THE POSEIDON DESALINATION plant would be located near Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach (Poseidon Water image).

The controversial Poseidon desalination project planned for the Huntington Beach coast cleared another important hurdle on Thursday.

After more than four hours of public comment at a meeting of the State Lands Commission at the city council chamber in Huntington Beach, the three-member panel gave approval to amendments to the project’s environmental impact report.

While Poseidon had the backing of many business and labor groups, it drew strong opposition from environmental and local interests.

The plant, which would be constructed at Newland Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, is claimed to be able to generate 50 million gallons of drinkable salt-free water a day.

Next up in the approval process is a hearing before the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, and then the California Coastal Commission.