Challenging the Caltrans Plan for Richardson Grove
6/23/2010
It's been one week since EPIC and our allies filed a lawsuit challenging the Caltrans plan to widen Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park. In addition, we established the Richardson Grove Legal Fund, and made a fundraising challengeto our supporters to match donations and raise $5000 in one week.We have seen great success through the announcement of the lawsuit through favorable and extensive media coverage across the state of California.
In addition, thanks to supporters like you, we have surpassed our kick-off goal of $5000!
Of course, a lawsuit and state wide campaign depend on continued donations. We sincerely appreciate the support and look forward to continue to provide high quality advocacy work in defense of the Humboldt County and the old growth redwoods in Richardson Grove State Park. If you haven't already pledged your support, please take a moment and join the effort.
http://www.wildcalifornia.org/blog/challenging-the-richardson-grove-plan-its-just-the-beginning/
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Defending the beauty and biodiversity of California's fabled "redwood curtain," the Center for Biological Diversity and allies sued the California Department of Transportation last week for approving a project to widen the highway going through Humboldt County's Richardson Grove State Park, an ancient-redwood haven. In approving the project -- which would cut through and pave over the life-giving roots of nearly 100 ancient redwood trees -- Caltrans violated the state's premier environmental protection law, the California Environmental Quality Act. The environmental impact report for the project fails to acknowledge the full extent of the project's impacts, including the effects of damaging the network of roots holding Richardson Grove together, stockpiling lead-contaminated soil in an area draining to the designated "wild and scenic" South Fork Eel River, and opening the road to larger trucks.
Opposition to the highway project has mounted exponentially since it was proposed in 2007 -- including more than 25,000 comments sent in by Center supporters and other concerned citizens. Center Conservation Director Peter Galvin says, "The state's failure to follow the law puts these old-growth trees and the endangered species that depend on them at unacceptable risk -- all for the sake of letting a few more big trucks use this stretch of highway."
Read more in the Times-Standard.
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