Rebuttal to Californian Staff Writer Stories LEAPS

ELSINORE MAGAZINE 1

March 25,2007

The Californian staff writer Jose Carvajal Tends to Split hairs when writing stories concerning the LEAPS Project. His stroies about the LEAPS Project shows bias views in EM1's OPINION.

His last story last modified March 24, 2007, the title given this story " State Water Code allows water district to pursue power lines" is mis leading that he he states, State Water Code Section 71663.5 would be allowed to provide, generate, construct and deliver electric power, operating, maintaining any and all works, facilities, improvements and property ... necessary or convientfor that generation and delivery"

First of all he relied on the interpertation of the publics relations staff member Greg Morrison, of EVMWD, rather than get the opinion of EVMWD's legal Attorney's John Brown of Best,Best and Kreiger a Riverside California law firm. The story was negligent in showing any attempt in getting the opinion of the EVMWD's attorney.

Secondly the stature Section71663.5 appears to have been taking out of context. The statue in EM1's opinion appears in a nut shell to be relating to giving a water district the rights to construct, provide, generate, operate, maintainin its own facility to provide electric power for its customers. The difference is that EVMWD will not be constructing, generating and delivering electric power, independently for the purpose of providing a service to its own customers first. EVMWD, is particpating in a project by Nevada Hydro a private Corporation for the purpose of generating electric power outside of EVMWD's Jurisdiction. Nevada Hydro is using the public agency EVMWD as an instrument to push the LEAPS, through. Why wasn't that point made in the news article? Furthermore, why did Jim Fargo an administrator decline to comment on the LEAPS Project? No reason was offered. Why the newspapers are shying away from asking hard questions of the public agencies? The public is being kept in the dark for the most part about business that are a public nature.

Mr. Carvajal noted among the dozen letters the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has received in response to an evironmental impact report released in Feburary. He omitted to talk about the hundreds who showed up in oppositon of the FERC's on LEAPS April 5, 2006 at the Culture Center The story is just not being told appropriately in fairness to the public.

In another story Thursday" Water officials have to talk a fine line"

staff writer Carvajal writes " There is absolutely no reason for any board member here to feel that they can't express thier opinion or vote how they want" board member Phil Williams said. He left it at that knowing full well that is not the truth. Jose had records on how Director Chris Hyland was mistreated and vulurally disrespected for expressing her views by the majority board especially on LEAPS. And yet he let them all get away with a comment as such. That statement by Phil W illiams is a flat lie and many of the public knows it.

Again, Board Member Ben Wicke " It's healthy to have disagreement because it leads to healthy discussion. Another flat lie!!! Nothing can be further from the truth, but Jose let them all get away with the lies, including the spend Greg Morrisson give to him. This is ludicris and shamful.