Bob-bi-lu
05-27-2005, 07:57 PM
Tough fines ahead for CMC
State staff has suggested a $600,000 penalty, but it could reach $2.23 million
David Sneed
Posted on Sat. May 21, 2005
The Tribune
State water officials are in a get-tough mood with the California Men's Colony after the prison's antiquated sewer system spilled more than 220,000 gallons of sewage during the past year.
They are recommending that the prison be fined $600,000 when the Regional Water Quality Control Board meets in July.
"My goal is to send a message that we expect a new era at CMC," said Matt Thompson, a water quality engineer on the board staff. "We'd like them to get serious about preventing sewage spills."
The last time the water board's staff recommended a fine that large was in 2002, when the city of Hollister in San Benito County had a large sewage spill. At that hearing, the board doubled the fine, making it the largest in the board's recent history.
The board could fine CMC up to $2.23 million. The case will be heard before the water board July 8 in San Luis Obispo.
"Our intent is to make sure the board has a chance to air out their concerns with CMC," he said.
Some of the spills have flowed into creeks that flow into Morro Bay, a protected estuary.
Prison officials will tell the board that they are fixing the problem as fast as they can, said Lt. Shelly Thompson, prison spokeswoman. A four-mile-long collection line already has been installed, and construction of a new treatment plant will be complete in a year.
"We are hoping they will take that into account," she said. "We are hopeful that the new line and the new plant will alleviate the problem."
The last spill occurred Jan. 9, just days before installation of the new main line was complete. The spill of 30,000 gallons of partially treated sewage would not have occurred if the line had been complete, Matt Thompson said.
The sewage system dates to World War II when it was constructed to serve Camp San Luis Obispo. That area just north of San Luis Obispo has since grown, and the sewage plant now serves 15,000 people at the prison, Cuesta College, the Sheriff's Department headquarters, the County Jail and the county Office of Education.
One of the main problems has been that inmates at the prison flush contraband and even large objects such as blankets down the toilet, said Matt Thompson. That blocks the collection line, causing sewage to back up and eventually spill into Chorro Creek.
"The prisoners use blankets as weapons against the institution," he said. "If they can cause a sewage spill, they feel they have won something."
The new line is larger in diameter and constructed of a smooth plastic material that is much less prone to blockage.
Link to Article:http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispotribune/11705366.htm
State staff has suggested a $600,000 penalty, but it could reach $2.23 million
David Sneed
Posted on Sat. May 21, 2005
The Tribune
State water officials are in a get-tough mood with the California Men's Colony after the prison's antiquated sewer system spilled more than 220,000 gallons of sewage during the past year.
They are recommending that the prison be fined $600,000 when the Regional Water Quality Control Board meets in July.
"My goal is to send a message that we expect a new era at CMC," said Matt Thompson, a water quality engineer on the board staff. "We'd like them to get serious about preventing sewage spills."
The last time the water board's staff recommended a fine that large was in 2002, when the city of Hollister in San Benito County had a large sewage spill. At that hearing, the board doubled the fine, making it the largest in the board's recent history.
The board could fine CMC up to $2.23 million. The case will be heard before the water board July 8 in San Luis Obispo.
"Our intent is to make sure the board has a chance to air out their concerns with CMC," he said.
Some of the spills have flowed into creeks that flow into Morro Bay, a protected estuary.
Prison officials will tell the board that they are fixing the problem as fast as they can, said Lt. Shelly Thompson, prison spokeswoman. A four-mile-long collection line already has been installed, and construction of a new treatment plant will be complete in a year.
"We are hoping they will take that into account," she said. "We are hopeful that the new line and the new plant will alleviate the problem."
The last spill occurred Jan. 9, just days before installation of the new main line was complete. The spill of 30,000 gallons of partially treated sewage would not have occurred if the line had been complete, Matt Thompson said.
The sewage system dates to World War II when it was constructed to serve Camp San Luis Obispo. That area just north of San Luis Obispo has since grown, and the sewage plant now serves 15,000 people at the prison, Cuesta College, the Sheriff's Department headquarters, the County Jail and the county Office of Education.
One of the main problems has been that inmates at the prison flush contraband and even large objects such as blankets down the toilet, said Matt Thompson. That blocks the collection line, causing sewage to back up and eventually spill into Chorro Creek.
"The prisoners use blankets as weapons against the institution," he said. "If they can cause a sewage spill, they feel they have won something."
The new line is larger in diameter and constructed of a smooth plastic material that is much less prone to blockage.
Link to Article:http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispotribune/11705366.htm