Upcoming Meetings:
- Saturday Aug 19th at 10:00 a.m., HB Huddle Environment Team Meeting at Pam Kamps’ home. Please contact her on our Facebook page to RSVP and get her address.
- Saturday September 9th at 10:00 a.m. HB Huddle Environment Team Meeting at (in September we will be meeting the second Saturday of the month due to Labor Day)
When We Meet:
The HB Huddle Environment Team meets the 1st Saturday of the month at 10:00 a.m. We also meet during the big Huddle meetings, which are usually the 3rd Saturday of every month.
Stay up to date with this group by joining their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/958471977587726/
Additional Inquires: please contact admin@hbhuddle.com and your email will be forwarded to group facilitator Karen Coyne.
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August 5 Meeting Minutes PDF: Microsoft Word – Meeting minutes 17_08_05.docx
Some highlights from our last meeting:
Toxin-Free HB:
Special guest, Tim Kowal from HB Tomorrow, spoke about the pilot program the council started to try organic (toxin-free) in Central Park West. Updates held every 3 months. This is agenda item #17. Other cities that have gone toxin-free found that there may have been an initial expense, but in time the soil rejuvenates to its natural spongy state so that it holds water better, therefore requiring 30% less water, hence saving money.
Energy:
No special pre-meeting on Monday. City Council meeting: pre-study session 4:00 pm and meeting at 6:30 pm but should arrive by 6pm. Email comments beforehand to agendacomment@surfcity-hb.org. At about 3 pm check for update to the city clerk agenda page supplemental comments where emails are posted
Water Committee update from the OCWD meeting held 7/12/17:
Discussion is held at the water issues monthly meeting, then recommendations were voted on a week later 7/19/17 at the board meeting.
- LA water district has water they can’t store. The OCWD agreed to purchase the water with a five year commitment. The water will be used to recharge our water aquifers which is below capacity.Approved:
1) Authorize: the General Manager to execute a Metropolitan Water District Cyclic Storage agreement according to the terms provided and review by legal counsel
2) Authorize the purchase of up to an additional 100,000 acre-feet of water under the Cyclic Agreement; and 3) Authorize staff to access $25 million of the taxable Commercial Paper program to assist in purchasing this additional water.Water districts along the Santa Ana River are cooperating to create plans for directing the water charge aquifers and wetlands along the river.
Approved:
Authorize payment of $33,900 to San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District for the District’s cost/share for Phase II of the decision support modeling for the Santa Ana River Conservation and Conjunctive Use Program.
There was also a vote approve the design of the GWRS Final Expansion
Project but I don’t actually understand the scope of the project enough to give a summary of what it means.Trash-Free HB Waters:
Thanks to Chris and Jennifer, this committee is now up and running. They had met and came up with some ideas, one being to change the name to something longer that encompasses other issues that Chris wanted to incorporate. We decided today to go ahead and keep the name as is and focus on this one issue in this committee.
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July 15 Meeting Minutes PDF: Microsoft Word – 17_07_15 meeting agenda.docx
Some highlights:
Water Committee:
Thanks to Mary Ann for attending OCWD meeting with Stephanie.While the OCWD voted to spend another 90,000 to considering/promoting Poseidon, the MWDOC RETURNED all their money to the water producers to STOP considering Poseidon
Energy Committee:
Need to attend the City Council meeting on August 7th. More info to follow. The petition for City Council to see constituent’s support for CCE was a huge success. 55 signatures!
Toxic Free HB:
Please sign the following moveon.org petition and share widely:
https://www.change.org/p/tell-hb-leadership-to-stop-using-toxic-pesticides-in-our-parks
Here’s a video by the creator of the petition:
Trash Free HB:
Thank you to new member Jennifer for taking charge of this committee. She and Chris Kawahara will discuss perhaps making some changes to the committee to determine its exact focus and possibly even a name change if appropriate. Chris discussed wanting to include wildlife and national parks if those can be somehow integrated in a way that makes sense. Jennifer and Chris will discuss further and share their thoughts with Karen.
