The Commissioners also discussed land use hearings. Chairman Huston and Commissioner Baker agreed that there should be an opportunity for a land use hearing at some point. Commissioner Marquez partially agreed, noting concerns about shams. Counsel for the Commissioners suggested that adopting new land use hearing rules applicable to current permittees could be difficult. A draft process will also be presented for reopening inactive sites.
Staff is to follow-up on the survey letters, and warn of possible involuntary revocation.
Staff is to structure the requirements so as to include additional obligations for inactive status permit holders. These could include periodic public notice, sign postings, installation of groundwater or methane monitoring, additional financial assurance, quarterly capacity reporting, and inactive status fees. Current weather patterns predict a drought as intense as that in 1996. Reservoir capacities in the state are lower now than they were in the time preceding the 1996 drought. Numerous actions are occurring in this regard.