City of Oxnard District 1 – Candidates Forum Thursday Oct 18, 2018

Oct 1, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, Events, Oxnard City Council District 1

 October 18th at 6pm – Performing Arts Center

This was is a special joint Neighborhood Council meeting

See and hear your candidates for Council Person for District 1 Neighborhoods in District 1 are:

  • Channel Islands our neighborhood
  • Oxnard Shores
  • Via Marina
  • Hollywood By The Sea
  • Oxnard Dunes
  • Sea View Estates
  • Sea Air
  • Cabrillo
  • Windsor
  • North River Ridge
  • Victoria Estates
  • South Bank (partial)
CLICK FOR PDF

Play on the video above to view the Candidates Forum!

CLICK FOR PDF

YOUR BOARD’S REPORT ON THE 9.13.18 WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD HEARING

Sep 15, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, CINC, Trash

On Thursday, September 13, approximately 70 stakeholders from CINC and the community as well as notable public officials including Mayor Flynn, Supervisor Zaragoza, Councilman Perillo, C.I. Harbor Director Sandoval and numerous representatives from the City of Oxnard and the County attended and addressed the Los Angeles Regional Water  Quality Control Board at the Hearing at the Government Center in Ventura.

With speeches, videos and presentations in hand, the attendees, including the City rep, Sandra Burkhart, were prepared with substantive arguments to present to the Board as to why the NPDES Permit issued to NRG, the operator of the Mandalay Generating Station, should not be ended.

This State-issued  Permit sets forth the environmental regulations which must be met during operation of the steam generating station including its water pumps that are integral to the plant operations.  NRG petitioned the State Water Board to end the Permit because all generating operations at Mandalay Bay have been confirmed by the State as closed down.

The agenda item, which typically would have been a routine consent item on the meeting’s agenda, was placed on the “Contested Agenda” due to the huge outpouring of community letters sent to the Board. Over 150 letters were noted as having been received. The Commissioners acknowledged this outporing was a clear indication of an engaged and very concerned community.

Nearly all who spoke before the Board argued that that Operator had an obligation to “stay at the table” because the cessation of the water pumps has contributed to the “water quality crisis” in Channel Islands Harbor. It was reasoned that the presence of an open NPDES permit would be the incentive needed to bring NRG to the table so that public agencies, stakeholders, and NRG could work out a “Plan B” to replace the loss of the effect of the generating station’s pumps.

The pumps, when operating, enabled the south-to-north circulatory flushing of the Channel Islands Harbor. This flushing design was integral to the Harbor’s plan from its start. Upon the cessation of the pumps, the Channel Islands Harbor has suffered a water quality crises.

Despite the pleas for “just give us more time to work out an answer before releasing NRG”, the Board voted 5-0 to end the Permit.

Citing that they have no legal basis to not release the Permit, the Board concurrently assured the attendees numerous times that it and the Water Board staff will stay involved in the issues confronting Channel Islands Harbor.

The Chair, Madelyn Glickfeld, as well as most every Commissioner and the Water Board staff, pledged on-going support to both the public agencies and the stakeholders in terms of expertise, funding and administration and, almost as importantly, “eyes” as to what is going on in terms of water quality deterioration.

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT STEPS CINC WILL TAKE

TO MAKE CERTAIN THIS ISSUE STAYS FRONT AND CENTER.

2018-9-4-ARTICL-LARWQCB-HEARING- 9-13-2018

THANK YOU!

TO:            SOME VERY SPECIAL COMMUNIITY MEMBERS
FROM:      CINC
RE:           THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE WATER BOARD HEARING!

CINC thanks every person who so generously dedicated his or her personal time to the attending the meeting!

The CINC community acknowledges you because you represented an entire community of concerned about the future of the Channel Islands Harbor. Your attendance, your videos, your voices made a difference. We know because both the Board Commissioners and the Board Staff said so both publicly and privately. Although we did not get the outcome we had hoped for, it was not a surprise as we predicted the Board would vote as it did BUT what we got was the eyes of both the Regional and State Water Board on the very real and concerning situation in the Channel Islands Harbor.

Going forward, CINC urges all to
STAY INVOLVED
It will be a long fight and it is perseverance that will get us where we need to be.

The Channel Islands Neighborhood, a key part of our City, needs your help

Sep 1, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, Oxnard City Council District 1

Fellow Oxnard Residents, Friends, and Neighbors:

On Thursday, September 13, 2018, there is an important opportunity for residents from ALL Oxnard neighborhoods who are concerned with water quality issues at the Channel Islands Harbor to join with me in speaking important public health, safety, and welfare truths to Lo Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board regulatory power regarding deep concerns we have over the need to preserve, defend, and enhance water quality in the harbor waterways.