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July 1 Meeting Minutes PDF: Microsoft Word – 17_07_01 Meeting Minutes.docx
Summary of Minutes from July 1st:
Committee Updates:
- Stephanie/Water: Stephanie has been attending meetings and speaking against Poseidon.
- Steve/Energy: Since our last meeting, the Energy group has been in contact with: several different elected officials and staff at the City of HB, and several CCE advocacy groups, and we are continuing research “assignments” on CCE advocacy, renewable energy, and CCE opponents
The group discussed the format and location of the meetings, including the following topics:
- Keep the huddle meeting format the same, but Steve & Stephanie will arrive early and set up the environment table. We want to have handouts at our table and have enviro team members at our table before the huddle begins so people can check out our team before the huddle starts.
- A social aspect of the group will help with member retention. Keep the break part of the meetings. Besides member retention, work on more members, possibly table or just hand out info to public. Need to work on coordinating a time to pass out info.
- Chairs do not need to email updates to Karen by Wed before meetings, but make sure to email anything they want added to the agenda or shared with the larger group.
- Keep structure of meetings the same. Perhaps don’t include the time on the handout, at least for the huddle meetings.
- We need to discuss goals more. Karen will bring the FB description of our team to the next meeting so we can tweak it to match what the group likes.
- We still need to discuss whether we’ll have a meeting on Labor Day Weekend. If not, what day is a good alternative?
Committee Breakout Sessions:
- Steve/Energy: In addition to items listed above, the Energy group had further discussions about CCE for HB and nature of Community Choice Aggregation. We discussed the benefits of CCE’s in general as well as some of the technical aspects of implementing local control over the City’s energy policies. Also discussed were efforts geared toward engaging local elected officials to discuss CCE’s.
- Stephanie/Water: Mary Ann will attend one water board meeting, and Stephanie is going to several meetings at OCWD before July 15th. We need more people to sign up to attend the meetings at the OCWD. See Stephanie to sign up. The State Lands has been postponed and R4RD asked us to wait to pass out flyers for Town Hall
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June 17 Meeting Minutes PDF: Microsoft Word – 17_06_17 meeting minutes.docx
Summary of Minutes from June 17th:
We welcomed three new team members, who each shared their areas of interest.
Energy Committee Overview/Update:
Part of community choice energy group.
CCE law since 2002 for local municipalities to control energy. SCE is an investor owned monopoly.
CCE is a non-profit and allows choice on how energy is purchased. If we want renewables, this helps drive change. AB32 is to reduce to 1990 levels.
City council meeting: Wanted a non-disclosure signed to release SCE info. City Council against the idea. Possey, Brendon spoke in favor of CCE.
Antonia attacked by FB forum.
General Plan – Prof Kathleen Tresseder wrote a letter on behalf of the group.
Need to understand who posts the negative content on CCA/E Solana Beach & Del Mar CCA’s. Want members to start researching CCE’s. City of HB – Dan Kalmic (?)
Water Committee Overview/Update: Focus on stopping Poseidon. Kirk Nason to forward email from City Planner.
Toxin-Free HB Overview/Update: Pam was not present.
Trash-Free HB Waters Overview/Update:
No one in committee yet. Committee was suggested by Ray Hiemstra. CA has a requirement about trash coming up, so we need people on this committee to help ensure that a plan is chosen that would help ensure that the deadly trash does not get into our oceans. Karen has info from Ray if interested.
Committee Sign-up’s and meet w/Committees:
Energy Committee: 2-sided handout given. Discussed the current situation regarding CCE/CCA in HB and the city council’s vote to deny the NDA just to study CCE’s. Steve has done a lot of research on the issue and would like for everyone to start by researching the issue and educating themselves as much as possible.
