Amador County – The Amador County Air District Board of Directors adopted the environmental findings of county supervisors and planning commissioners Wednesday, in approving the use permit for the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant.

The Air Board, acting as “responsible agency,” approved a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, as well a “statement of overriding considerations, and mitigation monitoring program” for the plant, which were approved last November by the Amador County Planning Commission, and upheld on appeal in January by the Amador County Board of Supervisors.

Air District Director Mike Boitano recommended the board review and consider the environmental affects and the project alternatives identified in the Supplemental EIR, and he also recommended they find that the documents meet the California Environmental Quality Act.

Air District counsel, Greg Gillott, detailed the background of the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant, saying its developers applied in 2009 to take over the former Co-Gen plant’s permit to operate, and also applied to convert the plant’s fuel permit from lignite coal and wood to a strictly woody biomass fuel.

Amador County, as lead agency, did a Supplemental EIR on the plant, and “essentially looked at the project as if it was a new project,” Gillott said, even though most of the infrastructure for the operation was already at the site. He said the one impact that “remained significant and unavoidable” after mitigation plans was the “accumulative affect of greenhouse gas emissions,” for which supervisors adopted a “statement of overriding considerations.”

Supervisor Richard Forster asked if “two active legal actions against the county affect the air board’s ability to move forward.” Gillott said the suit would not require construction to stop at the Buena Vista Plant, and the board must assume that the CEQA documentation was done properly. He said only a court stay or injunction would stop work at the plant, and if that were done, “the Board would issue a conditional approval or denial.”

During a public hearing, Jim Conklin, executive director of the 25-member Amador County Business Council, said the group supported the Buena Vista Biomass. He said he believed it will burn cleaner than the old plant, and the planning commission and county have “done their due diligence on this.”

Conklin said the county already faces budget questions for sheriff’s hours, furloughs and layoffs, which go with the economy. He said the state as a whole will be affected by whether the state budget is approved in March, or if it goes to the ballot, and it may also affect the county. He said Buena Vista Biomass Power won’t solve all of the county’s economic problems, but it will help, especially in the need for more local jobs.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency outreach committee is scheduled to meet Friday with the mayor and city manager of Plymouth to discuss water issues.

AWA Director Art Toy of District 5 and Director Robert Manassero of District 4 will meet with Interim City Manager Jeff Gardner and Mayor Greg Baldwin at 9 a.m. Friday at the AWA office on Ridge Road in Sutter Creek, as part of the AWA Plymouth Outreach Committee.

Discussions could include a status of developer projects in Plymouth, and possible water system impacts.

The committee could also discuss the finalized costs for the Plymouth pipeline project, built jointly by the city and the AWA, with cost sharing based on estimates, which could be updated with the studies.

The pipeline was completed in 2009 and officially activated early last year. The financial plan is expected to lower Plymouth’s water costs, because the amount of water the city uses was estimated to be higher than it actually uses.

Gardner said in January that the city could get a 10-15 percent reduction in its share of costs, and the city’s debt service of about $200,000 annually could be reduced. Plymouth’s net share of costs dropped to about 60 percent, from about 65 percent.

The AWA Plymouth Outreach Committee’s agenda also includes discussion of the Tanner water treatment plant’s facility study, and a “regional approach to water reuse.

Also on the agenda, the committee could discuss the Amador Water System financial plan, as well as water rights.

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Amador County – The Amador County Air District held a public hearing Wednesday before approving the permit to operate and related documents for the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant.

Bill May of Jackson Valley Road told of biomass incineration power plants in Merced and Madera Counties, which last week were fined a total of $830,000 for emission violations. He said the plants likely had equipment that was not brand new like the Buena Vista Plant proposes.

Donna Ogelvie of Camanche Parkway said her property was black when the old lignite plant operated. She said: “I was told, face to face, I couldn’t prove it came from the plant.” Ogelvie said: “I would like to see before it opens if they can do what they say they will do.”

Supervisor Richard Forster asked if they could have a “test period,” or “put the authority to construct in place for a test period.” Air District Counsel Greg Gillott said Buena Vista Biomass Power will have to prove it can operate on their “authority to construct” before they can get a permit to operate.

Consultant Ray Kupai, one of the “drafters of the authority to construct permit,” said a “source testing plan” must be submitted to the district before tests are conducted. A continuous monitoring system will be used, and a “fairly lengthy due diligence process” will make sure that the plant can “meet emission limits which are in the permit.” Supervisor Ted Novelli asked about the “source testing,” and it if will have different items.

