IV Press - Supes back New River bill resolution
By Silvio J. Panta
Staff Writer
Citing the importance of addressing the public health problems posed by the New River, Imperial County supervisors voted 4-0 Tuesday to back a resolution urging the passage of an Assembly bill aimed at cleaning up the polluted river. Authored by Assemblyman Manuel V. Perez, D-Coachella, Assembly Bill 1079 would identify solutions and lead efforts toward alleviating the problems that the New River brings with its concentration of contaminants and untreated water through Calexico.
Antonio Tirado, a former District 1 county supervisor who chairs the Imperial County Democratic Central Committee, appeared before the board to voice his support for improving, or perhaps “encasing,” the New River for the benefit of residents who live near it. Tirado is one of several hopefuls who are vying to succeed Victor Carrillo after Carrillo vacated the District 1 seat to become Calexico’s city manager. Carrillo was in his second term when he left.
Should the Assembly bill gain passage, it would require $800,000 in matching state funds Perez obtained with $4 million in federal grant money to be used in exploring clean-up solutions and do what has “to be done to resolve the problem, finally,” Tirado said.
Perez’s Assembly bill is going through the process of being reviewed in the Legislature.
Known for its offensive odor and high degree of fecal coliform bacteria, the New River carries urban runoff, partially treated industrial wastes and agricultural runoff from Mexicali into the U.S., with an estimated twothirds of its flow crossing into Calexico.
From there the New River flows into the Salton Sea and has been a problem since the 1940s, according to the board’s resolution. A Senate bill by Sen. Denise Ducheny, D-San Diego, authorized Calexico in 2005 to clean up and encase the New River within its city limits, the resolution read.
District 4 Supervisor Gary Wyatt said all the supervisors are ready to back up efforts to clean up the New River. “It’s a significant issue and one we are all united together in supporting,” Wyatt said.
In other business, supervisors recently conducted a public hearing to consider updating and revising the conflict of interest code. The item will be brought back for adoption Sept. 29. No one spoke in favor or in opposition to revising of the conflict of interest code. The code Imperial County has was adopted in 1977. The conflict of interest code would require all designated county employees to file a Form 700, which discloses all economic interests, by April 1 of each year.
Supervisors also voted 4-0 to have the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office receive more than $293,000 this year from the state Department of Parks and Recreation, Highway Division. The grant money would be used to help offset the costs of law enforcement at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
>> Staff Writer Silvio J. Panta can be reached at spanta@ivpressonline.com or 337-3442.
