Calif. Public Utilities Commission, 
Calif. Water Resources Control Board, and   
Cal-Am - Steven Leonard      

Aug 10, 2004

Mr. Han & Mr. Leonard:

We write on behalf of seven Monterey Peninsula public interest groups, who strongly urge that the CPUC and the CWRCB impose an immediate and complete moratorium on all new water connections, and any expansion of existing connections - with no exceptions - other than for emergencies and public health and safety. Those seven groups are WILPF - Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, VISION - Vision Inspiring Sanctity and Integrity of Nature, Pacific Grove Neighbors, Carmel Valley Women's Network, Save Our Peninsula Committee, Responsible Consumers of our Monterey Peninsula, and HOPE - Helping Our Peninsula's Environment.

8,500+ New Connections Since Last Moratorium
Since the Water District was formed in 1978 right after the last moratorium, far more than 8,500 new water connections have been approved  ; at least 2 of these new connections were new golf courses (Spanish Bay and Poppy Hills) . Even though we are facing a drought this year, from January to April, the Water District approved some 496 new water connections and several new golf courses are expecting approval immediately.

Public Interest Requires Opposing New or Increasing Water Use
For more than a decade HOPE and several other groups have persistently opposed all increases in water use because of its direct harm to residential customers in rationing and conservation times such as these; and its deadly impacts on the imperiled Steelhead and the California red-legged frog - new connections, water transfers, water trucking and a myriad of other shell games to give water to developers. Cal-Am has been noticeable for their almost deafening silence on these matters. 

The PUC and the CWRCB must act to protect our dying river, our imperiled Southern steelhead, the equally threatened California red-legged frog and to halt the persistent loopholing of the Calif. Water Resources Control Board limit.

Thank you,

David Dilworth, Executive Director

Golf Course Water Use                  Acre Feet  Water Year  

 1 Cypress Point                             110     1988
 2 Monterey Peninsula Shore                  117     1988
 3 Monterey Peninsula Dunes                  102     1988
 4 Poppy Hills                               142     1988
 5 Pebble Beach                              159     1988
 6 Spyglass                                  147     1988
 7 Spanish Bay                               196     1988
 8 Peter Hay                                  10     1988
 9 Old Del Monte                             158     1988
10 Pacific Grove                             108     1988
11 Rancho Canada West                        305     1988
12 Rancho Canada East                        305     1988
13 Quail Lodge                               327     1988
14 Carmel Valley Ranch                       372     1988
15 Laguna Seca                               239     1996
16 Navy School                               198     1991
17 Ft Ord 1 (Bayonet)                          0     1996
18 Ft Ord 2 (Black Horse)                    282     1996
19 Pebble Beach Driving Range                  7     1988
20 Canada Woods/Tehama                   unknown
21 Rancho San Carlos                     unknown
22 Pasadera                              unknown

                     Total Acre feet =     3,284

The 19 (of 22) golf courses where we do have records can use more water (3,284) than Cal-Am has legal rights to pump (2,950 afy) from the Carmel River, which provides at least 70 percent of the water from the Carmel River for the Monterey Peninsula.
_________

If you have any questions, you may contact the other public interest groups as follows:

Pacific Grove Neighbors, 
Terrence Zito, Co-Chair  831/373-3326

Carmel Valley Women's Network, 
Grace Darcy, Executive Director 831/659-3933

VISION, Vision Inspiring Sanctity and Integrity of Nature
Dena Ibrahim, President   831/402-3106

Responsible Consumers of our Monterey Peninsula, 
Daniela Spiwak, Co-Chair  831/373-6250

Save Our Peninsula Committee, 
Ed Leeper, President   831/373-0823

WILPF - Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
 Katharina Harlow, Chair  831/625-0235