[Marin-d] Desalination initiative has enough votes to go on Marin ballot

[davidquinley at aol.com]

Mark Prado
Posted: 06/18/2010 02:53:41 PM PDT


An initiative that would require voter approval before a controversial Marin desalination plant could move forward has enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The Marin Responsible Water Policy Ballot Initiative qualified for the November ballot with many more signatures of registered voters than required, said Melvin Briones, assistant registrar of voters.
"They needed 11,068, and they provided 15,431 valid signatures," Briones said Friday.
The initiative will ask whether Marin voters want to require the Marin Municipal Water District to seek voter permission before it proceeds with plans to implement desalination, a process in which bay water is cleaned and used for drinking water.
The water district board will also have the opportunity to simply approve the initiative before it goes to the ballot, making it policy.
"We strongly urge that the MMWD board itself enact the initiative, thereby responding to the public," said Bill Rothman of Belvedere, who led the effort to gather signatures.
In August 2009 the water district board voted 4-0 to move forward with the desalination project. But in April, the board decided to suspend further work on the project until it could get a better handle on declining water demand.
The board directed its staff to analyze water use for this year and determine if a declining pattern in water use would continue. The findings will be presented in early 2011 and then decisions will be made on water supply projects, 


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including desalination.

 Read more San Rafael stories at the IJ's San Rafael  section.
Contact Mark Prado via e-mail at mprado at marinij.com

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