Amador County – The Sierra Nevada Conservancy and delivered an early Christmas present to Amador Water Agency Thursday, in the form of a planning grant for $270,000 that until recently was frozen by the state economy. Sierra Nevada Conservancy Assistant Executive Director Joan Keegan said “for your grant, it’s a complete thaw.” Keegan and SNC Area Representative Brandon Sanders met with Assemblywoman Alyson Huber at a special AWA board meeting Thursday. Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the grant will build on infrastructure issues studied in the 1970s for a county regional wastewater plan. He said AWA sought the grant to update the old plan, “affectionately known as the Purple Pipe system.” The aim in the regional planning project is to try to reuse wastewater and free up raw river water for treatment and drinking. He said Sutter Creek is now looking at building a tertiary plant, and Jackson is reviewing its discharge and future permitting. The updated regional plan led various agencies in different directions, and the next regional planning approach will aim at developing and executing a strategic plan, publishing a Master Plan, and making it available to other agencies. He said AWA staff could give presentations on the plan. $90,000 of the grant is “focused on the development of the strategic outreach plan.” Director Don Cooper said he would like to add to the dialog a wastewater pipeline from Buckhorn to a regional plant, to help solve the Upcountry problems of failing leach-field systems. Mancebo said outlying areas such as Buckhorn, Ione, Plymouth and Jackson should be part of the discussion. Vice President Debbie Dunn said the grant was brought up at the Sutter Creek meeting on Gold Rush Wednesday, with people saying they should be a part its regional planning. Huber said she saw nothing in Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s program that would stop it from looking at a larger regional planning area, as far as construction and financing, and improving “purchasing power.” President Bill Condrashoff asked if getting an “inter-regional plan” would help AWA be more likely to receive funding. Huber said with the grant, AWA can finish its plans and be more competitive when funding comes available. She said it would help qualify for federal money, but she didn’t “know of any specific pots” of funding. Dunn asked if they could request state or federal funding for a Purple Pipe system. Huber said she voted against the Delta Legislation, but its bond measure does have funding for water reclamation systems. She preferred a revenue bond, but it is “general obligation,” she said, meaning all taxpayers in the state pay for it. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on Wednesday announced that Argonaut High School is among 14 schools within the company’s service area selected to receive up to $10,000 each in Bright Ideas grants. The money will be used to help their districts reduce energy usage, save money and help students learn the importance of environmental stewardship. Argonaut High School in Jackson was awarded $2,500. As part of the larger PG&E Solar Schools program, the Bright Ideas Grants program promotes the understanding of renewable energy in public schools throughout Northern and Central California. In 2009, PG&E awarded $250,000 in grants during the spring and fall to credentialed teachers, administrators and facilities managers. The PG&E Solar Schools Program includes installation of photovoltaic systems in public schools, a solar-based curriculum training package, workshops for teachers and Bright Ideas grants. Since its inception in 2004, PG&E shareholders have contributed more than $8 million to the PG&E Solar Schools program. With more than 125 schools participating throughout PG&E’s service area, the program has trained more than 3,000 teachers, benefiting nearly 200,000 students. The National Energy Education Development Project manages curriculum training and administration of the grants, and the Foundation for Environmental Education coordinates installation of the donated photovoltaic systems. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, based in San Francisco, is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency this week announced a special meeting for discussion regarding a regional approach to a water reclamation grant with Assemblywoman Alyson L. Huber. The discussion with Huber, District 10 representative for Amador County, is the only item on the agenda. AWA Board President Bill Condrashoff called the special meeting for 10 a.m. Thursday at the agency’s office in Sutter Creek. The board also held another special meeting 2 p.m. Tuesday in Conference Room A to discuss an informational brochure that the agency is preparing to circulate regarding the Gravity Supply Line and its potential impacts on the Central Amador Water Project. Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the board approved an informational “white paper” to send out with financing information for the Gravity Supply Line, with projected costs to pay for the estimated $13 million project. The board approved the “white paper” to go out, but Condrashoff “asked to have the special meeting to look at the final draft.” In the meeting Thursday, there were changes discussed, and staff should have made changes from the direction. Mancebo said they were not major changes, but there were a “couple of numbers that seemed to have brought confusion,” and the board talked about clearing up those miscommunications. He said the board “mostly just talked about making it more understandable.” Mancebo said the board heard a report from the Association of California Water Agencies. AWA sent a letter disapproving of ACWA’s support of San Joaquin Delta Legislation, despite many members not agreeing. The AWA board voted November 20th to write a letter to ACWA’s board, and ACWA reportedly received the letter. Mancebo said ACWA’s board members took note of the letter from AWA, “but there was not a lot of reaction.” He said “there was recognition that there were some upset members.” Also opposing the Delta Legislation was the East Bay Municipal Utility District board of directors. Mancebo said the Legislature was going to be an important place for the AWA to try to get involved regarding water law, “specifically the Delta Legislation.” He thinks there will be some follow-up bills to that legislation, along with bills making clarifications. Mancebo said the California Legislature will be active on water issues, and he thinks the AWA should really be involved in it. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.