Farmers Worried by Edison Merger : Pollution: An agricultural committee says a key question is whether air quality will worsen if more power is generated in the county.

County farm leaders voiced strong concerns Wednesday about the possible effect of a proposed merger of Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric on agriculture in Ventura County.

The Ventura County Agricultural Advisory Committee, describing a draft environmental impact report on the proposed merger as too vague, voted to ask the California Public Utilities Commission for a more thorough study of the potential effects on farming.

The committee, which advises the County Board of Supervisors on agriculture issues, said one key question to be answered is whether air quality in the county will suffer if Edison generates more power in the county as a result of the merger.

Other questions of concern to the committee are whether more pollution will affect sensitive crops, whether the merger might generate more smog regulations on farm equipment and how much more of the county’s fresh water will be needed to cool the power plants.

The draft environmental impact report is too vague when it comes to the merger’s potential effects on agriculture, committee members said. They agreed to write a letter asking the PUC for more information in the final environmental statement.

“We want to make sure that agriculture does not have to cut down on its emissions to compensate for what Edison puts out,” said Charles Schwabauer, committee chairman and manager of Leavans Fairview Ranch in Moorpark.

“I don’t really think we’re opposed to the merger, but we don’t want to find that Ventura County will be adversely impacted for air quality,” he said. “Agriculture is usually not at odds with the Edison Co., but on the other hand we don’t want to have to be penalized for something we didn’t do further down the line.”

The advisory committee of 10 ranchers is appointed by the Board of Supervisors to review planning issues that affect agriculture. The committee advises the board on development projects and planning policies.

“There’s a lot of nervous farmers out there now” as a result of the drought and the threat to agriculture from the Mediterranean fruit fly, Fillmore citrus rancher Mary Ann Berrington said after the meeting.

Berrington, who is not a committee member, monitored the meeting for an east Santa Clara Valley farm group that is seeking representation on the advisory body for the Piru area. She had strong words against the merger.

“They are going to pollute the air in this county to give power to San Diego County and all we get is dirty air,” she said. “We’re concerned if they allow Edison to pollute, what are they going to require us to do? Put catalytic converters on our tractors? Somebody will have to cut down on pollutions somewhere.”

Committee Chairman Schwabauer said more smog restrictions could be placed on ranchers who operate stationary power plants, water pumps and all types of farm engines that are not as closely regulated now in an effort to mitigate pollution caused by the possible merger.

Some citrus growers still use diesel-burning smudge pots to keep crops from freezing, Schwabauer said, and the devices might be regulated if the county’s smog level grows worse because of the merger.

Supervisor Susan K. Lacey demanded at a public hearing on the merger in Ventura last week that Edison provide offsetting measures for every additional ton of pollution that additional power generation might emit in the county.

By shifting some of its power production from San Diego County to Ventura County, up to 200 more tons of pollutants per year could be added to the county’s air from Edison’s two power plants at Ormond Beach and Mandalay Bay in Oxnard, county officials have said.

However, Edison officials are negotiating an agreement with the county’s Air Pollution Control District on how to offset the additional emissions. The district is also drafting a regulation on electrical power generators which, if approved by county supervisors, would require Edison to reduce the plants’ combined emissions 90% by 1996.

Public comment on the environmental impact report is being accepted by the PUC through May 29 and a decision is expected on the merger by the end of the year.