Tomorrow, June 26, the California Public Utilities Commission was scheduled to adopt a proposed decision regarding the Monterey Peninsula’s current water supply and forecasted demand by 2050.
And after already being rescheduled from the June 12 CPUC meeting by Commissioner Darcie Houck, who’s presiding over the matter, on June 24 Houck pulled it from the agenda again and rescheduled it until July 24, the CPUC’s next meeting.
Also on June 24, Cal Am filed a notice to report that eight people—six Cal Am employees and two Cal Am consultants—met over Webex with staff of four of the five CPUC commissioners (Houck’s Chief of Staff Victor Smith among them) for 30 minutes each, two on June 19 and two on June 20.
The talking points discussed were a rehashing of Cal Am’s disagreement with the proposed decision, which projected a 2050 water demand of 13,732 acre-feet per year—the number Cal Am had been pushing for, and far higher than five outside estimates—and a current water supply of 11,204 acre-feet per year, which Cal Am thinks is too high. Cal Am officials also reiterated why they think the demand numbers are correct.
Water demand on the Peninsula last year dipped below 9,000 acre-feet, the lowest level in decades, and the proposed decision presumes it will increase more than 4,500 acre-feet over the next 25 years.
Dave Stoldt, general manager of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, is frustrated by all the delay, because he wants to start working on a strategy to appeal to the State Water Board to lift the cease-and-desist order against Cal Am.
“I do need a decision with some numbers in it so I can figure out what it means, because that’s what the State Water Board needs,” Stoldt says. “As long as the CPUC doesn’t reverse course, I can work with the proposed decision. Do I think it’s wrong? Yes, but I can work with it.”
So stay tuned.