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Carlsbad Desalination Plant Faces Another Regulartory Hurdle

A proposed desalination plant in Carlsbad faces another regulatory hurdle Wednesday. A San Diego agency considers whether a plan by the company to offset impacts to marine life is sufficient. KPBS Env

Carlsbad Desalination Plant Faces Another Regulartory Hurdle

A proposed desalination plant in Carlsbad faces another regulatory hurdle today (wednesday). A San Diego agency considers whether a plan by the company to offset impacts to marine life is sufficient. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board considers Poseidon Resources' plan to offset impacts to marine life.  

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The board must approve the plan before it grants a water discharge permit.

The discharge permit includes a number of strict environmental protections designed to regulate the discharge of the concentrated seawater byproduct of the desalination process.  

Poseidon's marine life mitigation plan has already been approved by the state coastal commission and the state lands commission.  

It requires the company to restore more than 55 acres of coastal wetland habitat.

Environmental groups want the water control board to require that systems bringing in water from the ocean minimize damage to marine life.

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The desalination plant would be the largest in the western hemisphere and make 50 million gallons of fresh water a day from sea water.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.