At June’s UNA meeting, we will take a vote to submit the following letter on behalf of our neighborhood group, and joining groups from across the city who are demanding a safer, transmission line project.
Thousands of Riverside residents will be affected by higher insurance rates, lower property values, viewshed destruction, enhanced wildfire risk, other public safety risks, plus the theft of generational equity from some of our most disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Dear City Council Members, I am writing to you on behalf of the University Neighborhood Association with a request to reconsider the vote to stop the working group from obtaining the information needed to proceed with a request to underground the power lines in our city.
As a concerned citizen, who has witnessed both past and present Councils echoing the Community’s voice, saying that we do not have enough information or cost data regarding this project, I remain dismayed at the refusal to get that information.
Yet we persist in a course of action we all know is fraught with peril and foreseeable public health and safety risks. The very risks you swore an oath to put foremost in your elected stewardship duties. This is a risk to current and future residents as well as a dire risk to our regional neighbors who expect more from a city always eager to take leadership for innovation.
It is especially dismaying that we are proceeding in spite of State requirements that all new transmission line projects shall be underground. Did we not get the memo?
This is information we do have. We also know the easement needed to proceed is not forthcoming unless this project is underground. We know the longer we delay the greater the fire danger and the costs.
I am wondering if any of you have considered the possibility of having a shovel-ready project in three years and built in five?
What is needed is the political will to request a new EIR or Supplemental EIR to include current conditions. I know that if there was political will, time frames can be shortened.
We also have a mayor who is an expert in this arena and I am urging you Mayor Dawson, to bring the best of your considerable talents, experience, and demonstrated love for Riverside to show up on this. Your legacy is at risk. Have you considered the optics of having an environmental expert as mayor and proceeding with this monstrosity of a project? Even Edison is telling us to underground everywhere except for the City of Riverside apparently.
Political will gives us all the information we need and the project ready to submit in less than a year – if we require it. And if this project is as critical to our future as Staff, Edison, SEIU, the Chamber and a host of paid performers, shilling during Council deliberations, have said it is, then it is equally critical to listen to your community.
One of you needs to step up and request a reconsideration to get this rolling. If we are serious about need and the speed, then the shortest time frame starts with a new EIR process. One or all of you newly elected has an opportunity to step up and demonstrate the kind of leadership we have seen from Councilmen Conder, Hemenway and Councilwoman Cervantes.
We expect you to do your jobs and due diligence on this or risk the likely result of being a one term councilman.
Gurumantra Khalsa
Co Chair, University Neighborhood Assn.
951-640-3868
I concur with Mr. Khalsa. This is critically important to our city, especially in light of this statement: “It is especially dismaying that we are proceeding in spite of State requirements that all new transmission line projects shall be underground.”
I agree. Where do I add my name?
Here’s the link. We will be circulating at Sept UNA meeting as well
RTRP Petition