The Executive Officer of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Board, Matt Keeling, has responded favorably (see email copied below) to the concerns expressed by local electeds and the people of Paso Robles regarding the methods to be used to mitigate fire hazards in the Salinas River Bed. Mr. Keeling again references the long-term management plan the city has been working on for almost a year, but now agrees that an interim emergency plan will be used to handle the immediate threat. This is the core of what our community has long requested and we are grateful this strategy will now be implemented. We will move ahead with both plans quickly. We must, because the long, summer is ahead of us and we must remain vigilant to reduce the fire hazard in the riverbed.
Many thanks again to the brave emergency workers of our own city and those from the many agencies who came to our aid and contained the June 22 fire. Two homes burned, nine were damaged and thousands of people were evacuated. No one was injured. It could have been much worse. Thanks also to the many local residents who contacted me and the Water Quality Board with their concerns. As always, your voices mattered. And, of course, thanks to Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, First District Supervisor John Peschong and Fifth District Supervisor Debbie Arnold for standing with us in a bi-partisan effort to resolve this situation.
It is now my hope we can move past the log-jam between the City of Paso Robles and the Water Board that put our community in danger. I want to forge a new, positive and productive relationship with the Water Board. I am willing to work arduously to create and foster that relationship so long as the people and City of Paso Robles are respected and protected. We will see how this new relationship develops as we work together to address the Salinas Riverbed problem as well as other issues that require our two organizations to work together in the public interest.
As always, this is Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin reminding you to stay informed, stay involved and stay strong Paso Robles.
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FROM MATT KEELING, CENTRAL COAST REGIONAL WATER QUALITY BOARD:
Good Evening Citizens of Paso Robles,
I am responding to your numerous emails that I received throughout the day regarding the recent events surrounding the fire this Monday in the Salinas River channel that burned down several homes and threatened countless others.
The residents of Paso Robles and city officials are justifiably concerned about the prospect of a catastrophic fire ravaging their community. Protecting public health and safety is a priority for the Central Coast Water Board and we have been and continue to be committed to working with the city to address the significant fire problem along the Salinas River channel running through the city. In fact, we’ve been coordinating with the city to help them get a long-term plan in place since the fires last July that would allow the city to conduct ongoing vegetation removal for the purposes of fire mitigation along the Salinas River channel.
My staff and I are working expeditiously with city staff to implement an interim emergency action plan to thin and remove vegetation in the coming weeks and to develop and permit a long-term plan to implement ongoing vegetation management. Just this afternoon we received the city’s interim plan and intend to work with them to have it in place by the end of next week. City staff are still working on the development of the long-term plan and have indicated to me that it will be submitted to the Water Board in the next several weeks for our review and approval.
This issue is a high priority for me and my staff, and I am personally working to open and maintain clear and amicable lines of communication between our respective staff and myself and elected officials to ensure this issue is addressed as expeditiously as possible to protect the Paso Robles community and its residents.
Sincerely,
Matthew T. Keeling
Executive Officer
Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
895 Aerovista Place, Suite 101
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 549-3140 | matt.keeling@waterboards.ca.gov