Boat loaded with pot sinks off Sunset Cliffs
Law enforcement officials were summoned to the Sunset Cliffs area early Monday after a boat in distress was reported by observers around 6 a.m.
Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Service said when officials arrived, an 18-foot vessel being used to smuggle drugs was discovered being pummeled against the rocks.
The boat, which was abandoned by the time authorities reached it, was found to contain several bales of marijuana in varying sizes and quantities, Mack said.
In all, Mack said investigators collected about 111 bales of pot, weighing about 362 pounds.
The origin of the vessel is still being investigated and no arrests have been made, according to Mack.
After being damaged, the boat sank about 150 yards from the rocks, said officials.
PLNU plans solar energy system on campus
Officials with Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) revealed plans on April 17 to build a 450-kilowatt solar energy system on campus.
The project was spurred by a student research project exploring the viability of solar energy at the university but soon developed into a team effort between students, staff and faculty. The end result was an official “request for proposal” and a bidding process, according to university officials.
According to PLNU officials, the project would represent the first large commercial photovoltaic system built at a San Diego university. Construction is scheduled to begin in July.
University officials said that after an extensive competitive proposal review process, PLNU selected SPG Solar, Inc. to design and install the solar energy system, which will produce 80 percent of the peak energy for six major PLNU buildings: Bond Academic Center, Cooper Music Center, Fermanian School of Business, Golden Gym, Goodwin Hall, and Hendricks Hall. University officials estimate that more than 50 percent of the buildings’ annual electricity costs will be offset by using the alternative power source.
Officials said the system, solely comprising Kyocera solar modules, will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 586 tons of carbon dioxide annually that would have been emitted from a traditional fossil-fuel power plant. According to university researchers, this is equivalent to removing 110 cars from the road for one year or requiring 130 acres of trees to absorb that much carbon dioxide.
“It’s been exciting to see PLNU’s leadership in sustainability develop to the point where corporations and other universities are using our program as a model for their green efforts,” said PLNU’s sustainability coordinator Kristin Hansen.
“We’ve given tours of our recycling and food composting programs to both public and private institutions. The solar panel installation will also serve as a model in sustainable practices to our community.”
University officials said PLNU was able to finance the system through a power purchase agreement provided by Solar Power Partners, Inc. (SPP)
Under the agreement, SPP will own the solar system for 20 years and sell the clean energy generated by the system to PLNU at a cost below present utility rates. PLNU has no upfront capital costs for the system and enjoys fixed electricity rates for 20 years.
PLNU officials said they hope to install additional photovoltaic systems throughout the campus.
Airport Authority to hear environmental plan
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is poised to review the final environmental impact report for the San Diego International Airport master plan on May 1.
The plan is currently available at www.sanplan.com and additional copies are available at the Airport Authority’s offices.
The comprehensive EIR is currently the subject of public comments but will be the focus of a public hearing May 1 beginning at 9 a.m.
Among the proposals for the airport are 10 new jet gates, a dual-level roadway to separate departing and arriving passengers, a parking structure, parking for aircraft parked overnight, a passenger walkway connecting a parking garage to Terminal 2 and taxiway improvements.
For more information, call (619) 4000-2880.