The Power Plant Phase-Out Initiative—a measure designed to prevent AES from rebuilding its power plant on Harbor Drive—has qualified for the March ballot, power plant opponent Jim Light announced Wednesday evening in a blog post on Redondo Beach Patch.
The Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters faxed the city a certificate of sufficiency on Wednesday affirming that the initiative had enough signatures to qualify for the March ballot, Redondo Beach City Councilman Bill Brand told Patch.
- Complete Coverage: AES Redondo Beach Power Plant Debate
"Over 9,500 signatures were gathered in just 40 days," Light wrote in his blog post. "Just under 6,000 valid Redondo voter signatures were required to make the ballot."
According to Brand, more than 7,000 of the signatures on the petitions were valid.
"We got more signatures in less time than any referendum or initiative that I know of that we've gone through," Brand said. "Clearly, the Redondo Beach residents don't want a new power plant on their waterfront, but now they'll be able to affirm it with a vote in March."
If passed, the initiative would rezone the AES property on Harbor Drive for up to 40 percent commercial and institutional uses. Parkland and open space would take up the rest of the property. Power generation would not be allowed. As part of the initiative, AES would have until 2022 to demolish the existing plant.
The company's contract to provide power expires in 2018.
Opponents of the initiative call the zoning changes a "taking" and say that it would make the city vulnerable to lawsuits.
The current AES Redondo Beach—a natural gas plant that uses ocean water to cool superheated steam produced by the boilers to spin the turbines and produce electricity—must be retrofitted, retired or receive a special exemption to continue to use once-through cooling by 2020.
AES officials say the proposed new plant will be smaller, run cleaner and provide power when renewable resources are offline. Opponents say a new plant would run more often and emit more harmful particulate pollution, as well as continue to depress property values.
Light, Brand and members of the NoPowerPlant.com group were the driving forces behind the initiative.
I'm so proud of the hundreds of local residents that worked so hard during the summer to make this happen-- and grateful to the thousand of residents that signed and many families that donated. What a great group of hard-working citizens!
Redondo Beach Patch operates independently of Jim Light; however, whether you agree or disagree with the initiative, it qualifying for the ballot is certainly newsworthy. Jim Light is a blogger on Patch, which means we don't necessarily endorse what he writes—we simply provide a platform. I encourage you to blog on Patch about the issue, too. I welcome a diversity of opinions. You can post a blog by visiting this link: http://redondobeach.patch.com/blog/apply
Meanwhile, the latest telephone survey being conducted right now (sponsored by whom? AES?), labels supporters of No Power Plant as "environmental extremists." 7,400+ registered Redondo Beach voters, verified by the county, are sure to not take kindly to being called "extremists" for any reason! And by the way, not wanting an increase in dangerous particulate pollution from an unneccesary power plant in our town is not "extreme." It's common sense and exactly what the City of Redondo Beach should be promoting as a Vitality City for better health! Name calling, bullying, threats, misinformation, fear-mongering, propaganda; the lengths to which those who want a new, higher-polluting power plant here will go is sickening. They'll spend unGodly sums of money to protect their profits for their Virginia-based, Fortune 200 company, and leave the pollution here. We say Power to the People. Come join the No Power Plant team, volunteers and supporters at our next fund raiser, Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at The Ocean Bar, 1301 Manhattan Avenue in Hermosa Beach from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. www.facebook.com/nopowerplant www.nopowerplant.com
Redondo Beach residents have suffered from the poor planning, lack of vision and councilman forgetfulness (in who they represent) for far too long. One bright moment in Redondo is that local activism is alive and well and POWERFUL. What a difference a community can make when residents start tuning in and paying attention (and volunteering!). I hope we begin to see the tide change in who we send to office in Redondo Beach. It's time to bring back ethics and a desire to be of service as the prerequisites for running for office. I'm very grateful Jim has agreed to run in District 1. What a breath of fresh air that will be.