HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponse from CA Water Board Regarding Enforcement at MarijuanaGa~tIFORiiil+ J4`
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Oentri '4~alley Regfanal Water Quality Oor~trz~l E3aard
Bill Connelly, Chair
Board of Supervisors
Butte County
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95865
May 28, 2U13
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RS: Clean Water ActlNational Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NipDES} Permit
and the State Construction Storm Water Permit Bnforcemer<t at Marijuana: Growing Sites
in butte County.
Chair Connelly and l-lonoral~le Board Members:
Thank you for your letter of May 7, 2013 addressed to Karl E. Longley, Chair of'the Centr`d1
Vaiiey regional Water Quality Contra) Board (Central Valley Water Board)
Let me first express my appreciation for your and the Butte County Board of Supervisors'
concern far and efforts to protect water quality in California's Central Valley Region. We
understand that marijuana growing operations present several different types of threats to water
quality. Despite the passage of Proposition 215, it is difficult, if not impossible, for the Central
Valley Water Board staff to distinguish between marijuana growing operations that are permitted
pursuant to l~ropositian 215 and those that. are illegal. As you correctly point out, marijuana
growing operations are extremely profitable. Because of the arrtount of money involved even in
marijuana growing operations that would be permitted under Proposition 215, accessing and
inspecting these sites present a danger to Central Valley Water Board staff. The dan~`er to staff
is even more acute when art operation is not Proposition 215 compliant. .. ,
.
As you may know, our enforcement staff are not peace officers and as such da not have the
requisite training to deal with the myriad potential issues related to site visits to these.
operations. t/Ve simply cannot, in good conscience, put staff in harm's way. That said, while our
staff will not have a field presence, they will be available to provide in-house advice and
expertise to the appropriate law enforcemen# entities an the water related issues that they;rnay
encounter.
My staff would be happy to further discuss these issues v~lth you. You may also wish to talk to
our Board members directly at one of their upcoming meetings.
~. „~
SificereEy,
P/amela C. Creedon
~.xecutive Officer
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t i f
Chair Connelly
Butte County Page 2 of 2
cc: Doug LaMaifa, 2"d Congressional District
~'om McClintock, 4t" Congressional District
Dan Logue, State Assembly, 2"d District
Brian Dahle, State Assembly, 15~ District
Jim Nielsen, State Senate, 4~' District
Felicia Marcus, Chair, Sta#e Water Resources Control Board, (SWRCB}
Karl En. Longley, Chair (Central Valley Water Board}
Rob Egel, Legislative Director (SWRCB}
Cris Carrigan, Director, Office of Enforcement, (SWRC~3}
Paul Hann, Butte County Administrative Officer
Mike Crump, Director, Butte County Public Works