Please try and attend the Regional Water Board meeting regarding this important matter, which will be held in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room, Hall of Administration, County Government Center, 800 So. Victoria Avenue, Ventura CA, 93009 on Thursday, September 13, 2018, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

And one week earlier, Members of the Channel Islands Harbor Neighborhood Council will conduct a meeting to prepare for the September 13th Regional Water Quality Control Board Meeting. That meeting will be held in Meeting Room B of the Oxnard Library on “A” Street, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

With study, hard-work, organization, practice, and organization good things can be accomplished by residents in our community working together to advance the public good. And, there is greater strength in numbers when neighborhoods band together to help each other.

The Channel Islands Neighborhood, a key part of our City, needs your help.

Please consider helping by becoming better informed about the Channel Islands Harbor Waterways water quality issues, and attending the September 13th Public Hearing in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room in Ventura beginning at 9:00 p.m.

Thank you for you time and attention to this issue.

Bert E. Perello, Member
Oxnard City Council

Sept 6th -Prep Meeting for Sept 13th Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Hearing

Sep 1, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, CINC, Trash

Dear Friends and Neighbors of the Channel Islands Harbor:

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board HEARING is on Thursday, Sept. 13th. CINC is holding a “Prep Meeting” the week before on Thursday, Sept. 6th. This is the hearing where the community can speak to the commissioners who will then VOTE to allow the power plant to complete the closure permit. The LARWQB has already sent a position paper “Final Facts” that doesn’t address the unintended consequence of the power plant closure as it relates to the deteriorating harbor water quality. We have asked the Commissioners (who are appointed by the Governor) to require an alternative solution(s) from GenOn (formerly NRG).

Sadly total ecological system of our harbor is taking the full force of this change in the water’s flow since the early 1950’s. Today the City of Oxnard can simply monitor the oxygen situation and install a few aeration pumps. Oxnard’s Press Release on August 23rd warns: “Low oxygen levels can cause fish to die off in the water. We are looking for boaters who are willing to volunteer their time remove dead fish from the waters, should this happen due to low oxygen levels.”

Our beautiful harbor is in trouble when Oxnard has to prepare boaters to clean up millions of pounds of “fish kill”. Our harbor community did our best to communicate clearly our concerns to the LARWQB by letters and emails.

NEXT STEPS: It is time to focus our requests to the commissioners IN PERSON. We need you to attend our CINC “Prep Meeting” if you intend to speak to the commissioners. Like other civic speaking sessions they are limited to 3 minutes and maybe less if there are a lot of speakers. We will be more effective IF we plan and practice together, so join us!

PREP MEETING
Thursday, Sept. 6th, @ 6pm – Oxnard Library on “A” Street, Meeting Room B

LARWQB Hearing -Attend with your neighbors and be there early!
Thursday MORNING – Sept. 13th starts at 9am
Ventura County Government Center Hearing Room, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura

Share with your neighbors –
Attachments: from the LARWQB Final Fact Sheet Issued August 2018 and the Press Release City of Oxnard August 23 2018

Our harbor deserves our stewardship,

Audrey Keller
Chair, Channel Islands Neighborhood Council
(818) 292-0447

8-23-2018 City of Oxnard Press Release: Channel Island Harbor Water Quality

8-23-2018 City of Oxnard Press Release: Channel Island Harbor Water Quality

Aug 24, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, City_Of_Oxnard, Press Releases, Trash

Get a pdf of this page

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2018
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
Sandra Burkhart, Special Districts Manager
City of Oxnard
(805) 385-7578, sandra.burkhart@oxnard.org

Melissa Valdez, Community Affairs Manager
Oxnard Police Department, City of Oxnard
(805) 342-8292, melissa.valdez@oxnardpd.org

Update: Channel Island Harbor Water Quality

OXNARD, Calif.-  The City of Oxnard Channel Islands Response Team is monitoring the dissolved oxygen concentrations (and other parameters) at multiple locations along the Channel Islands Harbor on a weekly basis. Additionally, on August 6, the City deployed an automated remote sensor in the upper canal between Westport and Seabridge (parallel to Adriatic Street), continually monitoring the water at the site of the sensor to provide 24/7 coverage.

The remote sensor has been continuously recording a variety of water quality parameters.  The data has indicated that the dissolved oxygen concentrations in the water have been fluctuating daily, with a few low concentrations during the night.  Since Aug. 15, the remote sensor has detected a minor but steady decrease in the daily average concentrations of dissolved oxygen. Weekly manual sampling for dissolved oxygen throughout the Harbor by City staff has confirmed these findings.

