How you can help stop LEAPS
Write a Letter to California Energy Commission
Action you can take to help stop LEAPS
Why LEAPS is not economically viable
What credible persons and agencies say
Lies, Inaccuracies, and Misleading Statements
You can send a letter voicing your opposition to the LEAPS project to Commissioner John Geesman at:
Commissioner John Geesman
California Energy Commission
1516 9th St., MS-31
Sacramento, CA 95814-5512Below is a sample letter. Copy the text and edit it as you see fit. As a minimum, make sure you include the date and your name and address in the closing. Print, sign, and mail a copy before November 7.
Sample Letter:
[Date]
Commissioner John Geesman
California Energy Commission
1516 9th St., MS-31
Sacramento, CA 95814-5512Dear Commissioner Geesman,
As a concerned Inland Empire citizen, I must object to the California Energy Commission proposal to list the Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumped Storage (LEAPS) project among its five top priority projects for the state. I and many others in this area stand together in firm opposition to the project proposed by Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) and Nevada Hydro Corporation.
The abstract of your strategic transmission plan states that it addresses, “…major immediate actions that California must take to develop and maintain a cost-effective, reliable transmission system…” The LEAPS project is anything but cost-effective. Your plan even acknowledges fiscal problems in a statement on page 97: “There are major financial and cost recovery issues that could still delay the development of this project.” These issues are presented in detail in subsequent paragraphs.
On pages 97 and 98 of the plan it appears that because of these financial concerns, CEC is recommending moving the transmission line aspect of the project ahead, separate from the advanced pumped storage aspect, which may never be built because of obvious fiscal concerns. If this is the case, and the transmission line project eventually goes forward without the pumped storage portion, then we believe that Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District—its major backer at present—has no business being involved in the project. EVMWD’s mission is to provide a reliable source of water to the people it serves, and an electrical transmission line alone is inconsistent with that mission. The money we ratepayers pay here for water should not be used to subsidize an electrical utility transmission line.
In addition to the obvious financial concerns, we believe that Southern California’s largest natural lake, the San Jacinto River and Santa Ana River watersheds, the Cleveland National Forest, local wildlife, and the quality of life for people in the Inland Empire will be negatively impacted by the LEAPS project as it is currently envisioned. Even though we are the fastest growing area of California, we have not written off the natural and aesthetic environment of the Inland Empire, and we hope that our officials in Sacramento will not do so.
I urge you to look much more closely into the financial, environmental and quality-of-life detriments of this project before giving your final approval on November 7.
Sincerely,
[Your name and address]