Chromium 6 in Mojave Aquifer

* “High Chromium 6 Levels Found in Mojave Aquifer” (Nov. 14) adds to the list of problems associated with this ground water grab in the Mojave Desert. Cadiz Inc. wants to drain water from an aquifer that has sustained plants and animals in the Mojave Desert for millenniums. But Cadiz isn’t the only landowner with acreage and access to this aquifer. The American people own much more: Mojave National Preserve and five Bureau of Land Management wildernesses. Monitoring and decision-making in the proposed plan are dominated by Cadiz and its customer, the Metropolitan Water District. “Protective” measures would occur after it’s too late to stop potentially devastating damage to our public lands.

Chromium 6 is the cancer-causing chemical made infamous in the movie “Erin Brockovich.” It is expensive to treat, and Cadiz wants the costs to be borne by taxpayers and/or water customers in Southern California. There are several other water storage and supply projects as well as simple water conservation measures that could help metropolitan Southern California get the most out of its current supplies. Let’s protect the health of Southern California water users and protect our national parks and wildernesses for future generations. Let’s pursue water projects that are truly in the public interest. The Cadiz project is not.

STEVEN KREFTING

National Parks Conservation

Assn., Oakland

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Why doesn’t Cadiz mine the photons rather than the water in the desert? They are replenished on a much more regular basis and are free of chromium. Most of the power lines exist, as opposed to the water lines. The electricity can be used for desalination, powering subways or whatever.

It is way past time for the government (federal and state) to step in and subsidize the development of new, nonpolluting energy sources. It is way past time for the large-scale development and testing of a photovoltaic generating plant in the desert. Perhaps the company can convince our new president to install such subsidies. With the power shortages in California, someone needs to do some imaginative thinking.

BOB CORZINE

Ridgecrest