Despite complaints that the sewer will be located too close to homes and schools, and worries that the soil may be contaminated because of previous businesses that once sat on the land, the Malibu City Council voted 5-0 on Monday to approve the environmental impact report (EIR) for the $43-million Civic Center Wastewater Treatment Facility.
The concept of a Civic Center sewer received unanimous support from around 20 people who gathered to speak at Monday night’s meeting, including scientists, activists, local residents, stakeholders and parents of Webster Elementary and Our Lady of Malibu School students. However, many complained that its location could be problematic for students, from concerns over loud and obtrusive construction, to the dangers of noxious gasses, and the possibility of an explosion.
“I am not addressing the right or wrong of septic systems versus a centralized system,” Malibu father and Ph.D chemist Steve Bobsan said. “I am specifically opposed to the project in its specific current location.”
According to Bobsan, who has two children attending Webster Elementary, kids will be at risk because of factors such as diesel exhaust during construction and on-site hazardous chemicals.
“I applaud preserving habitat and water quality, but at the cost of putting our children at risk?” Bobsan asked.
Webster Elementary PTA co- Presidents Soniya Perl and Lori Keeffe also warned of dangers, citing accidents that occurred in wastewater treatment facilities in Dexter, Mich., and Santa Paula, Calif.
“Why are we heading in the same direction with eyes wide open?” asked Perl.
Terry Kamibayashi, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Maintenance and Operations Construction Manager, said the District believes “insufficient air quality analysis [was] conducted,” amongst other insufficiencies. He then offered some solutions for Council to consider, including that “pipeline construction … only occur during winter, summer or spring breaks.”
Council took up that suggestion, together with several other amendments, before the final vote.
“We need to get site specific here,” City Attorney Christi Hogin told Council as they worked to clarify their amendments. “What additional assurances can we give people who aren’t sure about this?”
Scientists and spokespeople from several local environmental groups spoke out in support of the sewer, including Heal the Bay, L.A. Waterkeeper and Surfrider, stating that benefits far outweigh any possible negative effects.
Katherine Pease, a watershed scientist with Heal the Bay, was among those supporters.
“We urge the City Council to adopt the final EIR tonight for the wastewater treatment facility,” Pease said, adding, “it will protect natural resources as well as public health.”
Amendments include that additional testing of soil continue on an ongoing basis. They also voted to keep classroom disturbances down by ensuring that pipeline work be limited to non-school days over summer, spring and winter breaks and that testing of generators, which causes loud noises, not occur during school hours. To help ensure safety, council added amendments that air quality testing occur before and after operation and that an evacuation plan be developed between SMMUSD, OLM and city staffers, in the case of an emergency, as well as removal of eucalyptus trees.
Monday’s meeting also saw Council vote to authorize city staff to apply for a State Revolving Fund Loan for the sewer project, which staffers state is not costing the city money.
“Make no mistake,” said City Manager Jim Thorsen, “these are not funds the city is putting up.”
The loan should save property owners money from their assessment. Thorsen stated the low-interest loan could save property owners up to 40 percent on their interest payments, on a project which could cost up to $45 million.
Council Member Lou La Monte also made it clear that residents will be saving money by avoiding fines enacted by the state that would be enacted should they decline to construct the sewer.
La Monte called upon Samuel Unger, an executive with the Regional Water Board, to provide an estimate cost.
“Can you tell me what the [daily] fine is on this, if it doesn’t happen?” La Monte asked.
Unger replied that although there is not an official Malibu-specific calculation, fines from cease and desist orders come out to “a maximum of $10,000 per day per order.”
The council also voted to create the official prohibition zone for the Civic Center sewer project, in order that future recycle water injection wells be protected from other septic systems.