This information indicates a very low oxygen event may be imminent, perhaps similar to the event that occurred earlier in the summer.  The ecosystem is also exhibiting substantial, although not unusually high, algal biomass in the water column and water temperatures have increased 14 degrees since the end of June. These circumstances apparently preceded the low oxygen event earlier in the year, so it has also drawn the attention of the groups monitoring the harbor.

The public can view the test results at https://arcg.is/08ifCO on a geographic information system (GIS) map. The map contains the location of all the sampling sites and the data collected at those sites. The map also has a legend under the “Test Parameter” button to indicate what a normal range should be for each of the parameters that are being tested. Staff is working quickly to upload as much information as possible. At this time, the dissolved oxygen content, salinity, water temperature, and pH is available.

The City of Oxnard is requesting your assistance to be proactive and prepared in case the Harbor experiences another event. We are asking for residents living around the Harbor to watch the water and report anything that seems unusual. We encourage residents to document the change with photos. Low oxygen levels can cause fish to die off in the water. We are looking for boaters who are willing to volunteer their time to remove dead fish from the waters, should this happen due to low oxygen levels.

If you are willing and able to assist with either of the above, please contact (805) 385-8226 and email photos to CIHarbor@oxnard.org.

The City of Oxnard is a full-service general law city incorporated in 1903. Oxnard is the largest and most populous city in the County of Ventura, serving 200,000 culturally diverse residents. Read more about the City of Oxnard at www.oxnard.org. Follow us on social media at www.twitter.com/CityofOxnard (@CityofOxnard), www.facebook.com/CityofOxnard and www.vimeo.com/cityofoxnard.

Melissa Valdez | Community Affairs Manager
Oxnard Police Department
251 S C Street
Oxnard, CA 93030

Phone:  (805) 385-7631
Cell:  (805) 342-8292

email:  melissa.valdez@oxnardpd.org
Oxnard Police Department Website:  www.oxnardpd.org
“Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows”

 

 

August 22 2018 Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board – Fact sheet

August 22 2018 Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board – Fact sheet

Aug 24, 2018 | California Water Boards, CI Neighborhood News, Trash

Subject: FACT SHEET – TENTATIVE TERMINATION OF PERMIT FOR NRG CALIFORNIA SOUTH LP MANDALAY GENERATING STATION (NPDES NO. CA0001180, CI No. 2093)

Dear Stakeholders;

This fact sheet has been prepared by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board or Board), a state agency that is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), to inform community members and other interested parties about the Board’s plans to move forward with consideration of the termination of the Mandalay Generating Station’s (MGS or the Facility) NPDES permit. This item will be considered by the Regional Water Board at a public hearing, which will be held during the Board’s regularly scheduled September 13, 2018 meeting. The Board meeting will begin at 9:00 A.M. at the Ventura County Government Center Hearing Room, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA, as previously noticed.

Information about steps being taken to address residents’ concerns about water quality and protection of the beneficial uses of Channel Islands Harbor (CIH) upon termination of the permit are also outlined in this fact sheet. Please forward this email to persons who are interested in this issue.

Thank you so much for your comments.  The Regional Water Board will issue a Response to Comments letter prior to the Board Hearing.  Board staff look forward to working with you to address the water quality concerns and to protect the beneficial uses of CIH.

Cassandra D. Owens, Chief
Industrial Permitting Unit
Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
320 West 4th Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90018

Cassandra.Owens@Waterboards.ca.gov

(213) 576-6750

FACT SHEET AND REMINDER OF PUBLIC HEARING
August 2018

TENTATIVE TERMINATION OF WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS (WDRs) AND NATIONAL POLLUTANT
DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT FOR NRG CALIFORNIA SOUTH LP MANDALAY
GENERATING STATION (NPDES NO. CA0001180, CI No. 2093)
393 North Harbor Boulevard, Oxnard, California

This fact sheet has been prepared by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board or Board), a state agency that is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), to inform community members and other interested parties about the Board’s plans to move forward with consideration of the termination of the Mandalay Generating Station’s (MGS or the Facility) NPDES permit. This item will be considered by the Regional Water Board at a public hearing, which will be held during the Board’s regularly scheduled September 13, 2018 meeting. The Board meeting will begin at 9:00 A.M. at the Ventura County Government Center Hearing Room, 800 South Victoria
Avenue, Ventura, CA, as previously noticed.

Click to read complete [FinalFactSheet.pdf]

Channel Islands Neighborhood Cleanup Saturday, September 8, 2018

Aug 17, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, CINC, Events

GET THE FLYER - READ THE DETAILS!