Kupai said plant operators will be asked to run the plant at maximum capacity and will be asked to use the highest emission material for fuel, so they can show that they will meet the permit limits at maximum operating levels, with the dirtiest known fuel allowed in the permit.

Air District Director Mike Boitano said “source testing is required annually. They have to do it every year.”

Ogelvie’s daughter, Vicky Martin asked about access to emissions monitoring data, and Forster asked if it would be accessible to the public online. Buena Vista Biomass developer Mark Thompson said they could place data on a website, but it would have a delay from live monitoring of about 15 minutes. Boitano said they should push for that, and make sure the website noted the 15-minute delay.

Thompson said online reports could be summaries, and “there would also be complete monthly reports that are delivered to the Air District.”

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Amador County – Amador County Road crews could be working to clear snow in the next few days, and the county road department announced a reminder of county snowplowing policies and practices.

Jim McHargue of Amador County Transportation and Public Works issued a release Wednesday reminding residents of county snow removal policy and safety precautions, because a “low snow event” is expected this week, with a 90 percent chance of rain and snow Thursday night into Friday morning.

McHargue said the county Snow Removal Policy is posted on the County’s website. He said “this week’s forecast of possible low snow means that plows will be clearing lower elevation roads, such as Ridge Road, first and moving up to higher elevations next.”

He said it “does no good to clear upcountry roads before clearing the lower roads,” and he urged patience, as “with our county’s limited resources it may seem like a very long time before we get to your road.”

County residents should remember that “major thoroughfares will be first priority. Side roads will be next, with dead end or cul-de-sac roads last.” McHargue said the “county does not remove snow from driveways or from in front of mail boxes.” Therefore, “county plows may leave a berm of snow at driveway encroachments onto county roads. The removal of the berm is the responsibility of the owner.”

Sanding normally begins after snow is cleared and where icy conditions may occur. Residents should be prepared, McHargue said, and should “plan ahead by stocking up on daily necessities at first report of snow and reschedule appointments if possible.”

County snow “plows will continue to run until snow has stopped and roads are clear.” They may come down a street several times during a storm. The department warned that people should not let children or pets play in streets or on snow berms, as drivers may not be able to stop in time to avoid an accident.

Parked vehicles should not impede the snow plows, and people should not park vehicles or place garbage cans or trash on roadways or along the edge of roadways. Vehicles blocking snow removal operations may be towed away at owner’s expense. Vehicles should be parked a minimum of five feet off the roadway.

McHargue said do not clear your driveway until after road has been plowed. Also, do not shovel or blow snow from driveways or mail boxes into the roadway as it creates a hazard for other drivers.

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Amador County – The Central Amador Water Project service area was asked to conserve water Saturday morning, after a power outage knocked out the water pumps that feed the Buckhorn Water Treatment Plant.

Power was restored by early afternoon, but not before the agency requested voluntary water conservation in seven Upcountry water service areas, as power was lost during last week’s storm.

Pacific Gas & Electric had 7,000 or more outages in the Amador and Calaveras areas, and crews were working to respond to the outages in the utility’s 70,000 square mile service area. A PG&E power outage map on Tuesday showed outages from Eureka to Bakersfield, including a large cluster in the Bay Area. Locally, West Point appeared to be the closest area without power.

Amador Water Agency General Manager Gene Mancebo said besides power problems, the AWA had communications interruptions, with phone line downs, as the phones are used to remotely activate and deactivate the pumps, which carry water from the Tiger Creek to the CAWP treatment plant at Buckhorn. The agency notified customers to conserve water.

He said the agency had “some critical water shortage issues Upcountry because of the power outage.” Upcountry water areas affected, included customers from the Pine Grove, Sunset Heights and Jackson Pines area, all the way up to Pine acres, Pioneer, Rabb Park and the Mace Meadow area. All were asked to conserve water usage until power was restored.

“We are scrambling,” Mancebo said Saturday morning. “We have been scrambling with generators, but it is very difficult to get to the large pumps, to get water up to the treatment plant. We have power at the plant, but we don’t have any way to get the water up there.”

He said: “Of course the gravity supply line would help this issue. And we’ve got communication problems, phone lines are down that turn the pumps on and off as well.”

Saturday in the early afternoon, Mancebo said “PG&E was able to restore the power to our pump stations so that we can start producing water at the Buckhorn plant,” and they lifted the conservation request.

“I think this is just one more issue of why that gravity pipeline would be great to have in place,” Mancebo said. The pipeline would replace the pump system with a gravity-fed underground pipeline.

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Amador County – The Amador Regional Planning Committee is scheduled to select a vice chairman this week, and could also discuss what to do about a road project for Highway 49.