Water Committee: Went over 2-sided handout on goals of the committee and a background of Poseidon. Action to take: Attend the OCWD meetings on the following dates: July 5, 5:30 p.m.; July 6, 8:00 a.m., July 12, 8:00 a.m., and July 19, 5:30 p.m. 18700 Ward St, Fountain Valley. See Stephanie Pacheco for more info.
Other future events:
Thursday, August 17: State Lands Commission on Poseidon report. Just showing up is helpful. Exact time and location TBA.
Toxin-Free HB: Not present.
Trash-Free HB Waters: A few people took the materials and will let Karen know if they want to take action to get this committee going.
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June 3 Meeting Minutes PDF: Microsoft Word – 17_06_03 Meeting Minutes.docx-2
Summary Of Minutes from June 3:
Started 10:40. As a routine, the facilitator will check the new member sign in sheet and read the names, asking them to raise their hands. Other members next to them will then be asked to “Pair and Share” their names and contact info. This will help people feel connected to the group, help establish an “accountability partner,” and will provide an alternate way to reach the new member if the email is returned. If you don’t see your accountability partner at a meeting, please reach out to that person.
Report on work for sustainability and energy by city Huntington beach and others. HB community forum Monday dealing with community choice aggregation, with comments due July 7 for General Plan Updates. Edison rates increasing but with CCA, we get rid of middleman. A non-disclosure agreement from Edison is needed. Suggested to come to council to support against conspiracy theories and for economic benefit. Need comments next council Monday. Karen asked for more information for group.
(Merle spoke briefly about the history and issues as President of Residents for Responsible Desalination). Ray Hiemstra of Coastkeeper talked about the fact that this project is not needed and discussed our large aquifer. This project is too expensive, costing twice our current water costs, and would be subsidized by the public. The project has been shown to destroy marine life and will increase water pollution. It is Important to go to state lands meeting August 17, then state water board then Coastal Commission. The State Lands Commission meeting is in Los Angeles area, location TBD. The desalination plant in Doheny is a better example of a better project, though still having troubles. Poseidon has given lots of money to elected officials.
Concerns about toxins to soils that affect growing vegetables and the environment was discussed. Model after what Irvine has already done, and join forces to help Tim Kowal with HB Tomorrow.
Karen asked for other suggestions for issues to be added to the three existing. Ray suggested a committee to work on trash that’s getting into our oceans. Karen started a new committee: Trash-Free HB Waters. Ray said that a good resource on the policy is http://www.coastkeeper.org/trash
The following committees were made:
- Desalination Committee: Stephanie Pacheco (acting Chairperson), Carol Keane, Anna Ferree, Karl & Maryann Celinder, and Pam Kamps. Still need an Asst. Chair.
- Toxin-Free HB: Pam Kamps (Chairperson) and Anna Ferree (Asst. Chair by default)
- CCA (Community Choice Aggregation): Steve Shepherd (Chairperson), Suzanne Dehritz, Andrew Dehritz, and Pam Kamps. Still need an Asst. Chair.
- Trash-Free HB Waters: No sign up’s yet.
Karen will email each committee so they all have each other’s names and email addresses to get the ball rolling on their issue. Each Committee Chairperson is to give Karen an update on his/her issue by the Wednesday before the bi- monthly meetings.
- Chairs give Karen update on his/her committee by the Wednesday before our bi-monthly meetings.
- original 2 questions: 1. What is your position on the Poseidon Desalination Plant and why? And 2. Do you believe [humans are responsible for] climate change?: Karen said the local elections team will ask for one question, and we may or may not have time for a second, so we need to decide which question is more important. Talked about asking general environment visions for the future.
HB Huddle / Environment Team meetings to be every 1st Saturday to alternate with HB Huddle meetings, 10:00 a.m. Pam Kamps volunteered her back yard for our team meetings; however, she is not available July 1st, so Stephanie Pacheco offered her home for July 1st.
Picture from Surfrider & IOC 48 Beach Clean Up on June 3rd
