The environmental review process for a proposed $270 million desalination plant is under way.

The City Council voted in January to proceed with an environmental impact report for the plant, which Poseidon Resources wants to build at the Encina Power Plant. The new plant would produce 50 million gallons a day of desalinated drinking water.

The city on Tuesday opened a 30-day period for the public to submit comments to help determine what the environmental review will address.