Music in Baywood is happening at a new outdoor venue on Santa Maria St brought to you by Nardonnes Pizza. The location is near the Merrymaker bar.
There are now five live-music venues offering outdoor entertainment on a regular basis in Baywood/Los Osos with a number starting in July.
Work is ongoing at the Celia’s Garden Café venue on LOVR in Los Osos with repair, clean up and landscaping of the former nursery yard on 1.5 acres underway and a performance stage in the works. Todd and Korie Newman bought the property in July 2023.Partners are Matthew and Allison Laurino. Todd is a well known music promoter in SLO County.The site includes a parking lot in the back.
Plans are underway for the first concert but the date is uncertain, says Todd,to be announced on social media.
In Baywood, a new nearly block-long venue is being constructed across the street from Beerwood on the land owned by Nardonne’s Pizza. Landscaping and fencing around the open yard along Santa Maria is underway with a stage being built. Nardonne’s has announced the first music event July 7 advertised as a “Free Community Concert” featuring the Kerosene Kings.
Now a year old, Niffy’s Merrymaker bar down the block in Baywood continues to offer regular musical events both inside and outside in their comfortable beer garden. The schedule -Monday – Live Music 5:00 to 7:00PM. On the 1st & 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the Month – Blues Night 7:00 to 10:PM.Thursday – Karaoke 7:00 to 10:00. Friday & Saturday – Live Music – Please refer to the calendar of events as times vary.In July look for Blues Asylum-Open Blues Jam -7:00 to 10:00 July 3.On July 5 its Rachel Santa Cruz-7 to 10PM.
At Sea Pines Resort, the Barefoot in the Grass concerts on Saturdays continue with the popular band Back Bay Betty performing July 6 and on July 13 it is Big Wheel Cobra.Music starts at 2 PM.
Then there is the Old Ale House on LOVR bringing you concerts July 5 at 6PM featuring Curt and Friends and Bar Jay Bar at 2PM on July 7th (Sunday).
No matter how the November ballot measure on the Morro Bay battery plant turns out – the controversial power project may still be built.
Scores of ‘Yes on Prop A-24’ signs already dot the front yards of homes in Morro Bay allowing locals a chance to voice a up-or-down vote on the planned 600MW battery storage facility being proposed by Vistra Energy at the vacant 3-stack power plant site.
Some locals worry the renewable energy facility could hinder tourism, industrialize the waterfront and pose a danger of toxic fires and vow to “Save Estero Bay.” A citizen group collected more than 1000 signatures to put the issue on this November ballot, a measure designed to block construction of the battery plant by changing a proposed local zoning rule.
In the meantime, the company backing the project, Vistra has pushed forward with a full environmental impact report through the city that says the operation of the battery storage facility would not result in air, water or noise pollution. Comments on the draft EIR just closed a few days ago. The facility, located on 22 acres of the 107-acre mothball power plant site, would connect to a PG&E substation next-door and allow storage of renewable energy like wind and solar to be distributed across California. The vacant area where the 35 ft two-story battery buildings would be built was where the 1950s power plant stored oil in large oil tanks before they were removed.
Now proponents of ballot measure A-24 are actively campaigning to convince Morro Bay voters to vote yes in November to “keep the Embarcadero and beaches open for all to enjoy.” Those opposed say the city and county need the $10 million in annual tax monies and suggest negative impacts of the BESS- Battery Energy Storage System, have been overblown.
Opt-In provision
But what is not widely appreciated is the fact that back in 2022 the California legislature added an optional state level permitting process to qualify renewable energy and storage projects despite any barrier that had been erected by local jurisdictions. In June 2022 Assembly Bill 205 became a law, allowing developers of energy projects to apply to the California Energy Commission(CEC) for their permit to build and operate a renewable energy facility rather than going through local permitting.It is called the Opt-In provision that allows the CEC to fast-track certain energy projects and promise developers an environmental review decision within 270 days, much faster than most reviews are typically conducted.It eliminates the need to obtain local approval but requires oversight from state agencies responsible for protecting water, land use, endangered species and disadvantaged communities.
