Permit in Hand, Poseidon Prepares for Construction
The California Coastal Commission issued a Coastal Development Permit to Poseidon Resources Corp. on Nov. 3, clearing the way for the firm to build its proposed Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
Initial construction of the $350 million desalination facility is expected to begin as early as this week by Pasadena-based Tetra Tech Inc., said a Poseidon Resources spokesman.
“With this permit in hand, the project’s pre-construction phase formally begins now with the initiation of site demolition and preparation,” said Poseidon’s senior vice president, Peter MacLaggan.
Poseidon first introduced its 50-million-gallon-per-day seawater desalination facility proposal in 1998 and has devoted the past six years to obtaining permits and approvals for its construction. The process included more than 15 public hearings with agencies such as the city of Carlsbad, state Lands Commission and the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The Coastal Commission originally approved the Coastal Development Permit on a 9-3 vote two years ago. Subsequently, the commission voted to approve two permit conditions, a Marine Life Protection Plan and an Energy Minimization and Greenhouse Reduction Plan. Poseidon spent the past year working with the Coastal Commission to finalize the permit.
“The significance of this milestone is we have all the legal entitlements to break ground and it’s been 10 years in the making,” said Scott Maloni, Poseidon’s vice president of development.
Once the facility is operational near the ocean and Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, which is anticipated as early as 2012, the plant will provide enough drinking water to serve 300,000 residents.
— Julie Gallant
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Rubio’s Reports a Profit as Suitor Pursues Buyout
The house that fish tacos built, Rubio’s Restaurants Inc., reported third-quarter net income of 5 cents per share Nov. 4 on revenue of $48.4 million.
Net income for the quarter ended Sept. 27 was $487,000, compared to net income of $789,000 in the year-ago quarter. Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 27 was $48.4 million, compared to revenue of $46.9 million in the year-ago quarter.
