Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Archives for 2016

Restore the Delta opposes DWR-Contra Costa Water District deal on Delta Tunnels

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On Tuesday, the Contra Costa Water District announced a withdrawal of their protest petition with the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the “Change of Diversion Petition” filed by the lead state and federal agencies promoting the Delta Tunnels.

The Contra Costa Water District has settled with the Department of Water Resources claiming that the state is going to pay for their new water diversion facility, rather than CCWD customers, to mitigate impacts to drinking water quality resulting from operation of the Delta Tunnels.

Response from Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director, Restore the Delta:

“The settlement is, in itself, an indictment of the Tunnels and represents Contra Costa Water District’s self-interested approach to the Delta as a whole.

“The new CCWD intake will have an impact on water quality and quantity in the Delta and is not covered in the EIR for the Delta Tunnels. The settlement says that DWR reserves the right to override environmental needs and concerns to build/operate the Delta tunnels. They are setting up the project as beyond the law, a project by Governor Brown’s fiat.

“Meanwhile, the CCWD says they are not supporting CA Water Fix — this is simply their insurance policy for their customers. However, Contra Costa residents still need good water quality in the Delta for all the other uses. Contra Costa residents recreate in the Delta in high numbers.

“In addition, a new intake for the Contra Costa Water District will require another change in the point of diversion petition to be brought to the State Water Resources Control Board. The process will continue to unfold for years, yet water exporters still do not have money on the table to continue moving the process forward or to finance the project.

“Sadly, CCWD has sacrificed other Delta communities and Bay-Delta fisheries by agreeing to this settlement, as everyone else in the Delta would be left with degraded water quality. Clearly the Brown Administration is attempting to carve up Delta communities, in the same way Owens Valley was carved up for a water grab many years ago.

“California taxpayers are going to be on the hook to pay for this mitigation so that mega growers in the Westlands Water District and in Kern County can continue to grow almonds in the desert for export. All of this deal making is to create a system that subsidizes mega growers at the expense of California taxpayers and the environment.

“This strategy of CA Water Fix is to work around public processes and to keep the public in the dark in an attempt to push the project through no matter the impacts on the San Francisco Bay-Delta, or the people or species who live here.”

To learn more about Restore the Delta visit www.restorethedelta.org.

Supervisor Glover participates in “March for Meals Community Champions Week”

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Federal Glover delivers a meal to senior Ethel

Federal Glover delivers a meal to Ethel, a senior in Antioch.

The week of March 21 – 25 marked Meals on Wheels of America’s “March for Meals Community Champions Week,” a national campaign to raise awareness about senior needs, especially around hunger and isolation.

As a member agency, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services (MOWSOS) participated locally and invited community leaders to take part in meal delivery ride-a-longs to homebound, frail seniors around the county.

“We’ve identified 23 Community Champions, community leaders…delivering meals,” said Elaine Clark, Chief Executive Officer of MOWSOS.

They included District V Supervisor Federal Glover; Antioch Mayor Pro-Tem, Lori Ogorchock; Clayton Mayor Howard Geller; Martinez Mayor Rob Schroder;  Pleasant Hill Mayor Sue Noack; Oakley Mayor Kevin Romick;  Orinda Mayor Victoria Smith; Walnut Creek Mayor Pro-Tem Rich Carlston; Pleasant Hill Councilmember, Tim Flaherty; Concord Councilmember Dan Helix; Walnut Creek Councilmember Bob Simmons; Bay Point All in One President, Delano Johnson;  Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, Lt. Paul O’Mary, and Deputies Katie Rhoe and Matt Buckley;  Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County Executive Director, Will McGarvey; Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council Member Debra Mason; American Medical Response (AMR), Public Information Officer, Alicia Moore and EMT’s Sarah Dotson and Jason Kalan; Dayna Wilson, Keller Williams Realtor.

“The services provided by Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services is critical,” said Glover. “I was very happy to help spread the word along-side these incredible volunteers.”

If you or your civic or community group, are available to help, please contact Carol Louisell, Director of Community Engagement at clouisell@mowsos.org or 925-954-8736.  An on-line application, an orientation, and background check are required.

Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s Operation School Bell to celebrate 50,000 children clothed, April 23

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Wayside Thrift Shop in Lafayette

Way Side Inn Thrift Shop in Lafayette

Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Human Services, will be joining the Assistance League of Diablo Valley, a non-profit, member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in the community through hands-on programs, on Saturday, April 23rd to celebrate their most amazing achievement to date.  One of ten philanthropic programs, Assistance League® of Diablo Valley’s nationally acclaimed Operation School Bell® has reached a milestone this year by clothing 50,000 children since 1994.