The Regional Planning Committee meets 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23 at the Jackson Civic Center. The committee has three agenda items, including election of officers, that is, an election of a vice-chairperson.

The committee could also get a follow-up presentation from Ed McMahon on a recent “Your Town Workshop.” The committee is also scheduled to continued discussion of a “plan of action for the Highway 49 Project.”

Committee members also may give reports on their activities in their respective jurisdictions or areas, and to request items be placed on future agendas. The committee will also set the agenda for its March 23 meeting.

Committee members include Jackson Councilman Keith Sweet, and his alternate, Mayor Connie Gonsalves. Mayor Tim Murphy represents Sutter Creek, and his alternate is Councilwoman Sandra Anderson. Sandy Fuller represents the city of Plymouth, and her alternate is Mayor Greg Baldwin.

Member-at-large is Renee Chapman, and her alternate is Brian Jobson. Amador City is represented by Councilman Tim Knox, whose alternate is Mayor Aaron Brusatori. Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club is represented by Lynda Burman, and the Upcountry Community Council is represented by Rebecca Brown.

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Amador County – Amador County Fair board members, staff and guests enjoyed multiple awards for its 2010 fair, during the annual conference of the Western Fair Association.

Karen Spencer said in a news release Monday that the 2010 Amador County Fair was recognized in eight categories in the annual Western Fair Association Achievement Awards competition. Three first and three third place wins were chalked up by the Fair’s marketing and communication pieces for the 2010 “It’s A Jungle Out There” themed Fair.

WFA is composed of member fairs and large special events in the western United States, plus major shows in Canada. The Amador County Fair competed against other fairs of similar size.

Top honors went to the Amador County Fair for poster art by Rand Huggett and its KSEG radio commercial. Other awards were for newspaper ads, display advertising, and direct mail, plus the Fair’s RV Policies Handbook and the Junior Livestock Auction Policy Handbook.

CEO Troy Bowers and Fair Board Members Robert Manassero, Frank Halverson, Ciro Thoma, Marilyn Hoopes, Chuck Simmons, Jeannie Deaver, Mike Boitano and Jan Howard attended the annual Achievement Awards Dinner in Nevada. To receive the award, they all dressed in purple hats and purple boas, the favorite color of former CEO Susan Clark, who was inducted into the WFA Hall of Fame during the conference.

Spencer said the board is “looking forward to another award-winning Fair,” and “the 2011 event is sure to catch the eye of the judges in the next competition. “Dancing with the Steers” the new theme, which is sure to inspire some crazy competition.

The Amador County Fair will be held July 28-31 in Plymouth. For more information visit AmadorCountyFair.com and follow them on Facebook.

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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to make no change to the Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee affecting county housing development, and also approved a related environmental document.

The board discussed heavy pressure from both sides of the argument to keep it the same or to enact lesser impact fees, which are determined by a nexus study, and approved in 2008. That impact fee rate was kept at $2,500 per single-family dwelling unit equivalent, or “$250 per trip end.”

The Board Administrative Committee, made up of Chairman John Plasse and Vice Chairman Louis Boitano recommended adoption of the traffic mitigation fee with no fee increase. Supervisor Richard Forster said the board must try to find a “happy medium” between the many businesses, and individuals who have voiced opinions to keep the fee the same, raise it or lower it. Supervisor Ted Novelli agreed, saying board members have been “bombarded” by people who want a higher or lower fee amount.

Plasse said the “nexus fee is not designed to control costs,” and it was built around a “wish list” that contributing agencies and jurisdictions were asked to assemble, listing their road project needs. He said the capital improvement plan used an engineering cost index to give the maximum cost of projects, which totaled $166 million. He said projects are coming in under estimates, such as the recently completed Mission Boulevard extension in Jackson, which was bid for half the cost estimated.

Boitano said: “I think we all agree that we will never get to that total of $166 million” in the coffers for the Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee program. He said the California Transportation Department looks at projects and the fair share amount of local contributions, and if the funds are not there, they move on to the next project on the list. He said the Mission Boulevard project was built because money was set aside for it.

Supervisor Brian Oneto asked about Caltrans designation of the new Highway 49 bypass as having a level-of-service of a grade D. He said: “What the heck is level A, no cars on the road?”

Boitano said Amador County is losing population and has 2,000 uninhabited homes, not counting within cities. He said he has three empty houses on his street. ¶ In the public hearing, Leroy Carlin said “trip ends per household” seem to be based on information that is “already flawed.” Boitano noted that in the nexus, even homes with teenagers get only 10 trip ends.

The vote included approval of a notice of categorical exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, because “individual project CEQA review will occur when sufficient funding is available.”

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