November 12, 2003

Board of Directors
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
5 Harris Court, Building G
Monterey, Ca. 93940

Members of the Board:

Pursuant to Agenda Item 7, the Board will take action on the Pebble Beach Company's request to sell a portion of its "entitlement water" to properties throughout Del Monte Forest for the purpose of financing the upgrade of the Water Reclamation Project.

Since the "entitlement water" has been declared exempt from Ruling 95-10, it could presumably be immediately available to potential buyers. We question the source of this water.

Ruling 95-10 based its citation on serious damage being inflicted on the Carmel River through its overdrafting by Cal-Am. If the water for these new properties is simply added to the present overpumping, it must result in an unacceptable exacerbation of impact on the River.

Since the preservation of the environmental integrity of the Carmel River is a primary mandate of the District, how can this policy be reconciled?

The League supports the protection of the Carmel River as a basic component of its Water Position. Although we support the Reclamation Project per se, we continue to oppose its financing through the creation of a secondary water market, profiteering in inflated water prices with the potential of causing irreparable damage to the Carmel River.

Respectfully,

     Beverly G. Bean, VMD
     President of the League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula