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I toured the desal plant when it was still a small pilot program. If it hasn't changed inlet and out fall, then it's taking water from the powerplant's effluent cooling water. Warm water is better for RO. The brine outfall is then put back in to, and diluted in, the much greater volume of the powerplant's effluent.
Almost all removal of raw sea water will result in killing plankton and larval fish and invertebrates. The rapid warming of the cooling water is fatal to much of the creatures passing thru the plant. The amount of additional damage caused by the desal plant is minimal as it's using the plant's outfall.
As for the brine out fall. If you've seen the flow between the Warm water jetties it's 1000's of gallon a minute. The brine is ejected in to, and diluted by, this much greater volume exiting the plant.
Any damage caused by the power plant's effluent water is from thermal changes to the water. A slight increase in salinity would have a negligible or even unnoticeable impact on the environment.
Many people oppose all coastal development on principle and create dooms day scenarios that will result from any change. If the desal project was stand alone and it's effluent was ejected in to an enclosed body of water it would have a negative impact. As is the brine is ejected with a massive volume of seawater in to a surf zone where it will be thoroughly mixed. Pockets if Deadly brine are unlikely to form. Mike
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