Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)
After the close of the “New DEIR” public comment period, EBMUD will need to
respond to all public comments. EBMUD will create a Final Environmental
Impact Report (FEIR) that will include all public comments and EBMUD
responses. This FEIR will then be reviewed and used by the EBMUD board
members to decide if the Bayside Project will be rejected or approved.
Therefore, it is very important for all of the public to submit written
comments to EBMUD during the “New DEIR” public comment period to
officially record the public’s opposition.
PAST EVENTS
A public comment meeting was held Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 7:00PM at the Washington Manor Middle School, 1170 Fargo Ave., San Leandro. Five of eight EBMUD board members were in attendance, and residents – plus several elected officials – filled the school auditorium. The Task Force made a ten minute presentation to the board and community to start the public comment portion of the meeting. Click here to see the presentation. Strong community opposition to the project was voiced by many speakers from San Leandro and San Lorenzo who used their three minute comment periods to detail the risks of the project to the EBMUD board members in attendance and request that they vote "No" on the Bayside Project.
EBMUD has provided the public with only a 45-day review period of the RDEIR. Just like back in 2001 with the original DEIR, EBMUD is not providing residents with a reasonable time period to review the Environmental Impact Report. EBMUD has taken over 3 years to review the public's comments submitted back in August 2001 but will only give residents 45 days to review EBMUD’s work. Is that reasonable or fair? Of course not – this is EBMUD we are dealing with – again trying to “steamroll” the public. Residents are seeking a minimum 120-day review period.
A new and revised DEIR has been released by EBMUD, which now officially proposes to phase the project – start off smaller (Phase I), then in a few years, expand to full size (Phase II).
Notice of Preparation (NOP)
EBMUD’s Notice of Preparation announces that EBMUD now
proposes to “phase” the Bayside Project, that is, start off smaller than the
original project size (Phase I), then in a couple of years, ramp up to near
the original project size (Phase II). Essentially, this is the same as the
previous 2001 proposal – it still significantly impacts residents' health
and property. The NOP also signals the presentation of a “New DEIR,”
which EBMUD plans to release in early 2005.
The initial deadline to submit public comments with regard to the Bayside Groundwater Project was in May 2001, but the Heron Bay Task Force and other concerned residents worked to collect over 1,000 petition signatures requesting EBMUD for an extension of 120 days. This "Original DEIR" received hundreds of public comments in opposition which caused EBMUD to “rethink” their plans to move forward with the Bayside Project.
(see Note 1 below)
EBMUD originally provided residents with only a 45-day review/comment period and had planned construction of the project as early as Summer 2001.
Residents adjacent to proposed project location were not notified.
