A state regional water board is drawing public criticism in Orange County for holding meetings on a controversial  desalination plant in Huntington Beach, while public participation can only be done virtually amid the coronavirus health crisis.

The Santa Ana Regional Quality Control Board is meeting this morning to hold a public hearing on Poseidon Water’s request for a permit renewal for their facility, which would be built on 12 acres of a power plant and produce 50 million gallons of water per day, according to water district staff.

The project has remained controversial for years over what critics say will be drastic environmental damage and increased water rates. The approval process for Poseidon Water’s proposal has been marked by legal disputes, permit crusades and lobbying campaigns paid for by the company.

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