Oxnard Residents Speak Out Against Power Plant

Oxnard residents had a chance to voice their concerns about controversial plans for another power plant on Oxnard Shores.

This issue has been a two year long argument for residents, and all they want is their beach to be respected like the ones in Malibu and Santa Barbara.

Many residents spoke during a two day conference at Oxnard Performing Arts Center to discuss their concerns about the proposed power plant.

N-R-G based out of Houston, Texas already has two power plants. Their plans include tearing down most of what’s there now and building a new plant on Mandalay Beach off Harbor boulevard.

“More than two years ago the city of Oxnard past a ban on further power plants on our beaches,” said Mayor Pro Term of Oxnard Carmen Ramirez. “That was in response to NRG attempting to get approval of a third power plant on their site at Mandalay and we have opposed it from the beginning.”

Residents are fed up with construction turning their scenic beach into what they call a landfill.

“The City of Oxnard has already shoulder the burden of energy production for the whole region for more than 50 years. It’s time to give us a break,” said Ramirez.

NRG sees the project as modernizing rather than adding a third plant.

“There are two facilities here about 2,000 megawatts of power capacity currently in Oxnard and at the end of 2020 those facilities are subject to new regulations and will either have to be modified or retired,” said Dawn Gleiter, Director of Sustainable Development West Region of NRG.

With many health concerns from pollution left unanswered, many residents are left wondering why Oxnard?

“I think it’s because we are a very poor community,” said Ramirez. “We are 80% Latio, we are immigrants, and we are asserting our rights, The same rights that people in Malibu, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica have. We want our beach back.”