Reports at the time recall a number of local decisions that had thwarted renewable energy projects in different parts of the state, potentially threatening the California plan to generate 100% of our electricity from renewable sources, it was argued.The state now requires that all retail electricity sold must come from renewable resources and zero-carbon resources by 2045. A similar response came in the 1970s when local decision-makers delayed energy projects and it resulted in the actual formation of the California Energy Commission to approve large power plants despite “Not In My Backyard” sentiments. With the new 2022 legislation, the CEC expanded their jurisdiction to proposed battery storage facilities above 200 MW and other categories.
Examples of local campaigns that led to the new regulations include renewable project opposition in Humboldt County’s denial of the 200+MW Humboldt Wind Project on privately owned timberlands in 2019, Shasta County’s denial of the 200+MW Fountain Wind Project on privately owned timberlands in 2021, Shasta County’s pending amendment to its zoning ordinance to prohibit most new wind energy development in the County, Solano County’s moratorium on new wind development, San Bernardino County’s significant restriction on new PV solar energy and Los Angeles County’s prohibition on utility scale wind energy projects.This according to the Cox Castle law firm.
Not that the new legislation that appeared to usurp local decision making did not face opposition at the time.
Multiple city and county governments protested the inclusion of the opt-in provision for certifying new types of renewable energy facilities that was included in AB 205, given that it took permitting power away from local governments and placed it into the hands of the Commission. The League of California Cities voiced opposition to AB 205’s “usurpation of local permitting authority,” and the Rural County Representatives of California criticized the bill as being “overly broad, usurp[ing] local control, [and] exclud[ing] local governments from meaningful involvement in major development projects within their jurisdictions,” among other things. Had the bill undergone the traditional legislative process and the County been afforded time to review AB 205, the County would have participated in the process and formally opposed AB 205.””
But the new legislation became law.
Under Opt In, the Commission is still required, among other determinations, to take into account the traditional ecological knowledge of tribes, hold extensive public outreach, and refrain from certifying an application unless the applicant has “entered into one or more legally binding and enforceable agreements with, or that benefit, a coalition of one or more community-based organizations.” The Commission must also find that the project has a net positive economic benefit.
Coastal Commission approval?
Jeff Eckles, a proponent of the Morro Bay measure argues in one press account that if the BESS facility is built it would turn their tourist town into an industrial hub.“I think most people that I’ve spoken with, myself included, in the city are all for renewable energy and we’re for battery storage plants in the appropriate location,” said Eckles. “We just feel that this is not the appropriate location at all.”
As far as the possibility that the Energy Commission may take the matter out of local hands and approve the project,Eckles is skeptical, since the proposed BESS is in the coastal zone under the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission. He says he doesn’t believe the Coastal Commission would approve the project, and the CEC would not move forward.
It happens at the California Coastal Commission is in Morro Bay this week to discuss other projects and A-24 advocates plan to speak against the BESS plan during public comment time.
The California Wind Energy trade group argues that the Opt-In legislation is good policy due to the crisis we are facing under climate change and the need to move quickly to reduce carbon emissions. In arguing for one project in Shasta County the group states that” 100,000 MW of other clean energy resources — including out-of-state wind and offshore wind, solar energy, and energy-storage projects – will also be needed to meet the state’s goals. This is a daunting task, one that demands that renewable energy projects be rejected only for various serious impacts.” The project, Fountain Wind, is expected to get a final OK from the CEC this coming July despite county opposition.
California grid operators claim that rapid expansion of battery storage statewide allows the storage of solar energy to meet consumer demand when the sun does not shine and help “keep the lights on.” Developers are set to install 6,813 MW of battery power storage within the California System Operators jurisdiction this year.
So now what?
