Loss of Revenue Jeopardizes Conservation Plan

Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan Compromised by Loss of Revenue

Tipping fees are a key revenue source to support conservation efforts under the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. However, tipping fees, charges for disposing of waste in a landfill, from the Coachella/Indio Waste Transfer Station Joint Powers Authority have not been collected since June 19, 2021, a total of roughly $374,000, according to a report from Emmanuel Martinez, Program Manager – External Affairs, of the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission.

In effect, an average of $11,000 per month is foregone as part of the Plan’s requirement to mitigate
for waste generated within the Plan’s boundary. The loss of this revenue has also been reviewed
by CVCC’s Finance Committee, and staff has noted how this ultimately compromises the Plan and
the ability to effectively manage and monitor conservation land, yet the money has not been collected.

The Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan is a comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional Habitat Conservation Plan focusing on conservation of species and their associated habitats in Western Riverside County. The overall goal of this plan is to maintain biological and ecological diversity within a rapidly urbanizing region. The MSHCP allows Riverside and its Cities to better control local land-use decisions and maintain a strong economic climate in the region while addressing the requirements of the state and federal Endangered Species Acts.

The overriding question of how and why Coachella/Indio Waste Transfer Station Joint Powers Authority fell in arrears seems simple:

The answer is not so black and white. Behind the scenes there is significant finger-pointing — and it’s not pretty. Yet, none of those with the alleged answer are willing to go on record.

On the record, Uken Report is told it was an “oversight.”

“We caught the error a couple of years ago,” Tom Kirk, executive director of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments. the umbrella organization for the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. “It’s frustrating that it’s taken so long to get resolved but it will get resolved.”

“It will get resolved,” he repeated for emphasis.

Kirk did not — and would not — lay blame for the $374,000 outstanding bill at the feet of any one person or governmental agency.

“This was an oversight of the Waste Transfer Station JPA, the County of Riverside and Burrtec when we signed an updated agreement,” Indio City Councilmember Glenn Alan Miller said. “The tipping fee collection for the CVCC portion of $1 a ton was excluded somehow and not caught by the JPA or CVAG. Since the fee was never collected or charged there was nothing to pay. The Waste Transfer Station JPA meetings are usually quarterly if needed. We will figure it out and move on … It was an oversight, and it will get resolved.”

Coachella Mayor Steven Hernanez also said, “This is an oversight. We will figure it out. It’s not like the JPA meets every month. This will get fixed.”

Over the past decade, $24.7 million has been collected from Coachella Valley cities and the county.

Miller is seeing reelection in November. Hernandez’s seat is also up for election in November. He has not announced publicly whether he will seek reelection though an announcement is said to be imminent.

For background and a letter regarding this matter, including potentially raising the tipping fees for the Coachella/Indio Waste Transfer Station Joint Powers Authority, read this: https://www.cvag.org/downloads/enviro/cvcc/CVCC-20240509-8C.pdf