Save Trestles: Secretary of Commerce Hearing Set for July 25th at the Bren Center, UC Irvine
On June 25th, the Secretary of Commerce announced that a public hearing regarding the controversial 241 Toll Road extension is scheduled to take place July 25th at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine. This hearing marks the next battle between the Transportation Corridor Authority (TCA) and opponents over the continuation of the road, which would lead to the closure of the popular campgrounds at San Onofre State Park and spoiling of the San Mateo Creek.
In addition to drastically effecting San Onofre State Beach and the San Mateo Creek, the proposed toll road expansion will damage sacred Native American sites and the 9,000 year old Village of Panhe, devastate the habitats of several endangered species, impair the waves at Trestles and reduce access to surrounding surf breaks all while setting a dangerous precedent for the California State Park system.
“We are looking forward to the Department of Commerce hearing,” says Mark Rauscher, Assistant Environmental Director for the Surfrider Foundation. “The Department of Commerce has already heard from the experts, now it is time for them to hear directly from the public how the TCA’s proposed alignment for the Foothill-South Toll Road is fundamentally flawed. Over 30,000 people have already submitted written comments.”
The fight against the toll road has been going on for several years, with its most notable victory this past February when the California Coastal Commission struck down the proposed six-lane highway on grounds that it violates the Coastal Act. Over 3,000 people opposing the toll road attended the fourteen-hour hearing, making it the largest in the Commission’s history. With the Department of Commerce hearing fast approaching, toll road opponents are anticipating a similarly large turnout so the Federal Government can see first hand how many people are invested in protecting a State Park and a pristine watershed. The Surfrider Foundation, along with its coalition partners, want to ensure the Federal Government upholds important California environmental laws and supports the Coastal Commission decision. Surfrider expects a final decision from Commerce sometime in the fall or early winter.
On the day of the event, the Surfrider Foundation along with other groups opposing the extension of the 241 Toll Road will be running busses to transport supporters to and from the hearing.
“We now need to keep the pressure on with a large turnout to make a strong statement that we don’t want the federal government coming in and steamrolling our coast,” says Rauscher.
About Surfrider Foundation:
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our worldÂąs oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 80 chapters worldwide.
For more information on the Save Trestles Campaign, go to
www.savetrestles.org or www.surfrider.org.
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