Grover Beach council considering replacing Peterson on APCD board
July 19, 2013
Debbie Peterson
The Grover Beach City Council is considering booting its mayor from the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District Board.
Mayor Debbie Peterson, who has represented Grover Beach on the board since January, attempted Monday to gain the support of her fellow council members in her opposition to the APCD’s Oceano Dunes dust rule. The council did not support Peterson’s plea and instead chose to reconsider her seat on the APCD board.
Earlier this month, Peterson authored a petition calling for a repeal of the dust rule. The rule requires the California Department of Parks to reduce the amount of particulate matter blowing from the Oceano Dunes to the Nipomo Mesa or pay fines of $1,000 a day to the APCD. The APCD claims that off-road vehicle activity on the dunes has caused and increase in pollution on the Nipomo Mesa.
Peterson says the dust rule gives too much power and money to the APCD, and that state parks should have the responsibility for monitoring air quality concerns pertaining to the dunes.
Though the majority of the public speakers at Monday’s meeting supported Peterson, each of the other four council members said they had no interest in repealing the dust rule.
The council is tentatively scheduled to discuss Peterson’s seat on the APCD board on August 5. A majority vote against Peterson would unseat her from the board.
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