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Letters to the Editor
Los Angeles Times
202 West 1st Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
RE: “Foes Fight Water Cleanup With Dire Study” (January 15)
Dear Editor:
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board claims that the
reported cost to clean up L.A. County’s stormwater is inflated. This
is the same Board that called a recent State-commissioned study
related to stormwater cleanup costs “exaggerated,” then called a
second independent study by the Los Angeles Sanitation District
“grossly overstated.” Now they call a third independent study by the
University of Southern California “ludicrous,” even accusing USC –
one of the most reputable institutions in the nation – of being a
“willing accomplice to propaganda.”
The USC report is only the latest independent study to project the
costs of implementing the new rules into the billions of dollars –
costs which cities will only be able to fund by cutting public
services and raising taxes.
The fact is, the Regional Water Quality Control Board failed to
conduct a cost-benefit analysis prior to implementing the new
taxpayer-funded regulations, and its members are dodging the fact
that they didn’t do their homework.
At a time when Californians are losing jobs, companies are
relocating, the State is scrambling to compensate for a $35 billion
dollar deficit and communities are cutting essential public
services, it is our responsibility as elected representatives of the
people to make sure the Regional Water Quality Control Board gets
its priorities in order and finds practical and affordable solutions
to this problem.
Sincerely,
DON KNABE
Chairman Pro-Tem
Board of Supervisors
County of Los Angeles
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