Cadiz to undergo new review

Posted on | August 26, 2009 | 4 Comments

MOJA_Cima-Dome-DSCN0102Publication yesterday by the Pacific Institute of the 2001 Department of Interior environmental impact report of the Cadiz groundwater project in the Mojave prompted the announcement by Cadiz Inc today that it would be seeking a new review, the scope of which is unclear.

“…because of changes made to the Project since the original EIR/EIS was published in 2001, including a change to the pipeline alignment and new project participants, Cadiz is pursuing a new EIR in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.

In the coming months we will release a draft of the new EIR and there will be a comment period and numerous opportunities for the public to review this new document.

While we believe the original EIR/EIS is informative, the project is now much different than was contemplated in 2001. We hope that your readers will review this new EIR and send comments. As soon as the new EIR is available, we will publish it on our website.”

In an April 8, 2009 Letter to Shareholders, Cadiz assured investors, “because this new pipeline route does not cross federal land, as previous plans envisioned, the Project requires approval only by local and state agencies, a process already underway.”

“Already under way” …  “in the coming months” …  while investors might not take kindly to being misinformed, the changeable assertion to be watched is whether or not Cadiz can, as it claims, avoid another review by the US Department of Interior, whose agency reports proved so damning in the 2001 review.

It remains to be seen if a new federal review will be required. However, given that the amount of water proposed to be taken is unchanged, it’s hard to see how the hydrological aspects of the 2001 federal review covered by the US Geological Survey and US National Park Service are outdated. Watch this space.

This post has been updated. Grammatical corrections have been made and links added.

Comments

4 Responses to “Cadiz to undergo new review”

  1. Ray Walker
    August 27th, 2009 @ 4:51 am

    Strange that Cadiz would refuse to verify for FREE the confidential offer of a Source that can provide a MILLION ACRE FEET of non-tributary fresh water EACH YEAR rather than rely upon “excess water” from the Colorado River… which will be rarely, if ever, be available.

    A better alternative would be the legal accumulation of a million acre feet each year in Lake Mead which holds 28.5 million acre feet and is only half full to provide the “water insurance policy” that Nevada, California and Arizona appear to so desperately need.

    All states and entities have been assured that the development of the Source will not damage the environment or the water rights of others. Governmental agencies claim they cannot formulate a way to receive the FREE confidential disclosure of the Source and have refused to request verification from an attorney of their individual choice.

    The Southwest continues to prove that, “you can lead a mule to water, but you can’t make it drink”.

    WaterSource/WaterBank waterrdw@yahoo.com Retired Water Rights Analyst

  2. Michael Campana
    August 27th, 2009 @ 9:59 am

    Hi, Emily.

    Thanks for all your hard work on this and other issues. It’s great to see what a real journalist can do!

    Michael

  3. Ben
    August 27th, 2009 @ 4:03 pm

    Thank You for the great journalism and exposing the depths to which business and bureaucrats will go to both deny there is a drought and avoid leadership in conservation.

  4. PAUL F MILLER
    August 28th, 2009 @ 9:12 am

    As I peruse information about CADIZ, I find myself wondering if perhaps this is not a “trojan-horse” designed to keep our eye fixed on an issue or topic while behind the scene far more devious scenarios are being contemplated…? Perhaps, I’ve read too many mystery books or falling into a conspiracy theorist mode, I hope not.

    Respectfully,

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