Courtesy pick of large items can be scheduled in advance with our volunteers on a first come first serve basis by calling Keith at 805-338-4466, or by signing up at your Bin location by 9:00 A.M. the day of the clean-up.

All pickups are being completed by local vendors. They are donating their time and staff. Please consider them next time you are inviting bids for any services

Saturday, September 8, 2018 • 7:30 am – 1:30 pm

DUMPSTER LOCATIONS:

Ubicación de los contenedores de basura

TRASH
Dumpster
Contenedores de basura

  • Mandalay Bay: Corner of Costa de Oro and Harbor Blvd.
  • Mandalay Bay: Corner of Peninsula and Greencastle Court
  • Westport: Corner of Wooley and Chesapeake
  • Seabridge: Inside the gate on Seabridge Lane
  • Harbour Island: Outside the gate in parking lot

E-WASTE
Dumpster
Contenedores de desecho electrónico

  • Corner of Costa de Oro and Harbor Blvd.

Please use 311 to report.
For fast News – please use NextDoor.com

(805) 385-8226
Environmental Resources

www.Oxnard.org/EnvironmentalResources

Press Release July 30, 2018 Oxnard Installs Aerators in Channel Islands Harbor

Jul 31, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, City_Of_Oxnard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 30, 2018

Click for PDF: Update Oxnard Installs Aerators in Channel Islands Harbor PDF

Spanish version below/Traducciòn al Español abajo

NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Carri Karuhn, Manager of Media Relations/Community Outreach

805-385-7593, carri.karuhn@oxnard.org

 

Update: Oxnard Installs Aerators in Channel Islands Harbor

Oxnard, California – As part of Oxnard’s ongoing response to the recent water issues at the Channel Islands Harbor, six aerators were installed on the ocean floor at the northeast corner of the Seabridge Public Marina on July 26.

The aerators will be continuously releasing compressed air into the area. From the shore, bubbles can be seen on the surface of the water in the location where the aerators have been placed, but there is no impact to the public and it is completely safe to swim and drive a boat over the water.

In other areas nationwide, aerators have been successfully used to improve circulation and increase dissolved oxygen levels; they were installed in Seabridge as part of a pilot program to better understand the impact aerators will have in those back basin areas where dissolved oxygen levels have been the lowest.

The city is continuing to regularly sample the Harbor and dissolved oxygen levels have continued to improve. The city also collected bacteria samples again on July 23 and those results confirmed the water is not hazardous to human health.

Residents are encouraged to report any odor or discoloration in the Harbor waters by calling 805-797-7958.

PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: 30 de junio del 2018

CONTACTOS CON MEDIOS INFORMATIVOS:

Carri Karuhn, Manager of Media Relations/Community Outreach

805-385-7593, carri.karuhn@oxnard.org

Actualización: Oxnard instala Aireadores en el Puerto de Channel Islands

Oxnard, California – Como parte de la respuesta continua de Oxnard a los recientes problemas de agua en el puerto de Channel Islands, se instalaron seis aeradores en el suelo oceánico en la esquina noreste del puerto deportivo público de Seabridge el 26 de julio.

Los aeradores lanzarán continuamente aire comprimido en el área. Desde la orilla, las burbujas se pueden ver en la superficie del agua en el lugar donde se han colocado los aeradores, pero no hay impacto al público y es completamente seguro nadar y conducir un barco sobre el agua.

En otras áreas en todo el país, los aeradores se han utilizado con éxito para mejorar la circulación y para aumentar niveles disueltos del oxígeno; fueron instalados en Seabridge como parte de un programa piloto para entender mejor el impacto que los aeradores tendrán en esas áreas de la cuenca trasera donde los niveles de oxígeno disuelto han sido los más bajos.

La ciudad continúa muestreando regularmente el puerto y los niveles de oxígeno disuelto han continuado mejorando. La ciudad también recogió las muestras de bacterias el 23 de julio y esos resultados confirmaron que el agua no es peligrosa para la salud humana.

Se recomienda a los residentes que reporten cualquier olor o decoloración en las aguas del puerto llamando al 805-797-7958.

Letters to Regional Water Quality Control Board

Jul 24, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, Trash

THANK YOU!

Thank You to everyone who wrote letters!

Thank you to The City of Oxnard for supporting this effort.

