Public Comment Opportunity: Draft Seawater Desalination Siting & Streamlining Report to Expedite Permitting
The State Water Resources Control Board is accepting written public comment on the Draft Seawater Desalination Siting and Streamlining Report to Expedite Permitting (Draft Report) that was developed by a Seawater Desalination Interagency Group in response to direction in California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future. The deadline for comments on the Draft Report is Friday, July 28, 2023 at noon.
The Seawater Desalination Interagency Group, headed by the Board, includes representatives from the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, California Natural Resources Agency, Coastal Commission, Department of Water Resources, Ocean Protection Council, and Department of Fish and Wildlife, among others.
The Seawater Desalination Interagency Group will host an informational webinar on the report on Friday, July 21, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to noon and it will consider public comments prior to finalizing the report.
The Public Notice includes additional information on how to submit comments and participate in the informational webinar. More information about seawater desalination and the California Ocean Plan can be found on the Board’s website.
The Draft Report has no regulatory force or effect and is not part of a formal rulemaking process, rather the Draft Report serves to identify potential streamlining pathways and actions to streamline and facilitate approval under existing regulatory requirements, as well as potential changes to the requirements.