Opposed by the Morro Bay citizens group is a planned Master Plan that would be developed in accordance with the requirements of Plan Morro Bay Policy LU-5.4 which would apply to the entire Power Plant Property and would change the land use designation of the BESS Site from Visitor Serving Commercial to General (Light) Industrial and the zoning from Visitor Serving Commercial to Industrial-General.Instead, changes would have to be approved by voters.
Proponent of the local measure Gail Johnson argues that industrialization of the site ignores the fact there are sensitive environmental areas impacted and there are “better places to put a BESS.” The site is not far from the local high school. A similar drama is playing out in a number of California communities including Vacaville. In San Diego County last month a battery fire at an energy storage facility in Otay Mesa continued to smolder, leaving firefighters contending with the blaze for a sixth days but there was no impact to the neighborhood.
Location?
But opponents to Prop A-24 say the battery plant location makes sense next to the big PG&E substation and connected to transmission towers already. There’s another location factor that is the battery storage plant and substation are directly in line to offshore wind cables coming ashore, expected to bring in more renewable power in the future. Many opponents of the BESS project also oppose offshore wind, fearing the same industrialization scenario. A Morro Bay group recently marched in town opposing offshore wind.
Writing in the Estero Bay News this month Morro Bay resident Marlys McPherson reasons that moving forward with the local proposition ignores the fact that Vistra can apply to the state for approval anyway eliminating local input on the future of the site through the city council.Marlys points out that the site is contaminated and may be unfit for visitors service uses unless contamination is removed. She worries any agreement in the works to remove the old power plant at Vistra’s expense could be in jeopardy. She also reminds us that PG&E has deed restrictions on the entire 107 acre site that prohibits visitor services to avoid liability. In the end, passage of A-24 could mean the site stays the way it is but with a battery plant on a part of it and no local input on what happens to the rest, she writes.McPherson was on the Morro Bay City Council from 2016 to 2020.
One local official acknowledges that Vistra could apply to the state if the November ballot measure outcome ties their hands although they are now working with the city.
Quoted in a recent Inside Climate News article “The applicant says they’re committed to the city’s process, and we’re working with them in good faith on that,” said Michael Codron, the city’s interim director of community development. “If the city’s process results in a denial or if the ballot measure precludes the ability of the city council to approve the application, I would think they would avail themselves of the CEC process.”
Pismo Beach remains the powerhouse destination for visitors coming to the Central Coast.
About 2.5 million people visit Pismo Beach yearly with some 2100 hotel rooms.
Figures from Smith Travel show the latest published weekly period from March 24 -30, well before the busy tourism season here.
Pimso Beach recorded the highest hotel occupancy at 75% in the county and an average daily rate, also the highest of $210. Hotels are key to this beach town’s economy with the Cliffhouse Hotel, the largest employer in town with 230 workers.
By contrast, beach town Morro Bay with its own multi-mile stretch of sand has about 1000 hotel rooms with an occupancy rate over the same weekly period of 65.5% and an average daily rate of $129.50 or just 60% of what they get in Pismo. These numbers fluctuate, but typically Pismo Beach stays on top.
Bed tax receipts in Pismo Beach as of the 21/22 fiscal year were over $17 million with the town’s 11% tax rate compared to $5.4 million in Morro Bay with its 10% TOT tax rate.
WASHINGTON, DC, April 23, 2024 – The Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC) and Morro Bay Offshore Wind Leaseholders (Leaseholders) have announced a joint position in support of a phased approach to the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (NOAA ONMS). The parties recommend that upon initial designation the northern boundary of the CHNMS be located south of Diablo Canyon, and north of Port San Luis and Avila Beach. This designation will allow for the co-existence of the marine sanctuary, as well as the responsible development of offshore wind.
The parties request that NOAA ONMS adopt a phased approach to the sanctuary designation in conjunction with regulatory clarifications.
All parties have agreed that, following this initial designation, and at an appropriate time, the NCTC and Leaseholders will jointly support expansion of the boundary of the CHNMS to connect to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
NCTC and the Leaseholders support swift designation of the CHNMS, with the shared belief that responsible offshore wind development, operations, and maintenance are compatible with the protection and conservation of marine sanctuary resources.
