In only his second council meeting, Councilman Goodrich displayed a willingness to depart from the views of his much senior in age colleagues on the Council.\u00a0 His dissenting vote came as the Council took up the issue of adopting a resolution in support of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP).\u00a0 Goodrich’s vote, although not cast on a particularly significant matter as Torrance does not control\u00a0the implementation of the BDCP, may have served as a signal to the other Council members that he intends to vote his conscience even if his\u00a0opinion may not be the popular one.<\/p>\n
Prior to casting his vote, Goodrich briefly explained his viewpoint.\u00a0 He claimed that his research indicated that many organizations statewide were opposed to the BDCP.\u00a0 He specifically cited the League of Women Voters and quoted that organization as stating that this “would be a bad deal for taxpayers.”\u00a0 Goodrich then related his concern that creating a reliance upon water that comes from as far as 300 miles away could be\u00a0a national security liability.\u00a0 City Staff responded to that concern by stating that the City’s water currently comes from that distance and that we have had no saftey concerns to date.<\/p>\n
Advocates of the BDCP\u00a0claim that it will assure the state\u2019s water security at a reasonable cost.\u00a0 Key concerns\u00a0about the project that have been raised include: 1) incomplete design with Project costs\u00a0at a minumum\u00a0of $25 billion; 2) it will not attain\u00a0expected water reliability goals; and 3) it will degrade Delta water quality thereby harming the estuary’s farmers and acquatic ecosystems.<\/p>\n