Rio Linda/Elverta Power Plant Project

Urban infrastructure:

Funding for “fair share” of public sewer. This project proposes to use a septic system, and the staff has recommended a condition that the applicant be required to hook up to a sewer, should one ever become available. The CPAC believes that, at the very least, the applicant should be required to fund a fair share of the sewer feeder line, – as any developer of a 70 acre site might be expected to do – not just be required to hook up to it should it ever magically appear. A “hook-up only” requirement virtually guarantees that the line will never be built, due to the size of the site for this facility.
 

Natural resources:

The applicant should be required to CREATE wetlands habitat at a ratio of 2:1 for wetlands habitat loss, if there is currently no offset site available in the community, as called for in the Community Plan. No payment of a fee to a mitigation bank should be allowed.
 

Visual:

No sound walls should be allowed. They interfere with the drainage of the property and as importantly, interfere with the visual impact of open space. When considering the Specific Plan, the Citizens Advisory Committee was adamant about no sound walls. This project should be no different. Perhaps landscaped berms could be used instead.
 

Public Safety:

Fund a baseline health study of community residents so that any health effects on the public once the plant is operational can be measured and monitored.
 

Water supply:

One of the many differences between this project and the SEPCO project is that this project proposes to use groundwater. The SEPCO license absolutely forbad the use of groundwater. The CPAC believes that this should be a condition for this project as well.
 

Plant safety and fire protection:

Fund a full-time, paid staff at the nearest fire station (at the intersection of Elverta Road and Elwyn Avenue, with haz-mat training and the appropriate equipment to respond to emergencies at the plant.

In addition, institute a community notification system for any potentially hazardous situation, especially to allow timely evacuation of the local elementary school. An example would be the system in place at Citizens Utilities which can be implemented in the event of a chlorine gas leak.