PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE

ITEM:		ACTION ITEMS
2.	CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORT REGARDING JANUARY 15, 2008, DRAFT CEASE AND DESIST ORDER ISSUED BY STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD STAFF
Meeting Date:			March 6, 2008
From:			David A. Berger,
			General Manager
Prepared By:			Arlene Tavani

SUMMARY: The Board in closed session on February 28, 2008, requested that the Public Outreach Committee (POC) proceed with development of a mailer to all water customers in the District, providing information on the draft Cease and Desist Order WR 2008-00XX-DWR. In addition to a District-wide mailing, the document would be published in the Monterey County Herald, Carmel Pine Cone and the Monterey County Weekly. The Board authorized the POC to finalize the mailer and approve plans for distribution and publication of the document. A revised draft version of the proposed mailer is attached as Exhibit 2-A. The costs to print, mail and publish the document and a proposed timeline for completion of this project are attached as Exhibit 2-B.

Tom Bunosky, Vice President of Operations for California American Water (CAW), has advised District staff that CAW has no current plans to send a letter to customers informing them about the draft CDO. CAW supports the District’s proposed letter and is willing to provide its customer mailing list for the District’s use.

ACTION: The POC should review the draft mailer and specify changes to be made. The Committee should also review the proposed cost and timeline for distribution and publication of the mailer, and authorize staff to proceed with the project.

BACKGROUND: On January 15, 2008, James Kassel, Assistant Deputy Director for Water Rights with the State Water Resources Control Board, issued the draft Cease and Desist Order to California American Water. If the draft CDO were adopted by the SWRCB, it would require CAW to either: (1) cease and desist from diverting and using water from the Carmel River in excess of its legal rights, or (2) comply with mandatory water production cutbacks specified in the draft CDO. The POC at its February 26, 2008 meeting proposed that a mailer should be sent to water customers that describes the draft CDO, and explains how the public could be involved with the SWRCB decision making process on the order.

EXHIBITS

2-A Draft Mailer to MPWMD Water Users

2-B Costs to print, distribute and publish mailer, and timeline for completion

U:\Arlene\word\2008\PubOutreachCmte\StaffNotes\030608\item2.doc