“At this crucial time, we must prioritize conservation efforts and take concrete steps to secure the CHNMS,” says Violet Sage Walker, Chairwoman, Northern Chumash Tribal Council. “Our collective participation in this work over the years should inspire us to push forward with even greater determination. If we work collaboratively and cooperatively to address climate change, we can overcome any obstacles in our way. Failure to do so will result in losses for all of us. Let’s move forward confidently and make a positive impact together.”
The designation of the CHNMS will provide immediate protection to thousands of acres of sea space. The future expansion would result in contiguous sanctuary protection of the ocean from Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and further protect Chumash villages that lay on submerged lands, as well as habitat for endangered marine life, among other culturally important resources.
“We are proud to join the Central Coast offshore wind leaseholders and the Northern Chumash Tribal Council on a letter supporting the designation of the proposed NOAA Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary designation, in conjunction with regulatory clarity, will further support the coexistence of responsible offshore wind development alongside marine conservation in and around the Central Coast,” says Martin Goff, Head of Operations for Equinor’s Atlas Wind. “This clearly demonstrates that Tribal communities and industry can come together with dual goals to support climate action and conservation, benefiting California’s just energy transition.”
“Together with the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, and our fellow Central Coast Offshore Wind leaseholders, we are honored to have reached a mutually agreed-upon proposal for designation of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and its future expansion. Today, during Earth Month, we are celebrating a shared solution to support ocean conservation, and Even Keel Wind looks forward to realizing the many economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind along the Central Coast,” says Erin Lieberman, Executive Vice President, Environmental Compliance and Strategy, Invenergy.
“Golden State Wind believes that responsible offshore wind development is compatible with and complementary to the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries mission through the proposed Sanctuary to promote marine conservation and reduce the impacts of climate change,” says Tyler Studds, Golden State Wind Chief Executive Officer. “We welcome today’s announcement as an important step forward in these efforts and look forward to continuing to work closely with all stakeholders as we develop the Golden State Wind project.”
“This unity should be a reminder to all that protecting our environment and meeting our renewable energy goals is not a zero-sum equation,” says Congressman Salud Carbajal.
“Two major initiatives to protect biodiversity and address climate change are being proposed for California’s Central Coast: the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and the development of offshore wind,” says California State Senator John Laird. “We are at a critical moment where both can be achieved, as long as we can work together. This letter represents considerable thought and leadership by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and the three offshore wind developers, and I support it. This spirit of cooperation is exactly what California needs to face the considerable challenges that lie ahead.”
Media Contacts:
Northern Chumash Tribal Council
Violet Sage Walker, Chairwoman, Northern Chumash Tribal Council
Equinor is one of the largest offshore wind developers in the US, operating two lease areas, Empire Wind, off the coast of New York, and Atlas Wind, off the coast of California. Atlas Wind has the potential to provide California with up to 2 GW of energy – enough to power nearly 1.7 million homes. Learn more at www.equinor.com/renewablesus.
Invenergy, Even Keel Wind
Even Keel Wind, an Invenergy project, is an American-led offshore wind development located off the Central Coast of California. Invenergy and its affiliated companies develop, own, and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation, transmission and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Even Keel Wind builds on Invenergy’s proven track record of clean energy project development, American innovation and impactful community investment.
Invenergy has successfully developed more than 30,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction or contracted, including wind, solar, transmission infrastructure and natural gas power generation and advanced energy storage projects. Learn about Invenergy at Invenergy.com.
Golden State Wind
Golden State Wind is a 50/50 joint venture of Ocean Winds (“OW”) and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, managed by OW. Golden State Wind holds lease OCS-P 0564 in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area off the California Central Coast. When fully built out and operational, the lease area could accommodate approximately 2 GW of offshore wind energy. OW is a global offshore wind company with more than 10 years of experience in the floating offshore wind sector, inherited from its sponsors. Created as a 50/50 joint venture of EDP Renewables and ENGIE, OW develops, builds, and operates offshore wind farms in communities around the world, based on our belief that offshore wind energy is an essential part of the global energy transition.
