California American Water Co.’s effort to build its estimated $322 million desalination plant on the Monterey Peninsula has reached an important milestone with a state regulator and now sets the stage for what promises to be a contentious hearing in front of the full California Coastal Commission. In a news release from Cal Am issued late last week, the company said the Coastal Commission has determined that Cal Am’s application to build the plant inside the Coastal Zone is complete. The determination was confirmed Wednesday by Tom Luster, the Coastal Commission’s lead staff member on the desal project.

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