Billion Dollar a Year, No-Growth Regulations Passed by Regional Water Board -- Again.

Business Editors/Government Writers

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2000

A billion dollar a year price tag for Bay Area taxpayers and a virtual halt to construction of new housing, new office space, and new industrial development. That is where the Bay Area is headed, following the latest in a series of regulations passed yesterday by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

"The board's action wouldn't improve water quality in the bay, which is their job -- but it would go far to wipe out economic growth in the Bay Area," said Craig Johns, former chair of the Regional Board and executive director of the Partnership for Sound Science in Environmental Policy, a coalition of public agencies and business groups.

"This series of regulations will essentially prohibit public sewage treatment plants from hooking up new housing, office and industrial projects," said Johns, "which means no new housing, office or industrial projects. For example, this threatens Oakland's efforts to bring 10,000 new residents downtown, development of Treasure Island and San Francisco's Mission Bay development."

East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) has told the board that its action would restrict growth and development and create a negative economic and social impact. The Bay Area Dischargers Association, which represents agencies serving five million Bay Area residents, has said that the cost of the new regulation would top $1 billion a year -- and that cost would fall on local taxpayers and utility ratepayers.

"Instead of going after the major sources of pollution in Bay Area waters, the board has chosen this `one percent solution,' which would throw a billion dollars a year at a problem which represents about one percent of the pollutants going into our waters," said Johns. "That's madness, not public policy. On top of that, the board's actions violate its own policies and state law."

The Partnership for Sound Science in Environmental Policy is a coalition, which includes the California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Bay Area Dischargers Association, Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, California Manufacturers Association and the Contra Costa Council.