The water board meeting will be held September 13th at 9 am

Carmen Ramirez

Mayor Pro Tem

City Council

300 West Third Street
Oxnard, California 93030
City (805) 385-7430
City Fax (805-385-7595
carmen4oxnard@gmail.com

August 9, 2018
Cassandra D. Owens
Chief, Industrial Permitting Unit
Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board 320 West 4th Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Re: Tentative Order Terminating Waste Discharge Requirements and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for Mandalay Generating Station

[ Click to read: CRamirez_Letter_to_Cassandra_Owens_8-9-18.pdf ]

From the Working Desk of Bert E. Perello

Oxnard City Councilman

300 West Third Street, 4th Floor
Oxnard, CA 93030
(80s) 240-6194
E-mail: perellobert@gmail.com

 

August 10, 2018
Los Angeles Regional Water Board Members
C/O Rosario Aston, LARWQB Staff Representative           Via E- Mail : rosario.aston@waterboards.ca.gov
Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
320 West 4th Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Attention: Madelyn Glickfeld,Chair
Lawrence Yee, Vice- Chair
Irma Munoz, Member
Charles Stringer, Member
Cynthia Guzman, Member

and: Cassandra D. Owens, LARWQB Chief, Industrial Permitting Unit

Regarding: Notice to Thomas DiCiolli, Plant Manager Dated June 28, 2018
Mandalay Generating Station Tentative Termination of WDRs etc., Oxnard CA
California South LP Mandalay
NPDES No. CA00001180 / CI No.2093

[ CLICK TO READ: Perello_Letter to_LARWQCB_RE_Mandalay_Gen_8-10-18 ]

Harbor Task Force Meeting July 11 2018

Harbor Task Force Meeting July 11 2018

Jul 14, 2018 | CI Neighborhood News, City_Of_Oxnard

Scroll down for video

Harbor Task Force Meeting 7-11-2018

The Oxnard Channel Islands Harbor Task Force committee held a special meeting on July 11, 2018. The purpose of the meeting was to receive presentations on:
     1. The water quality problem, the response, water quality data collected, potential causes and next steps on the Channel Islands Harbor water quality change by Scott C. Johnson – Senior Scientist/Laboratory Director, Aquatic Bioassey and Consulting Laboratory Inc. M. S. Marine Biology, CSU Long Beach and Dr. David A. Caron – Professor of the Department of Biological Sciences, USC, Chief Science Officer of Aquatic EcoTechnologies Inc. Ph.D in Biological Oceanography conferred jointly by the Massachussetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanography Institute.

   2. The shutdown of the Mandalay Power Generating Station re-circulation pumps. As of March 29, 2018 in response to the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted Once Through Cooling Policy on May 4, 2010. The Mandalay Power Generating Station compliance date is December 31, 2020. The shutdown may be a contributing event on the change of water quality at the Channel Islands Harbor. Thien Ng – Assistant Oxnard Public Works Director.

    3. Discuss the two harbor area relevant measures that qualified for the November 6, 2018 election ballot,
a. Seabridge Community LMD assessment reduction. About 27%
b. Harbor Patrol assessment reduction. About 80%.
Ken Rozel – Assistant City Attorney.

Several residents from the harbor area communities spoke at public comment.

Harbor Task Force Meeting – 6PM July 11, 2018

A report from the City on the Harbor Water Quality and all key harbor development items that impact the quality of life on our Channel Islands Harbor. Mayor Tim Flynn and council member Bert Perello lead the Harbor Task Force.

State waterboard Policies and NRG historical data:

Representatives of a team of biologists hired by Oxnard to analyze the water samples taken since discoloration and an odor were first noticed at Channel Islands Harbor a month ago gave a presentation.

Dr. David A. Caron from Aquatic Eco Technologies and Mr. Scott C. Johnson is a a Senior Scientist/Laboratory Director, Aquatic Bioassay & Consulting Laboratories, Inc.

Next Steps

  • Finalize analysis of data collected on July 6th
  • Reduce frequency of City WQ sampling to 2x’s per week
  • Two sampling events remaining on contract:
    • Await potential next event to sample at peak of bloom
  • Install aerators in back basins
  • Establish a Monitoring & Action Plan
    • Install remote sensor(s) to continuously monitor dissolved oxygen, pH and chlorophyll
    • Prepare action plan to mitigate water quality problems

Mandalay Generating Station

  • RWQCB will hold a public hearing for the Mandalay Generating Station permit termination on September 13, 2018 (9:00 a.m.) at the Ventura County Government Center
  • Public comments related to the permit termination will end on August 10, 2018 (5:00 p.m.)
  • Mandalay Generating Station (NPDES No. CA0001180, CI No. 2093), Cassandra D. Owens, Chief Industrial Permitting Unit, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, 320 West 4thStreet, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90013

PRESS:

r

CALL TO ACTION

NOTE: THIS DEADLINE IS PASSED!

LETTERS NEEDED TO
Regional Water Quality Control Board
Deadline August 10th

CLICK HERE Templates and Information

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