To the Vanguard News Home page October 3, 2006
John Boccio, CPUC, EIR Project Manager
Marian Kadota, USFS, EIS
Project Manager
Aspen Environmental Group
30423 Canwood Street,
Suite 215
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Dear Mr. Boccio and Ms. Kadota:
Please place my e-mail address acton@wgn.net on the electronic service list for this project.
A number of residents of Agua Dulce have asked me to submit an objection summarizing their position on the power line Draft EIR. I have spoken to and corresponded by e-mail to hundreds of residents and property owners in Agua Dulce. This entire Draft EIR is a conspiracy and is filled with self-dealing between this so-called independent firms preparing the analysis, Aspen Engineering and the National Forest, a co-preparer of the project. Typically showing the self-dealing, the National Forest was granted a 10-month extension in 2005 to respond to the project and the community was granted just a few weeks extension to respond.
The National Forest took a position that their new National Forest Plan prohibited power lines in the forest and instructed Aspen Engineering to develop “Option 5”, which not only removes the new power lines from the forest, but also removes the existing 66KV power line.
Aspen Engineering, like an obedient puppy dog, now claims that “Option 5” is the visually preferred route because it removes a power line from the forest and totally ignores the impact of condemning 103 properties in Agua Dulce and placing power lines in a visually pristine area as the backdrop to Vasquez Rocks, a Los Angeles County park.
They placed “Option 5” on their website with no public notice on 7-21-06 with a comment cut off of 9-18-06, giving the newly affected community less than 60 days to respond. Even though Agua Dulce has 2 adjudicated newspapers, they provided no formal notification of this massive project. There is no way that anyone in the community could have been aware of “Option 5” unless they constantly monitored the CPUC’s site. As the original proposed project had no effect on Agua Dulce until this stealth change was made under the Forest Service’s direction, it would be unreasonable to expect anyone in the community to even be aware of the project.
The self-dealing between Aspen Engineering and the Forest Service has destroyed any independence that Aspen Engineering must maintain under their contract. Their failed analysis of “Option 5”, in what appears to be a predetermination that “Option 5” is the best option without regard to real environmental effects, shows their bias.
A detailed analysis of the environmental and economic affect of the taking of property is required under eminent domain, as well as the huge potential cost of destroying the view scape. Also the costs and awards of the additional lawsuits for loss and economic value to the entire community must be considered, with the taking of peoples’ rights and the loss of the community’s still pristine view scapes.
The effect of this huge additional cost on ratepayers with “Option 5” as opposed to simply expanding the existing line in the National Forest needs to be analyzed. The National Forest is neither pristine nor in fact a recognizable forest and has allowed massive mining in Acton and Agua Dulce, without any regard to the injury to the forest.
The National Forest’s
rights do not outweigh the community’s rights. This environmental study must be
started over with a new engineering firm who is actually independent from the
proposed project operators.
Agua Dulce is an unincorporated rural
community of approximately 4,000 residents in the mountains between the urban
city of Los Angeles and the slightly less urban Antelope Valley in northern Los
Angeles County.
The community is composed of family owned ranches and
homes with very limited commercial areas. It has the largest self-contained
winery in Los Angeles County.
While the Draft EIR points out many areas where the alternate 5 route is not the preferred choice, there are numerous areas where the report falls far short and in some areas is woefully inadequate in examining all the issues in a detailed and comprehensive manner. The alternate 5 alignment places a huge burden on Agua Dulce and does not substantially lessen any impacts of the Proposed Project on the National Forest.
The Draft EIR states “Operation of Alternative 5 would create a long-term
disruption to residential land uses (Impact L-30).”
SCE would be required
to obtain new easements across over 100 privately owned parcels. The Draft EIR
indicates the actual alignment of Alternate 5 will not be determined until
Alternate 5 is implemented causing loss of property values for untold years
during the planning and construction phases.
Alternate 5 will
result in the loss of many equestrian properties.
Agua Dulce is one of the
last surviving equestrian communities in Los Angeles County.
The
community is proud of being a ranching community and is protective of
maintaining the equestrian lifestyle. Recreational horse back riding will be
greatly impacted.
Many ranches located along Alternate 5 operate as
agricultural/commercial businesses with boarding facilities, breeding
facilities, and training facilities.
The Draft EIR is incorrect stating
Alternate 5 will have no impacts on business uses.
The mere mention of a proposed high voltage transmission line and a new utility corridor in a pristine area of any community will result in loss of property values. Increased sales time and limited interested buyers has already had an impact on properties for sale in Agua Dulce. The possibility of eminent domain and the uncertainty of the actual alignment will impact hundreds of properties.
The project will have a direct affect reducing all property values within their visual range. The loss of the panoramic scenic vistas most properties enjoy will decrease the value of their homes and ranches.
Introducing a new EMF source located close to existing residences compared to an existing right of way in a remote area creates public health and safety concerns. There is controversy over whether EMFs can cause increased risk of leukemia, brain cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and miscarriages. Even if the EMF issue is not as serious as felt by many experts, keeping the power lines in remote area instead of adjacent to private residences is the safest approach.
Weather conditions regularly have average sustained winds around 30 miles per hour. Gusts have been reported in excess of 85 miles per hour. Most wild fires are extinguished by helicopter and fixed wing aircraft. These new power lines would severely limit the containment of fires by aircraft and substantially raise the risk for fire emergencies.
The taking of homes through the power of eminent domain is a governmental power that should be used only as a last resort. In fact, a proposition on the state election in November specifically limits the right of the government to take property through eminent domain for commercial use.
We agree with
the conclusions made separately by the Agua Dulce Town Council that there are
serious concerns regarding the Alternate 5 route. We ask that Alternate 5 be
eliminated from further review.
We ask that our comments be given
serious consideration.
We appreciate the opportunity to present our
concerns and hope those concerns are kept in mind during the review of the
Proposed Project. If any of our comments need clarification or further
explanation, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Charles Brink