comment section.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
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To the Editor:
Very snarky!
I normally enjoy your information service but wish you would take a walk out there on your lunch break, and do a little more homework when your head clears – all the below is easily obtained with a bit of googling, sir, and its all a BIG positive for Carlsbad, the public, and the environment.
There is a long history of positive and proactive collaboration there, which in its own quiet way is the success story of Carlsbad and why its doing so well as a city and a sustainable place to live.
The public trail is cleaner than ever, thanks to a lot of dedicated citizens, like the 50 person corporate community service effort sponsored by AKT just this last weekend, long-time support from City trails and NRG crews that pick up trash, and SDGE for maintenance of the trail access easement down from Garfield.
The Hubbs hatchery is part of the original powerplant permit, that creates and sustains white sea bass, which is critical to the health of the lagoon and ocean.
Desal brings more clean water to Carlsbad and the community, and the plant takes up no new foot print. The Coastal Commission public comment was historic in that every single public servant in the SD County went on record as supporting it.
NRGs new powerplants will go in between the freeway and the RR tracks, which if you look at the ballons is less high profile than whats there now, replacing two older plants which improves efficiency, saves fuel, cut costs for consumers, and when the other three are worn out – will be the model for that. Maybe the City will get the use of the land for hotels and nice homes, which also adds to the tax base, which of course pays for everything we take for granted, like new parks, police, fire, etc.
Dont forget that NRG is like many other good Carlsbad community businesses and good givers – they’ve long contributed to nature education, public outreach, and all sorts of other benefits to the watershed via the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation. http://www.aguahedionda.org
lets go for a hike and we can talk more, and you can help me pick up dog poop and trash too.
warm regards,
Kevin Skjei
“the trail guy”