Perez Vows Support to Clean up Power Plant Site

Supervisor Perez Pledges Support of Efforts to Clean up Eastern Coachella Valley Power Plant Site

MECCA – Starting the new year with a laser focus on improving the community, Supervisor V. Manuel Perez is joining calls by eastern Coachella Valley community members to see an idled power plant near Mecca cleaned up. Perez has pledged to work with all levels of government to address the concerns.

That means writing to the agencies and requesting a meeting with the U.S. EPA, Congressman Raul Ruiz and the Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians.

The Desert View Power Plant sits on Tribal land near the community of Mecca, roughly 40 miles east of Palm Springs. The biomass energy facility operated until about a year ago. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has in the past issued a notice of violation to Desert View Power for exceeding limits of mercury and other pollutants.

Community members who have advocated for the power plant to be shut down and the site mitigated attended the Board of Supervisors meeting in Riverside on Tuesday. Supervisor Perez stated his support for the requests being made.

Supervisor Perez is concerned because the communities surrounding the site are within a short enough distance of air drift potentially reaching nearby schools, parks, commercial businesses, mobile homes and the overall community.

Supervisor Perez will work on the issue while recognizing Tribal sovereignty, which he has always respected and will continue to do so, and the role of the federal government, as well as requesting others at all levels of government to fully engage.

“As advocates you have wanted it closed for quite some time and I think not just advocates but the community overall, and I understand that…,” said Supervisor Perez. “… My support is there when it comes to ensuring that we do what we can as a county to help move this process along. When we talk about actions, I can’t even ask county staff to go into that property, if I wanted to do so, without the permission of the Tribe. I need to make sure that the Tribe play a role once again and we engage with the Tribe so they can hear concerns directly and I’m going to request that of them.”