3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92522 • (951) 826-5551 • [email protected] City of Riverside, California
Office of the Mayor
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
October 31, 2023
Alice Bushing Reynolds, President
Genevieve Shiroma, Commissioner
Darcie L. Houck, Commissioner
John Reynolds, Commissioner
Karen Douglas, Commissioner
505 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Re: A.15-04-013 - Full Undergrounding of Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) Dear Madame President and Commissioners:
We write this letter, first and foremost, to highlight the urgent need for the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) and the necessity of a second connection to the statewide power grid for the City of Riverside. The city extends our gratitude to the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) for their work and consideration regarding the RTRP over the past two decades. Riverside affirms the City's commitment to supporting the CPUC's regulatory authority of the RTRP.
Since the project's approval in 2020, various communities, community groups, residents, and elected officials have raised questions and concerns including, but not limited to, environmental impacts, climate, and safety factors that may have changed since the project's inception in 2004. These concerns are acknowledged below:
• First, is the heightened concern of wildfires in the State of California, particularly in wilderness areas like the Santa Ana River Bottom-a tier 2 fire zone. Fighting those fires has become one of the major undertakings of our state and local communities in response to a changing climate. Insurance coverage and rates have been drastically impacted by those living near higher tier fire zones. Some community members question the added risk of wildfire that overhead lines may add to an already precarious area. • An additional concern raised is that of the overhead transmission lines' impact to home values in an already disadvantaged community. Residents in this area believe that underground lines in this five-mile stretch will be a great benefit to their quality of life and ability to build generational wealth.
3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92522 • (951) 826-5551 • [email protected] • Finally, it is important that we preserve the Hidden Valley Nature Center and adjacent open spaces for all residents and visitors. Open spaces and green spaces provide great mental and physical health benefits to individuals and families. Access to such spaces offer countless recreational opportunities that positively correlates with healthy, active, and vibrant communities. Community groups have voiced their concern that overhead transmission lines would harm this wilderness area for generations to come.
Acknowledging that Alternative 8 (full undergrounding of the project in the river bottom area) is highlighted in the 2011 EIR as an environmentally inferior option, residents question if updated analysis may prove otherwise and if the 2011 analysis considered both short- term and long-term impacts.
An expedient but thorough review of the approved Riverside Transmission Reliability Project- taking current environmental analysis and realities into account-would help residents and the city answer residents' questions and concerns. Thank you to all the commissioners for the time, attention, and thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
Patricia Lock Dawson
Mayor
City of Riverside
Erin Edwards
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Riverside
on behalf of the Riverside City Council: