San Luis Obispo County supervisor erupts during radio show

October 2, 2024

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg snapped at callers, interrupted them and yelled during a drama-filled interview with KVEC radio talk show host Dave Congalton on Sept. 30.

On a previous show on Sept. 21, two members of the non-partisan React Alliance, Saro Rizzo and Andrea Lueker, discussed their concerns with wind energy’s impacts on fishing, tourism, property values and wildlife. Ortiz-Legg called in to the show to repeat her primary argument, it is too early in the process to worry about the project.

When Rizzo did not agree, Ortiz-Legg huffed before arguing for carbon free energy and repeatedly interrupting Congalton’s guests.

Wanting equal time to discuss the positive impacts of wind energy and the proposed industrialization, or what Ortiz-Legg refers to as revitalization, of Port San Luis and the Morro Bay waterfront, Ortiz-Legg sought a guest position on Congalton’s show.

Congalton invited Otiz-Legg to join him as a guest during the 4 o’clock hour on Monday

While Ortiz-Legg noted React Alliance’s examination of the proposed project is part of the process, she said she needed to point out the misinformation its members are disseminating.

Ortiz-Legg made the following points:

  • No specifics are yet known as the wind energy project is still eight to 10 years out.
  • There is $9 million in deferred maintenance at Port San Luis.
  • This could be better and allow more enjoyment of the coast.
  • It will not harm fisheries and could actually help.

During the show, Ortiz-Legg told Congalton to block several callers. Congalton reminded her that she called in when they were guests.

“I’m not going to take Mandy’s call,” Ortiz-Legg said.

After Mandy Davis disputed several of the supervisor’s claims, Ortiz-Legg said, “That’s why I don’t want to do this.”

In response to a fisherman’s concerns over dropping catch numbers, she argued her data shows nearly $4 million in countywide fishing revenue. She however did not address the fisherman’s concerns that catch numbers and industry incomes are currently down because of sonar testing.

“We are lucky to have these problems,” Ortiz-Legg said. “I welcome real conversations with real information and not stuff that is hearsay, whatever, this kind of stuff and everything is nefarious.”

Congalton declined CalCoastNews’ request for comment.

 


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I listened to the KVEC interview. There was a question whether fishing could occur within the OSW footprint. For example: “147.1116 Platform IRENE safety zone. Title 33  Chapter I  Part 147 

(a) Description: The area within a line 500 meters from each point on the structure’s outer edge. The position of the center of the structure is 34°-36′-37.5″ N, 120°-43′-46″ W. (b) Regulation: No vessel may enter or remain in this safety zone except the following….”

There was one nugget Dawn let slip. That’s she’s aware that sealife flourish at platforms and “at Diablo” from the once-through cooling. This has always been known by anyone that went through the Diablo bio lab. But, the Coastal Commission outlawed once-through cooling around the time of the 2014 proposal for the Duke MBPP two low profile natural gas units over potential larvae and fishing impact. Then came the absurd work-around suggestion of cooling towers. Diablo and Moss units got temp waivers to continue once-through cooling. Folks, the Coastal Commission were the gullible tool of green bureaucrats espousing an exaggerated premise backed by a crafted study. That reasoning empowered bureaucrats which leads to this OSW boondoggle today where hundreds of OSW platforms will change the aquatic life in the lease and cable landing areas with less desirable asynchronous generators with less than half of the capacity factor of a conventional powerplant. Every platform service ship uses once-through cooling and so will a floating platform DC converter (if used) and its onshorecounterpart. Plus, the Call Area boundary is likely to impede a 20 mile stretch of the predominate container ship route between LA and Oakland. If the same Federal 500 meter safety zone is applied to each OSW platform the container ships and others will burn more fuel navigating around and waste time going around the OSW platforms and buoyed cables in between.


What can I say about Dawn Ortiz-Legg that hasn’t been said in these comments already? Oh yeah, how about pointing out that she has no science degree, background or understanding. She is an embarrassment of a politician that provides just about the worst representation possible to tax payers. She is obviously on the take, and will do anything lobbyist pay her to do. If we end up with a wind farm off our coast, we will have people like her to thank. Unbelievable!


I recall she will be hosting a community gathering.

Good place to let her know your feelings about this wind farm.

Listen to the KVEC podcast first.


I question just how early in the process this is? Is there grant money (everybody’s money) to be advertised for all to apply for or has it been committed already? Once the money has been committed all of the downstream expenses are a part of the cost therefore already funded and money is being spent. This would be far from the beginning. Similar to using the phrase “almost pregnant”.


The entire BOS is an embarrassment. Whether you’re liberal or conservative, you simply gotta admit all the BOS members have severe ethical and moral issues. I’m not sure what it is, but once you give a person some power, they lose whatever small amount of ethics they had. Yeah, Adam Hill was a POS, but so are all the current board members. I can’t imagine these people being stupid, so the only thing that explain their behavior is that they’re on the take and have yet to be caught.


It’s doubtful that Trump will win the election, but if he does, he’ll likely kill this wind energy project and many other green energy projects that are in the works.


Certainly all the so called “green” projects that are nothing but money pits of taxpayer money, much like our “non-high” speed rail project.


Typical Trumper. Thinks DT in his godly superman style cape will cast his super powers to squish whatever the Trumper wants. It is so hilarious to hear dumbasses say…oh. Trump will not stand for that. Or. Oh…I’ll bet Trump will fix that.

Hey you who sees him as your Messiah. Trump can’t be everywhere at once doing what all of you think he can do. You may think he’s superman but he isn’t. He’s a dysfunctional dumb ass with a 5th grade IQ. With the exception of his show The Apprentice and the businesses his dad passed down-80% of his businesses have failed.