Local News & Events

News pertaining directly to Trona, Death Valley, the northern Mojave Desert, Inyo County, and adjacent areas.

Re: Local News & Events

Postby twister » Mon May 10, 2021 6:39 am

pcslim wrote:No water shut-off for Searles yet, attorney makes stupid comparison, proving himself to be an idiot
The plant needs to pay its fair share of the cost of the groundwater replenishment fee. It may be expensive, but if they are being asked to pay it, then they should pay it. They can challenge the fee in court and get their money back later if a judge agrees with their complaints, but in the meantime they need to be grown up and responsible about things. Also reading into the article it sounds like the plant is holding the community hostage as a way of forcing IWVGA to supply them with water which they aren't paying for. If I were the judge in this case I would nail the chemical plant with massive fines to make it clear that they should have done the right thing up front instead of playing this stupid game of hiding behind Trona residents!
https://www.ridgecrestca.com/story/news/2021/05/06/no-searles-water-shut-off-yet-threat-compared-holding-gun-svm/4977418001/

Given the extreme nature of the current drought, it seems irresponsible not to support efforts to deal with the crisis. The chemical plant needs to do its part and being an obstacle to the solution instead of being part of the solution is reprehensible!
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Re: Local News

Postby dzrtdwg » Thu May 13, 2021 6:23 am

The big problem with all this is that residential water rates will also go way up. People in Trona already pay a lot for water. Get ready to pay even more! It'll only get worse and so unless you move to somewhere where water is plentiful, high cost water is here to stay!
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby panamint_patty » Tue Jun 15, 2021 12:13 pm

Mojave Pistachios must pay or quit pumping, Searles gets reprieve until July 1
Looks like the chemical plant is hiding behind the citizens of Trona. Their plan seems to be to continue using water and not paying for it while holding the people of Trona hostage. It's the old "human shield" strategy commonly used by terrorists.
At issue is whether stopping water service to the SVM plant would necessarily force water to be cut off to residential users in Trona. SVM sources say it will, but have so far not provided proof acceptable to the GA that this would be the case. The order is being delayed until July 1 to allow the issue to be vetted in more detail.

https://www.ridgecrestca.com/story/news/2021/06/10/ga-mojave-pistachios-must-pay-quit-pumping-searles-gets-reprieve/7648804002/
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby shadylady » Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:07 pm

The chemical plant was paying 6% in royalties to the BLM and some of that money went to the local school. That amount has been reduced to 2%. The school was receiving about $4M per year and now will receive about $1.3M per year assuming that production were to stay at the same level. That's a savings of $2.7M per year. The hitch is that the school only receives part of the total royalty payouts. That would mean that the chemical plant must be saving more than $5M per year. Even if the plant had to pay all that money to the Ground Water Authority, the plant would be no worse off than it was before the royalty reductions. So, I'm not feeling all that bad for the plant. Boo-hoo.
:cry5:
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby cactuspete » Sun Jun 27, 2021 5:51 am

Lots of things don't add up about this water situation:
1) The plant claims it is operating at a loss, but we all know if this were the case that it would have closed down years ago. So, the plant may be cooking its books to make it look like they are losing money, but it is unlikely that this is actually the case.
2) Just because water piped to Trona passes through pipes owned by the plant, doesn't mean that water can't pass through to the town and valves to the plant can't be turned off.
3) The plant saved a ton of money as the results of the royalty reduction legislation. That money should be more than enough to pay for increased water fees related to water conservation and groundwater replenishment.
4) Current levels of water usage are unsustainable and the state is attempting to do something about the problem. The plant should cooperate and at least attempt to be part of the solution instead of making the problem worse.
5) The idea of piping gray water from Ridgecrest to Trona for the plant to use seems like it might work, but the cost of the pipeline and other infrastructure would probably be about as much as the amount the GWA is asking for. It seems it would make more sense to pump the gray water back into the ground to help replenish the aquifer.
6) If the chemical plant refuses to cooperate, fines above and beyond unpaid costs should be levied against the plant and top officials at the plant should be arrested.
7) Why employees believe the plant's bullshit is beyond me. Anyone dumb enough to protest on behalf of the plant is a mindless idiot!
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby drdesert » Thu Jul 01, 2021 5:59 am

cactuspete wrote:7) Why employees believe the plant's bullshit is beyond me. Anyone dumb enough to protest on behalf of the plant is a mindless idiot!

Absolutely!The plant is run by a bunch of lying sacks of shit! BTW, I like the idea of arresting them too!
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby MojaveMike » Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:59 am

cactuspete wrote:3) The plant saved a ton of money as the results of the royalty reduction legislation. That money should be more than enough to pay for increased water fees related to water conservation and groundwater replenishment.

I read elsewhere that the amount saved should be more than enough to cover the increased water costs. Not sure what the people running the plant are crying about. If the royalty reduction legislation didn't go through I could see where they might be in trouble, but they got that windfall and so they can easily afford to pay the groundwater replenishment fees.
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Re: BS ABOUT WATER

Postby dzrtdwg » Sun Oct 31, 2021 6:32 am

The plant in Trona will put out all sorts of misleading information in order to get what it wants. Don't believe any of it. The water replenishment project is absolutely necessary. The only question is how much will it cost and how much should people and companies be expected to pay. If Biden is giving away 450K dollars to illegal immigrants in order to motivate more to come our way, why can't that money be used to solve our water crisis here in California instead?
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby ergot » Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:18 pm

Naval pilot killed in fighter jet crash near Trona
A naval fighter jet pilot was killed after a crash Friday afternoon near Trona, according to military officials. Officials said an F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed in the vicinity of Trona at around 2:30 p.m. The pilot was confirmed dead from the crash. Firefighters from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Naval Security Forces responded to the crash site. The jet was based out of Naval Air Station in Lemoore.

https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/naval-pilot-killed-in-fighter-jet-crash-near-trona/
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/04/1103068712/pilot-killed-navy-jet-fighter-crash-california-desert
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Re: Local News & Events

Postby BoraxBill » Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:11 am

Navy prepares for one-day 'Safety Pause’
I've seen military pilots do many bone-headed things in the skies around Ridgecrest for decades. Too much showing off and not enough concern for the safety of others!
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