The free festivities open to the public include special guest speakers, refreshments, gift certificate drawings and discount coupons for the thrift shop.  Help us celebrate how providing clothes for school children results in improved school attendance, campus citizenship, and academic performance.

WHEN: Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 11:00AM

WHERE: Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, 3521 Golden Gate Way, Lafayette

To learn more about Assistance League of Diablo Valley and the Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, please visit their website: diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

 

Guest Commentary: Enough already, let’s keep BART running

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By East Bay Leadership Council

Arousing fear and outrage has proven to be an effective strategy, especially during this political season.

The past few weeks have seen a great deal of hand-wringing and outrage in the media over BART’s woes.  The service disruption between North Concord and Bay Point has brought back traumatic memories of the 2013 strike, and old animosities have resurfaced.

The East Bay Leadership Council (EBLC) hopes to put that animosity aside and focus on keeping BART running. But just as we get the government we deserve, we also get the infrastructure we deserve.  Let us be worthy of the inheritance left to us by past generations and not squander it for the sake of pithy tweets or political posturing.

The system’s age is contributing to the current problems.  Suggesting that this claim only serves some ulterior motive is false and is a distraction from the real issues.

The core BART system will soon be half a century old.  The system suffers $9.6 billion dollars’ worth of deferred maintenance and critical components now require replacement.  This work has to be paid for, and neither the State of California nor the federal government is likely to bail us out any time soon.

Whether you believe the system has been mismanaged or not; whether you ride along the screeching decades-old tracks or not; whether you personally suffer through overcrowded cars and service interruptions or not, we all benefit from a system that eases commutes, connects people to jobs, provides mobility to those with limited means, and helps keep our air clean.

The alternative is longer commutes, more polluted air, a weaker economy, and a diminished quality of life.  This is our reality.

The EBLC believes it is reasonable to question labor practices and compensation at BART.  We encourage the Board of Directors and senior management to work diligently to address these issues, and we call on the California legislature to contribute to a solution.  It is our collective civic duty to hold our leaders accountable.

Broken infrastructure is just as bad for riders as a BART strike.  We hope that BART and our region’s leaders get the message: come together and keep BART running.

We also hope that the region’s citizens recognize that investing in our infrastructure is responsible civic engagement when the system is in need of public investment.  The Bay Area is among the world’s largest economies and requires a reliable world-class transit system befitting its status.

Ultimately, vilifying public servants is no more productive than vilifying elected leaders.  Both result in a race to the bottom where the only participants left are those comfortable with a good public shaming.

It is ridiculous to think that choking off BART’s resources will lead to a better BART.

ABOUT THE EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

The East Bay Leadership Council (EBLC) is a private-sector, public-policy organization that advocates on issues affecting economic vitality and quality of life and represents leaders of business, industry, education, government and the nonprofit community. www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com

Free electric car test-drives at Contra Costa Spring Home & Garden Show this weekend

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“Experience Electric” at Concord Pavilion, April 2-3

Visitors to the Contra Costa Spring Home and Garden Show on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3 will be able to test drive some of the newest models of electric cars at the Concord Pavilion, located at 2000 Kirker Pass Road in Concord. The “Experience Electric – The Better Ride” campaign will offer free electric vehicle (EV) test drives both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Vehicles slated for testing at the ride-and-drive event include the BMW i3 REX, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf. Licensed drivers can try out these EVs on a first-come, first-served basis and feel the differences between driving with electricity versus driving a gasoline-powered car. Those taking test drives will receive Experience Electric souvenir sunglasses.

“Test-driving at a dealer’s showroom can be a bit intimidating, but there’s no pressure or sales hype at our events,” said Vanessa Minei, Marketing Manager with the Center for Sustainable Energy, a partner in the Experience Electric campaign. “We’ve all seen EVs on the road, but this is a chance to try one out, have some fun and feel the electric experience.”

Experience Electric is a joint initiative of MTC, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and a consortium of EV organizations including the Center for Sustainable Energy. The campaign’s goal is to increase EV adoption throughout the nine-county Bay Area. Accelerating EV use is a key strategy for state and local governments to reduce emissions from gas-powered vehicles, improve air quality and achieve goals for curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about Experience Electric and future ride-and-drive events, visit www.facebook.com/thebetterride or www.energycenter.org/ExperienceElectric.

MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the agency chartered with protecting air quality in the Bay Area.

Service Employees International Union backs Wilson for Supervisor in District 3

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Antioch Councilmember Monica Wilson, candidate for District 3, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, announced that she earned the endorsement of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1021.

