The Lake County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, on a voice vote approved Amendment No. 4 to the joint operating agreement for the Southeast Geysers effluent pipeline project and approved the Clear Lake Water Supply Agreement, authorizing the chair to sign both documents.

Robin Boray, Special Districts Administrator, told the board the project dates to the mid‑1990s: construction of the pipeline began in 1995 and recycled water deliveries to the Geysers started in 1997. Boray said the pipeline originally ran about 29 miles and later was expanded by roughly 40 miles to serve additional communities, delivering about 8,000,000 gallons per day to the steam field. She said the amendment would extend the partnership by 25 years and explicitly define which facilities and projects are included, clarify what constitutes an emergency, and shift certain intake and meter costs to the steam suppliers.

"This amendment is extending our partnership for another 25 years," Boray said, noting that under the revised terms the steam suppliers will pay 100 percent of costs associated with the lake intake structure and main pipeline pumping power that the district previously shared.

Representatives of the project partners praised the continuation of the agreement. Joe Greco thanked Lake County staff for years of negotiation, calling the long partnership a "win‑win." Jim Beach, geothermal plant manager for the Northern California Power Agency, and Daniel Matthews Saperis of Calpine said they look forward to continued quarterly joint‑operator committee meetings and collaboration.

Nicole Flora, director of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, urged the board to weigh Calpine’s local economic contributions. "Calpine is the biggest taxpayer in Lake County," Flora told the board, and she highlighted the company’s geothermal royalties and local employment as reasons the county should support the amendment. Rob Brown of Kelseyville also spoke in favor, outlining historical economic ties between the community and the Geysers.

Supervisor Sabatier acknowledged the partnership and said she supported continuing it in principle but said she lacked sufficient financial detail to vote immediately. "This is a 25 years, and I have 0 financials to let me know what is our financial liability with the changes that we're making to the amendments," Sabatier said, and asked the board to postpone the vote for two weeks so members could review both historical and negotiated financials, including the "avoided costs" the county gains by sending effluent to the Geysers rather than building local storage.

Boray replied that staff had pulled the requested financials and introduced Jesse, the district finance deputy director, to summarize recent costs. Jesse presented five years of geysers‑related costs and explained year‑to‑year variability: "Last year in fiscal year 24‑25, the cost associated with the Geysers was $785,000," he said, and noted a significant portion of meter and intake costs would be covered by Calpine under the amendment.

Board members and counsel discussed the operational and legal details: counsel explained the county remains a signatory because of ties to an earlier (1994/1995) water supply agreement and said indemnification obligations rest with the diverters (the steam suppliers). The board also clarified drought protections: Boray said the amendment prohibits lake diversion during drought conditions and that the Rumsey gauge is used each spring to determine whether diversions are allowed for the coming water year.

After discussion, county counsel proposed handling the two agreements in separate motions. The board voted to approve Amendment No. 4 to the joint operating agreement (motion recorded as moved by Supervisor Pyszka and seconded by Supervisor Owen) and then voted to approve the Clear Lake Water Supply Agreement; both measures passed by voice vote and were recorded as 5–0.

What comes next: the agreements will be signed by the chair and the county will continue quarterly coordination with the steam suppliers and joint operator committee. Staff said the updated contracts allow the county to plan long‑term capital investments, while the steam suppliers’ increased contributions (including a $100,000 annual payment cited in the amendment) will support North Lakeport capital improvements and relieve the district of previously shared intake costs.

Votes at a glance: two separate motions were approved by the sanitation district board, each recorded as carrying 5–0.