Imperial County Board of Supervisors to discuss litigation in special meeting
By: Elizabeth Varin

A recent Environmental Protection Agency decision will be discussed by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning as the board looks to see what ramifications it could have on the county.

The board will be looking “to figure out what the best available option is,” said Wally Leimgruber, chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

The board was scheduled to meet last week but decided to hold off and get more information, he said.

The EPA determination could have a substantial impact on the PM10 airborne dust reduction plan set in place Aug. 11 by the Air Pollution Control District board, said Brad Poiriez, air pollution control district officer for Imperial County, in a previous interview.

PM10 refers to super-fine dust-like particles that are small enough to bypass the body’s natural defenses against dust and other irritants, and contribute to asthma and other respiratory diseases. Because of the EPA’s Dec. 23 determination, 10 instances in which the county was not in attainment will have to be addressed, Poiriez said.

The Board of Supervisors, which also acts as the Air Pollution Control Board, will have a special meeting as this week is a “dark” week, meaning it would not have a scheduled meeting. Instead the board will be discussing the Quantification Settlement Agreement lawsuit and the EPA decision, both in closed session, with only public comment scheduled for the open session.

The discussion about the QSA lawsuit will probably just be an update on the court’s decision and what’s been going on, Leimgruber said.

The QSA allows the transfer of IID water to the San Diego Water Authority, the Metropolitan Water District and the Coachella Valley Water District. The deal provides mitigation water to the Salton Sea for the first 15 years of the agreement, which the county claims will lead to air pollution from the exposed seabed.

Superior Court Judge Roland Candee is expected to issue a final ruling soon.