by The Editors on November 13, 2009
Power of Vision, a community group who is opposed to the NRG’s plans for a new power plant on the grounds of the Encina Power Station, has announced they are actively collection the ugliest photos they can find of the power plant.
We are so concerned about the visual impacts we are sponsoring an “Ugly Picture” campaign. Send us your photos of the power plant site. Send us the worst of what you see everyday as you look out your windows, walk on the beach or drive by. Send us the worst of what you see out surfing, catching a beautiful sunset or cruising Highway 101. Send us the worst of what will happen if we have TWO power plants in North County on the beach. These pictures will then be submitted to the California Energy Commission as visual proof of the toll this plant already takes on our coast. We need to let the CEC know that the region will not tolerate additional blight on the coast.
Images can be emailed to powerofvision@roadrunner.com or mailed to Power of Vision, 300 Carlsbad Village Drive Suite 108A-64, Carlsbad, CA 92008 by January 15, 2010. Please include a brief description of where the photo was taken and the date.
Maybe we should send them our blog header. . .
[Link: Power Of Vision]
by The Editors on October 21, 2009
The Carlsbad City Council last night put its foot down on NRG by passing a moratorium on coastal power plants, according to a City press release.
This action prohibits a second power plant proposed by NRG, requiring the state to overrule the city if the plant is to be approved. . . . The resolution establishes an emergency ordinance on the building or expanding of power plants on Carlsbad’s coast, meaning it goes into effect immediately and could last for up to two years. . . Also under the resolution, no development application will be accepted, processed or approved that would expand the size, location, generating capacity or use of the Encina Power Station for the duration of the moratorium.
This may be one of the few times we say this to the City Council, but way to go. Seriously. For more details, follow the jump
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on September 30, 2009
Carlsbadistan’s Power of Vision, “a coalition of opponents” to the proposed NRG West power plant, held another press conference yesterday to remind everyone that building another power plant in Carlsbadistan is a very bad idea. They were joined yesterday by two congressional candidates.
Francine Busby and Solana Beach Councilmember Dave Roberts, both of whom are running for Congress in the 50th District, also announced their opposition to the project at today’s event. Roberts’ opposition was previously lodged as part of the Solana Beach Council. . . Elected officials of the cities of Vista, Solana Beach and Del Mar have written letters to the City of Carlsbad citing opposition to the proposed 540-megawatt power plant due to its significant regional impacts to the environment, coastal resources and the region’s visual resources.
We know there are a lot of details involved, but we just think a beautiful coastal lagoon is a seriously silly place for another power plant (or desalination plant). So more power to the Power of Vision. Follow the jump for the full release.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on May 8, 2009
In a City of Carlsbad press release the City says that the new NRG Power Plant proposed for land behind the Encina Power Station is “inconsistent with the coastal act.”
A 1990 Coastal Commission report concludes that a second power plant in coastal Carlsbad would harm the environment and is inconsistent with the Coastal Act. . . The report concluded that a power plant on the coastal Carlsbad site would have significant impacts on visual resources, marine biology and air quality. CEC staff evaluating the current power plant proposal were unaware of the Coastal Commission’s previous finding.
Then again, that was way, way back in 1990. Follow the jump for the rest of the release. [click to continue…]
by The Editors on December 30, 2008
According to a Barbara Henry story in the North County Times “staff members with the state Energy Commission” are holding two workshops to go over their report on NRG Energy Inc.’s plans to put in another power plant in our lagoon.
The first workshop session is set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 7. The second is set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 8. Both will be at the recently opened Sheraton Carlsbad, 5480 Grand Pacific Drive. . . . The Jan. 7 session covers air, water and soil issues among other topics. The Jan. 8 session includes visual issues and traffic concerns, Della said. . . .Officials with the city of Carlsbad, which has opposed the plans, are encouraging people to come between 6 and 7 p.m. Jan. 7 to talk about air quality and visual blight issues, said Joe Garuba, a city employee who is coordinating the city’s response to the project.
We can’t think of anything more boring, but NRG really shouldn’t be able to turn our lagoon into an industrial wasteland without someone at least complaining a little (even if it doesn’t do any good). So please, someone, go complain.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
It was standing room only at the City of Carlsbad sponsored open house and presentation regarding NRG’s proposed power plant, according to a Michael Burge story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Joe Garuba, the city’s municipal projects manager, told the audience that NRG’s new plant would not depend on ocean water to cool its generators, as the old one does. . . .“Because this plant is air-cooled, you can move it away from the coast,” Garuba said.
Of course, then it would be in someone else’s backyard. Our question (which we didn’t ask because NRG was not allowed to attend the meeting) is why does this power plant need to be in Carlsbad at all?
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on November 5, 2008
On Thursday November 6, 2008 the City of Carlsbad is hosting an open house and presentation regarding the proposed power plant that NRG wants to put in on the shores of the Aqua Hedionda lagoon.
Since decisions made about this important coastal property will affect Carlsbad for the next 50-plus years, the City of Carlsbad want to ensure its citizen have ample opportunities to provide input to the California Energy Commission.
That’s why we’re encouraging everyone to attend the meeting at 5:30 PM Thursday, November 6, in the Faraday Center, 1635 Faraday Ave. We’ve found that these forums can often be enjoyed (worst case) as the theatre of the absurd. So join, us. Please.
[Link: Carlsbad Connected]
by The Editors on October 20, 2008
Photos that the City of Carlsbad has posted on their website to show what NRG Energy’s proposed new power plants would look like have apparently upset the company, according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
We don’t think it’s an accurate characterization of the project,” said Tim Hemig, NRG’s project manager for the Carlsbad Energy Center.
Too bad. We don’t like our icon smoke stack getting competition from smaller, inferior stacks. And we really don’t like turning the lagoon into an industrial wasteland.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on December 18, 2007
According to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune the hearing and site tour that we mentioned on Sunday was a hit with Carlsbadistan residents.
A standing-room only crowd of more than 200 people turned out at a public hearing Monday night to comment on a proposal to replace the 53-year-old Encina Power Station with a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly electricity-generating plant. . . . Carlsbad resident Ted Viola referred to the 95-acre site owned by NRG Energy as “a profit center” and said he was concerned there is no absolute requirement for the company to retire and dismantle the Encina Power Station and its towering 400-foot smokestack.
While we think the smoke stack is the icon of Carlsbadistan, it’s obvious that NRG should be restricted in how many power plants it builds and be held to a plan regarding the old plant if they are allowed to build a new one.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on July 12, 2007
According to the North County Times, The Surfrider Foundation has filed suit asking the court to force the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control board to reconsider the discharge permit it renewed for Carlsbad’s Encina Power Station in August 2006.
The permit allows the electrical station to suck in ocean water to cool its electricity-generating turbines, and then spit the water back out into the sea. A private company, Poseidon Resources, Inc., and the city of Carlsbad, are proposing to build a plant that would use a portion of the seawater the plant takes in, to filter out the salt and make it drinkable. . . Environmental groups say the “once-through-cooling” system harms the ocean, and that recent court decisions bar their use in the future.
This is the second time the Surfrider Foundation has tried stop the desalination plant in the permitting process.
[Link: North County Times]
Power of Vision, a community group who is opposed to the NRG’s plans for a new power plant on the grounds of the Encina Power Station, has announced they are actively collection the ugliest photos they can find of the power plant.
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