Comments on: Caltrans fails to study effects of new freeway bridge runoff on San Joaquin River Restoration http://aquariusaquarium.org/blog/fresnoaquarium/caltrans-fails-to-study-effects-of-new-freeway-bridge-runoff-on-the-san-joaquin-river-restoration/ A weblog of Aquarius Aquarium Institute Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:37:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ecokat http://aquariusaquarium.org/blog/fresnoaquarium/caltrans-fails-to-study-effects-of-new-freeway-bridge-runoff-on-the-san-joaquin-river-restoration/comment-page-1/#comment-4408 Ecokat Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:37:44 +0000 http://aquariusaquarium.org/blog/?p=241#comment-4408 Mr. Lang, I just finished reading your VERY interesting blog about Caltrans and felt compelled to write and tell you what is happening in Humboldt County with regards to an effort by a large group of citizens (Save Richardson Grove Coalition) who are challenging Caltrans' claims that their road widening/realignment project on Hwy 101 through Richardson Grove State Park will not have a huge environmental impact on our State Park, the ancient redwoods that are adjacent to the road and the threatened species of birds like Marbled murrelet and Northern spotted owl. Of course, as you would imagine, Caltrans made a finding of "No Significant Impact." Caltrans makes all sorts of claims that there will be no impacts from the cutting, filling and compacting of 71 old-growth tree roots, but they do not cite any studies that prove this is the case, which is just what you were saying in your blog regarding runoff into the San Joaquin River. Your blog resonates strongly with what we are dealing with in Humboldt County. The FEIR is 1,212 pages long (excluding Layout Maps) and in those hundreds of pages, I have encountered only 5 statements that honestly admit there could be impacts to the trees and protected birds species in the Park. The remaining bulk of the document says there will be "no significant impacts" over and over, like a mantra. Any information you could provide to me regarding Caltrans and their unethical practices would be much appreciated. Sincerely, Kimberly Tays Trinidad, CA ktays@suddenlink.net Mr. Lang,
I just finished reading your VERY interesting blog about Caltrans and felt compelled to write and tell you what is happening in Humboldt County with regards to an effort by a large group of citizens (Save Richardson Grove Coalition) who are challenging Caltrans’ claims that their road widening/realignment project on Hwy 101 through Richardson Grove State Park will not have a huge environmental impact on our State Park, the ancient redwoods that are adjacent to the road and the threatened species of birds like Marbled murrelet and Northern spotted owl.

Of course, as you would imagine, Caltrans made a finding of “No Significant Impact.” Caltrans makes all sorts of claims that there will be no impacts from the cutting, filling and compacting of 71 old-growth tree roots, but they do not cite any studies that prove this is the case, which is just what you were saying in your blog regarding runoff into the San Joaquin River.

Your blog resonates strongly with what we are dealing with in Humboldt County. The FEIR is 1,212 pages long (excluding Layout Maps) and in those hundreds of pages, I have encountered only 5 statements that honestly admit there could be impacts to the trees and protected birds species in the Park. The remaining bulk of the document says there will be “no significant impacts” over and over, like a mantra.

Any information you could provide to me regarding Caltrans and their unethical practices would be much appreciated.

Sincerely, Kimberly Tays
Trinidad, CA
ktays@suddenlink.net

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