Environmental groups filed a lawsuit Friday challenging the City of Carlsbad's decision to approve changes to a proposed desalination plant.
The suit by San Diego Coastkeeper and Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation says the city of Carlsbad failed to comply with state environmental laws in approving changes to the project.
The lawsuit says when Poseidon Resources sought approval of major changes to the project this year, the city of Carlsbad approved the changes without completing the necessary environmental review.
Scott Maloni with Poseidon Resources says the arguments are the same as ones rejected in four previous lawsuits.
He says the legal challenge seems geared to stop the project rather than address environmental concerns.
Maloni says the approvals were minor changes that allow the desal plant to have a smaller footprint on the Carlsbad site.
Maloni said the lawsuit against the City of Carlsbad involves the final design approvals for the project.
"These merely involve improvements and enhancements which allow the project to have a smaller footprint on the site, and operate more efficiently," Maloni said.
Gabriel Solmer, Legal Director for San Diego Coastkeeper, says during the latest approval, Carlsbad failed to adequately address the marine life impacts that will result from the project's intake of seawater.
“Every agency to review the project subsequent to the City’s 2006 approval found major impacts to the environment,” says Solmer. “It defies explanation that the City would ignore those impacts and the changes that have occurred.”
Environmental groups, including San Diego Coastkeeper, have argued changes to the project since 2006 require further review.