As they say in show business, ”that’s all folks.” Phillips 66 this month has filed what will be up to a 10-year plan to demolish their 218-acre Santa Maria refinery, a local landmark of the crude oil era dating from 1955.The company plans to remediate the site removing 1200 truckloads and 256 trainloads of pipeline and debris – perhaps not taking it back to nature, but restoring vegetation to the site.San Luis Obispo County is processing a draft EIR on the project posted in the past few days.
The Nipomo Mesa refinery along Highway 1 processed approximately 44,500 barrels of crude oil per day.It converted heavy crude oil into high quality feed stock for additional processing at a connected sister plant in the Bay Area. It also produced petroleum coke.The plant employed from 150 to 200 workers.
The refinery brought in oil from offshore the California coast until January of last year along with oil fields in the Santa Maria area. Oil came by pipeline and delivered by truck. Then the oil was shipped off by pipeline, rail and truck to the Bay Area to the Rodeo Refinery in Contra Costa County 200 miles away.
The landmark Rodeo Refinery on the edge of San Francisco Bay, had its own storied oil era history, having been built in 1896 as the first major refinery in the Bay Area. It produced more than 4,000,000 gallons of motor fuel daily.
The end came as both the supply from offshore oil platforms dwindled, and the refinery destination in the Bay Area started modifications to end oil processing.Phillips 66 announced it would transition to renewable feed stocks to make renewable diesel and other products.This is happening just this month as the change to a renewable fuel production hub is scheduled by the end of the first quarter of this year.The company ceased all crude processing activities at the plant in February.
Phillips 66 made a final investment decision to move forward with the conversion project in May 2022. At that time Phillips 66 explained that the scope of the project includes the construction of pre-treatment units and the repurposing of existing hydrocracking units to enable production of renewable fuels. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to have the capacity to produce more than 50,000 barrels per day (800 MMgy) of renewable fuels, including renewable diesel, renewable gasoline and sustainable aviation fuel.
The environmental document filed with the county this month notes that until the jungle of above-ground structures are removed, engineers will not be able to test the extent of remediation necessary for all the contaminated soil at the base of the plant. Contaminated soil will be shipped off site by both truck and rail,over 200 thousand cubic yards, according to the environmental document.
The plan offers no hint as to the future of the site once it is demolished and remediated. Comments on the draft EIR are open now, and will be received until May 6.Once the draft becomes a final EIR it will be in front of the Planning Commission perhaps by summer. The matter could be appealed to both the Board of Supervisors and or the Coastal Commission making it uncertain when the demo could begin.For more information contact Susan Strachan with the County at 805/ 788-2129 or review the document online.
The draft report says above ground demolition is anticipated to take approximately eight months, with soil remediation activities beginning as areas are cleared and soil tested. The bulk of the remediation work would be completed within the first three years; however, it would likely continue at a reduced level for up to 10 years, depending on site conditions and work plans.
One thing San Luis Obispo residents can count on is there will no longer be those midnight oil trains rattling past Cal Poly on their way to the Bay Area. Nor will the refinery be connected to the Contra Costa plant by four 200-mile pipelines linking the two plants that are also being dismantled or sold off.
Back in 2017 Phillips 66 tried to expand oil train shipments into the Santa Maria plant arguing that would make them more competitive. The company wanted to move up to 250 trains annually, about 80 tanker cars carrying about 50,000 barrels of crude to the refinery from both the north and south.News reports say the prospect of derailment of these trains prompted opposition to the project from about 45 school districts, cities, and counties So residents rose up and convinced the SLO Board of Supervisors to turn down the plan fearing more oil trains rumbling through the area.