“We support Monica for her strong support for high-quality County services, her commitment to economic development that works for working families, and her proven ability to unite and lead state/regional policy makers in protecting our Delta water from tunnel schemes,” said Dan Jameyson, SEIU 1021 Contra Costa Chapter President.

SEIU 1021 represents over 54,000 employees in Northern California in industries ranging from healthcare, non-profits, local governments and schools.

“SEIU 1021 is one of the County’s largest unions,” Monica said. “I’m honored by this endorsement because it shows that Contra Costa’s working families are behind my campaign and we have momentum.”

Wilson is a Workforce Service Specialist for the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County. District 3 includes Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen, Blackhawk, Diablo and most of Antioch. The election is June 7th.

For more information on SEIU 1021 in Contra Costa County click here. For more information visit www.monicawilsonforsupervisor.com.

Contra Costa Fair to host 2016 Central Coast Wine Competition, entries now being accepted

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CCWC logoPASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA – The Central Coast Wine Competition has announced that it  is now accepting entries for the 2016 competition, which will take place June 14-16, 2016. The competition staff strongly encourages wineries to take advantage of the opportunity to enter the competition online at http://cmsfw.fairmanager.com/. The entry book, which details the entry classes and guidelines, can be found at the California Mid-State Fair webpage or the CCWC blog at http://centralcoastwinecomp.com.

The Central Coast Wine Competition is the largest evaluation event for wines produced exclusively on California’s Central Coast and is hosted by seven fairs: The California Mid-State Fair, Contra Costa County Fair, Grand National Livestock Exposition, Horse Show and Rodeo, Monterey County Fair, San Benito County Fair, Santa Barbara County Fair and the Ventura County Fair. The 2016 competition features our new chief Judge Tim McDonald and an internationally renowned panel of judges including wine writers, winemakers, sommeliers and wine buyers.

The 2016 competition will run June 14 -16, 2016. For further information, refer to our wine blog at centralcoastwinecompetition.wordpress.com.  Be  sure  to  follow  us  on  Facebook,  Instagram  and    Twitter @CCWineComp.

Contra Costa Water District signs agreement with Department of Water Resources on water from Delta Tunnels

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Preserving water quality and supply for CCWD if the California WaterFix is implemented

The Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) announced, Tuesday that they have signed a settlement agreement with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) that will protect its customers, facilities, and operations if the Bay Delta Conservation Plan / California WaterFix (CWF), aka the “twin tunnels,” is built. The agreement is an insurance policy to protect the unique water quality and supply issues raised by CCWD.

Since studies began in 2006 to evaluate alternative conveyance strategies for Delta water serving those dependent on the export pumps in the south Delta, CCWD has publicly raised concerns about several issues including potential impacts to the operation of its facilities in the Delta that provide high quality water service to its customers. The state approached CCWD to discuss the water quality and supply concerns unique to CCWD and an agreement was reached that will provide protections for CCWD’s customers if the project is built.

“We take our role to protect our customers seriously and cannot gamble with the future of our water supply or quality,” said General Manager Jerry Brown. “Should this project move forward without these assurances in place, CCWD’s facilities and operations would be negatively impacted. We are confident this is an iron-clad insurance policy for our customers, we wouldn’t have reached an agreement otherwise.”

Key to this settlement is the fact that it will not result in rate increases for CCWD customers nor redirect any potential impacts to other areas. It is a legally binding agreement to protect CCWD’s ability to use the facilities its customers have invested over $1 billion in the past 20 years.

“We are confident knowing we have taken actions to protect our customer’s future if the tunnels are ever constructed,” commented Brown. “The state is committing to a significant investment to ensure CCWD customers will be made whole, and this agreement protects our ability to deliver high quality water to those we serve.”

“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with CCWD that is good for their customers and good for the 25 million Californians who depend upon the State Water Project,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “We appreciate CCWD’s reasonable, efficient, and effective approach to resolving concerns about California WaterFix.”

CCWD is not a proponent of the CWF. This settlement does not change that position, but instead is a way to safeguard CCWD and those it serves if a larger statewide plan is ever implemented. CCWD will remain an active participant in finding statewide solutions and continue to protect the drinking water interests of our customers.

The Board of Directors will review the details of the agreement at the April 6 Board Meeting held at 1331 Concord Ave. in Concord at 6:30 p.m.

For further details related to this settlement, please visit http://www.ccwater.com/317/Bay-Delta-Conservation-Plan-Comments.

Funds found to reopen Ambrose Park pool in Bay Point

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Rendering of redesign of Ambrose Park pool.

Rendering of redesign of Ambrose Park pool.

Kids and swimmers will soon be splashing around again in the Ambrose Park Pool after being shut down for seven years.

