State Assemblymember Pérez to attend; community urged to participate

(SACRAMENTO) – This Thursday, two public meetings will be held in the Coachella Valley to engage community members on the matter of the Sentinel mitigation fund.  State Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez, author of AB 1318 that established the fund, will be attending both meetings and urges Coachella Valley communities to participate.

“It’s vital that we ensure an open and transparent process related to the Sentinel mitigation fund dollars,” said Pérez.  “AB 1318 requires that the mitigation dollars are used to reduce emissions in the impacted areas of the Valley.  We’re talking about a significant amount of money -- $53 million – that can be used to mitigate serious public health issues in our Valley.  It’s critical that the air quality management district hears from the affected communities as it moves forward to award these dollars.”

Enacted in 2009, AB 1318 enabled the construction of the CPV Sentinel energy project in Desert Hot Springs.  The law also directs the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to collect and use mitigation fees exclusively for emissions reduction purposes, requiring that a minimum of 30% of mitigation funds are used for projects in areas in close proximity to the new facility and that 30% of the funds are used for projects in areas designated as environmental justice (EJ) communities.  The AQMD is holding the public meetings for the purpose of gathering information and suggestions from the public regarding the fund and the designation of the EJ communities.

Both of the public meetings will be held this Thursday, January 5.

Western Coachella Valley
January 5, 2012
2:00 p.m.
Carl May Community Center
11711 West Drive
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

Eastern Coachella Valley
January 5, 2012
6:00 p.m.
College of the Desert, Room #8
61-120 Buchanan Street
Mecca, CA 92254

The AQMD Governing Board will be taking the findings from these public hearings into consideration at its January 6, 2012 meeting in Diamond Bar, CA.

For more information, contact Amy L. Wilson at 916-319-2080.

Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez represents the 80th Assembly District that includes the communities of Blythe, Brawley, Calexico, Calipatria, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Springs, and Westmorland.