The foot that stomped Hollister’s vitality a year ago may be
asked to ease its pressure Friday, when city officials are
scheduled to make a presentation to the state water board and show
off the progress made on wastewater issues.
Hollister Public Works Director Clint Quilter will make Friday’s
presentation at the Salinas City Council Chambers and may be joined
by other engineering officials. The meeting is scheduled to begin
at 8:30 a.m., though Hollister officials don’t expect the city’s
item to be addressed until the early afternoon.
The foot that stomped Hollister’s vitality a year ago may be asked to ease its pressure Friday, when city officials are scheduled to make a presentation to the state water board and show off the progress made on wastewater issues.
Hollister Public Works Director Clint Quilter will make Friday’s presentation at the Salinas City Council Chambers and may be joined by other engineering officials. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., though Hollister officials don’t expect the city’s item to be addressed until the early afternoon.
On Sept. 19, 2002, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board penalized Hollister for its 15-million gallon sewer spill in May 2002. The board slapped the city with a cease and desist order (building moratorium) halting issuance of construction permits, which has essentially frozen development and backpedalled the local economy. The board also handed down potential fines of up to $1.2 million.
Those financial penalties are based on the city staying on schedule with six wastewater project milestones – the final one being a new $14 million wastewater plant scheduled for completion in October 2005.
Four projects carrying potential fines have been completed – including improvements at the current wastewater plant, along with two environmentally beneficial projects ordered by the water board. The fifth of the six projects – a study of groundwater near the San Benito River – is nearing completion, according to Quilter.
So far, the city has met most deadlines leading up to the new plant’s construction. The one exception was a project that didn’t carry a financial penalty.
For months, officials have speculated the Regional Water Quality Control Board may potentially ease its mandates and allow for some building within city limits – if Hollister officials can show added wastewater capacity and compliance with the state’s mandates. Quilter could not be reached Tuesday to comment on whether the city still plans to ask for partial lifting of the moratorium.
Also on Friday’s regional water board agenda, reports will be given on two perchlorate cleanup sites in Hollister – the Whittaker Corp. and McCormick Selph.
