Lucerne Valley Looking Ahead: Hoping to Leave Water Problems Behind, Residents Take on Power Line Proposal

By Ryan Orr, Daily Press, Victorville, Calif.

Jan. 10–LU C E R N E VA L L E Y — While the community of Lucerne Valley is still ironing out water issues that arose when water haulers were shut down in August, this year they will also take on a power line proposal slated to run south of the community. A major power line project g o i n g f ro m the low dese r t t o L o s A n g e l e s i s proposed to g o t h ro u g h an area just south of the community, said Chuck Bell, a member of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association.

“It’s not only a scenic area, but an area that we have designated for other things,” Bell said.

The proposed power lines are outside designated power line corridors and will run through an area that Bell said is reserved for industrial development.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors also recently passed a resolution opposing the alignment of the power line project, which is also known as Green Path North.

Many residents in the community of 8,000 are not part of a public water system.

In August, water haulers in Lucerne Valley were shut down for not being properly permitted, leaving many residents without water as temperatures reached triple digits.

A local well is now open and water haulers are back in business, but if that well has to close for any reason, residents and water haulers will have to rely on an interim county well.

Bell said the community is still working on more options to hopefully permanently resolve the water problems.

Bell also said that there is a list of fairly easy road projects that need to be done to improve safety, but that LVEDA has had a hard time bringing it to the attention of county employees for help.

In 2008, they hope to get the help they need in completing the projects.

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