“I used to work at Ambrose Park when I was younger,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, “so I know the value that the pool provides for the community.”

The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors approved, Tuesday morning, the release of Keller Canyon mitigation funds to help fill in the shortfall for the cost of repairing the pool to bring it up to code. The action, at Glover’s instigation, released a total of $250,000 from the county:  $150,000 from the fees collected from the Keller Canyon Landfill for the fiscal year 2015-16 and will draw upon $100,000 from the anticipated fees to be collected in 2016-17.

Glover met with the park district and the City of Pittsburg to hammer out an agreement to pay the $682,000 needed to include a contingency fund and bridge the gap and between the original repair estimate to bring the pool up to new state standards, which forced its closure in 2009.

The balance of the funding gap will be split between Pittsburg and the park district, which encompasses parts of western Pittsburg and the unincorporated community of Bay Point.

“As a resident and board member of the Ambrose District, I am so pleased that Supervisor Federal Glover and the City of Pittsburg are helping us complete the pool project,” said park district board chair Mae Cendaña Torlakson. “This cooperative effort demonstrates how great teamwork among agencies helps serve our families and children.”

The Pittsburg City Council approved the city’s portion of the funding last March 21.

“Ambrose Pool is important to families in Pittsburg as well as Bay Point,” said Pittsburg Mayor Ben Johnson. “The additional funds move us closer to the pool re-opening, so the kids can swim there again.”

According to Ambrose General Manager Doug Long, the pool should reopen Memorial Day of 2017.

“The renovation project has inspired a great deal of community spirit and we’re looking forward to providing the public with a refreshed pool facility,” said Long. “Without the support of County Supervisor Federal Glover and Board of Supervisors along with the City of Pittsburg City Council and staff, this project may not have come to fruition.”

The popular swimming pool complex, which first opened in the 1940s, closed down seven years ago because it didn’t meet modern safety standards.

After several design and cost revisions and several community meetings, the new facility will feature a renovated pool and pool deck, a new bathhouse, and upgraded landscaping.

The new pool will host a variety of activities including swim lessons, recreational swim, water aerobics, and special events for the entire family.

“Residents have been waiting a long time for their pool,” said Glover. “I hope that the pool opening will once again serve as a way to bring the community together.”

Ambrose Park is located at 125 Memorial Way in Bay Point. For more information on the pool click here.

For more information about the Ambrose Recreation and Park District visit www.ambroserec.org or call (925) 458-1601.

Representatives DeSaulnier and McNerney introduce bill to expedite expansion of Los Vaqueros Reservoir

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Washington, DC – Amid California’s ongoing drought, Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Jerry McNerney (CA-9) introduced the Sustainable Water Supplies Act (H.R. 4862) to increase the water supply in areas of Northern California by expediting the expansion of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County. The reservoir is a 160,000 acre-foot storage facility built in response to the state’s last historic drought in 1977. It was last expanded in 2012 to meet local water needs, and is permitted to be nearly triple its current size.

“As we enter the fifth year of a devastating drought, it is long past the time to find ways to guarantee fresh, clean water for the residents of Contra Costa County and the surrounding area. Our local industry and economy would greatly benefit from a sustainable water source without the public spending a single federal dollar. An expansion of our water supply at no federal cost is a no-brainer,” said DeSaulnier. “Without this bill, local storage facilities like Los Vaqueros would not be allowed to enter water storage agreements with local and federal partners. It is a mechanism for the reservoir to receive investment for the shared goal of creating a sustainable water supply in our area.”

“I am happy to support environmentally sound storage projects like Los Vaqueros.  This bill will promote an important expansion to an essential reservoir at no cost to the government and could provide even more water supply reliability in the region.  We must move toward regional self-sufficiency, and responsible water infrastructure projects like Los Vaqueros are an important part of that process,” said McNerney.

“We thank Congressman DeSaulnier and Congressman McNerney for their efforts in support of water storage projects in California. Further expansion of the reservoir and conveyance facilities would broaden the regional water supply benefits and protection of Delta fisheries. CCWD looks forward to this opportunity to demonstrate how partnerships with local agencies who use space in the reservoir can help us meet our regional needs,” said Lisa M. Borba, Vice President of the Contra Costa Water District.

The legislation outlines a phased approach for the expansion of the reservoir with the help of the Federal Bureau of Reclamation. Under the first step, outside water districts would lease extra space in the existing 160,000-acre-foot reservoir to store surplus water. The reservoir would later be enlarged to up to 500,000 acre feet after enough agencies or water districts agree to share costs and become partners in the planned expansion.

See the full text of the bill, here: HR4862