Talk about an end to an era,consider what Central Coast residents are talking about now as this place will meet the wrecking ball. We are no longer arguing over the future of oil or oil platforms – the discussion is about renewables like offshore wind and energy storage.
California is set to receive more wet weather as we move into April with the focus on Central California slated to get hit with four storms over the next two weeks. Taking a look at Shasta Dam she now holds over 4,000,000 acre feet and is 89% full and 115% of average. So far this year the key reservoir has received 58 inches of rain, on track to meet last year’s 76 inches for the water year. Oroville is also above average.
A look at the maps below show rain in the next week all over California with 3 inches or so in Southern California, and in the Central Sierra. The Climate Prediction Center map shows the southern Sierra getting a good dose of precipitation in the next week.
The unincorporated community of Los Osos is lobbying the county Board of Supervisors to act to secure the former Sunnyside school property on LOVR as a potential site for a number of community uses.
The former school, across from Los Osos Community Park, is owned by San Luis Coastal School District, who has indicated a willingness to sell. The Board of Supervisors, after hearing from several community groups, is expected to consider purchase of the property at the end of this month.
A letter sent recently to the Board from Chair of the Los Osos Community Advisory Council (LOCAC) Trish Bartel and the entire council, advises “LOCAC has an enormous interest in utilizing this site for park and recreation activities in Los Osos/Baywood. As you are aware Los Osos/Baywood has the smallest percentage of parks in SLO County per population. The residents of Los Osos/Baywood paid over $26 million in taxes in 2022/2023. We are asking that a portion of those dollars be used to purchase the school site for Los Osos/Baywood active recreational needs.”
Ideas for the Sunnyside school site that have surfaced include
-Dog Park
-Pickleball courts
-Community gardens (purple water available on site)
-Inclusive playground
-Sport fields
-Community events in the Auditorium (site is connected to the sewer)
In addition, Sunnyside school could take on the role of a County Government Center. Some potential ideas are:
-Moving Sheriff operations from 10th Street
-County Health
-Library alternative site
-Cal Fire
Community activist Linde Owen comments that” Sunnyside is the best expansion of community parks and activities that will never be available later. Past vision from a couple of us was called Sunnyside Up! So many possibilities, positive places for community involvement.”
Almost ten years ago, the Los Osos Community Services District (CSD) took up the idea noting that the city of 14,000 is woefully short on park space.Today the notion to use the 5-acre open space continues to bubble. CSD General Manager Ron Munds adds that that “this issue is still on the front burner today.”
Locals are calling for a community forum to discuss alternative plans once the Supervisors make up their mind.
Sunnyside has a long history in Los Osos starting as a one-room school house. A news report remembers the it was originally called Sand Hill School because the area was nothing but sand. The Sand Hill name was changed and it became Sunny Side School District in 1891. The district closed Sunnyside as an elementary school site in 2004 due to lack of population growth.
Thank you Gail Johnson for your letter to the Estero Bay News regards any danger of Morro Bay being “industrialized.” Opponents of the proposed offshore wind farm as well as the BESS- the battery storage facility, like Gail, are making the argument that both projects will certainly change the small town character of Morro Bay.
My thesis was Morro Bay has had a history of industrial uses like 450-foot smoke stacks next to our little fishing village and locals and tourists alike have enjoyed the atmosphere despite their presence for the past 70 plus years.
Not that I wouldn’t mind if the giant stacks and the old concrete,150-foot tall power plant came tumbling down to make room for all kinds of uses – even back to nature.
Guess what? That’s just what the company who owns the hundred plus acre property is ready to do.
February 20 meeting
In fact, there is a meeting of the city Planning Commission February 20 to go over ideas to master plan this area for the future after the plant and smokestacks come down.
How is that for less industrialization?
Instead, Gail and opponents of both renewable energy projects, while admitting we need them, fear the ””massive”projects will forever change the character of our little fishing village.
Here is what Gail writes in her opposition piece that dredges up assertions she takes as fact about the projects that are overblown or just not correct.
