In this story from the North County Times (San Diego) of May 13, though knowing nothing of the project mentioned, the framing and straightforward language, of an issue bedeviling many public projects attempting to advance the public good, is a good read.
Here is an excerpt.
Minority misrepresents facts on project
By: HARVEY R. RYAN - Commentary for The Californian
Contrary to what you might have read recently, the Lake Elsinore Advance Pumped Storage project is not the end of the world. It will not destroy the forest. There are no secret meetings going on about the project, and aliens have not invaded Earth.
The water district is not wasting ratepayers' money. Despite a certain extreme paranoia and complete misrepresentation of the facts by the negative minority, the LEAPS project could actually be good for the community.
All one needs to do is stop and actually review the real facts about the project instead of relying on a small group of individuals who will do nothing short of fabricating false and misleading information to make people upset and oppose the project.
Remember, these are the people opposed to the Third Street pumping station, bringing us the Costco/Lowe's commercial development to our community and facilitating moving Highway 74 East and its residents into the 21st century.
One of the biggest benefits to the community would be a stable lake level and improved water quality. You certainly cannot please everyone all the time, but for the vast majority of the people in this community and the region, who understand what a great economic and recreational benefit it would be to finally have a stable lake, it's a blessing.
But the opposition won't tell you that either.
There have also been claims about fire hazard and visual impacts to the forest. However, what the opposition doesn't want you to know is that the project could actually help with fire protection in the forest. It provides a large water supply at the top of the mountain that could be used by firefighting helicopters in their efforts to save lives and property.
The power-line corridor could also act as a natural fire break to slow or confine a fire, but the opposition doesn't want you to know that either. There are projects in California and around the world that are not a detriment to their surroundings. I visit the Sierras every year with my family and we stop at the Big Creek Project in the middle of the green Sierra Nevada Mountains producing electricity through a series of tunnels, and there is not a more beautiful place in the world.
