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Marin County Qualifies Measure to Stop Agency From Outsourcing Jobs

NOVATO - Marin County elections officials late today announced that a referendum to stop a Bay Area wastewater agency - under investigation by the EPA after an FBI raid - from outsourcing local jobs and local control to a French Corporation has qualified for the ballot.

A MAJOR NEWS CONFERENCE is scheduled here THURSDAY, at 9:30 a.m. at the Old Novato City Hall (901 Sherman) to release details of the ballot measure.

More than 4,000 petition signatures were submitted by voters two weeks ago - nearly double the number needed - 2,178 - to qualify a ballot measure to "freeze" a contract Novato Sanitary District signed with Veolia Water a month ago.

Veolia Water has a poor environmental record, and recently admitted spending at least $25,000 to try to influence the Novato district's board elections - siding with the incumbents who earlier agreed to turn over operations to them. The referendum stops that action.

The district itself is a target of a criminal investigation by the FBI and EPA for an alleged illegal and unreported dumping of millions of gallons of untreated and partially treated sewage in the Bay. By qualifying for the ballot, the deal with Veolia is put on hold until the people can vote.

"We have uncovered millions of dollars in unreported costs that will be borne by the ratepayers. The race to off load operational responsibility was rushed through and not transparent," said Phil Tucker of the California Healthy Communities Network/Tide Center.