” A major port overhaul is envisioned“ and “our bay would be unrecognizable.”
“Mother’s Beach would be gone” and the iconic”otters will disappear.” The harbor would be dredged to double the depth.
“The view of our harbor would include massive piers, huge ocean going ships, cranes, and platforms that would dominate the skyline.”
Here is the problem. All of this is wild conjecture- hot air over offshore wind. It’s much more likely that the harbor would not be dredged any deeper than it is now and any boat over 200 feet would not be able to navigate in the small harbor. Larger boats could not turn around.
Morro Bay officials say discussion is in the very early stage but the kind of boat that would service the wind farms would periodically carry employees and spare parts – not giant turbines or blades that would be coming on larger ships from Long Beach where the units will be assembled, the port’s authority has announced.The big industrial stuff is happening there!
Remember that the offshore wind project is still 8 to 10 years away and talks are in the early stage.Gail must be a mind reader! But nobody’s going to change the scale of our tiny harbor to anything like Long Beach! And nobody would tolerate the loss of our otter population.It’s just not going to happen.
As for fears that the battery storage plant would ruin the view along the Embarcadero-again I repeat that the view along the Embarcadero is now dominated by a giant mothballed power plant. What would replace it would not even be seen from the visitor’s walking area, the BESS will likely be screened by trees. The buildings that would house the battery storage units are two-story, maybe 30 to 35 ft tall compared to the 150 foot tall mothballed power plant. The bottom line is you won’t even know it’s there.
This is an opportunity not to be feared. As for answers to questions about the BESS project, the city now expects the Draft EIR will get a hearing in front of the planning commission in May or June.
Snowpack in California is now over 72% of average- up 12% in one day after a cold wet week in Sierra. The central Sierra Snow Lab in Tahoe reports about 4 feet of snow in the past week. Further south at China Peak ski resort above Fresno, they report the mountain received about 5 feet of snow in the past week. Over the next 48 hours they could see another one to two feet in smaller doses of 3 to 4 inches during the day and evening. The report says the pattern will continue into Wednesday clearing for Thursday. At Mammoth Mountain the resort says the three day snow total adds up to 4 feet of new powder and 176 inches received so far this season at the main lodge.
As of February 2 the statewide snowpack water content was 57% of the average for the date. By Monday, February 5, the California Department of Water Resources reported the water content had risen to 72% of average for the date.
Water supply gets a boost
Monitoring rainfall at California’s most important reservoir -Shasta Lake -rainfall has been abundant in the past week, showing a similar straight up pattern in this graph comparing each year’s rainfall. Looking at the chart you can see the pattern follows last year’s uptick in rainfall through February 5.Looking at earlier years at the same chart you see that the spigot turns off after February in several dry water-years. So far this year, Shasta Lake has received about 37 inches of rain. And the Bureau is draining some storage to make more room. The second largest dam in the United States is already 82 % full and 28 feet from the top.
Further south on the coast in the San Luis Obispo/ Monterey area – heavy rainfall is helping to fill this area’s most important reservoir. Lake Nacimiento, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles most important water supply, the percentage of capacity jumped from 63% to 69% two days. Rainfall total today at the lake is 10.7 inches – not that far off of last year’s number on the same date of 11.9 inches received.
At Salinas Reservoir at Santa Margarita Lake, the dam is already at 105% of capacity and nearby Lopez Lake is at 99.5% of capacity.
In Los Osos – dependent on groundwater for their supply, the community has received about 12.6 inches in the morning of February 6 – up about 4.6 inches since the first of the month. The community gets an average of about 18 inches rain a year.
Rainfall along the Central Coast down through Southern California is expected to total almost 7.5 inches in the next 10 days as an atmospheric river plows into the state. The warm storm will make its way to the Sierra where 6 feet of snow will pile up in the strongest storm of the season.
Here is a photo of Big Meadow near Grant Grove before this weeks storms.Below photo from the Sequoia Conservancy
