Save Trestles

Trestles/Toll Road Update:

This is from Matt McClain, Surfrider's Communications Director:

Dear Friends,

Well…today was certainly a HUGE day for Surfrider Foundation’s Save Trestles campaign!!

The day started off early in Sacramento with a media release announcing that State Attorney General Bill Lockyer has joined the Surfrider Foundation and other environmental organizations in filing suit against the Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) to block the construction of the 241 Foothill South Toll Road. Lockyer filed the lawsuit on behalf of the people of California and the State Park and Recreation Commission. The complaint alleges the TCA, and its board of directors, violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by failing to adequately assess significant environmental effects of the road, failing to identify measures that could mitigate those impacts and failing to properly study alternatives that would avoid harm to the environment.

A press conference was held at the Department of Justice office in Sacramento this morning. Joining the Attorney General was Surfrider Foundation Executive Director Jim Moriarty to offer insight into how the toll road project would affect the surfing resources at the nearby breaks at Trestles.

“This project will certainly cause significant degradation to the water quality at Trestles, and will likely impact the actual break itself should we see changes to the hydrology of San Mateo Creek,” said Moriarty.

Meanwhile, 400 miles to the south, Surfrider Foundation’s South Orange County Chapter organized a protest rally around an afternoon appearance by United States Congressman Ken Calvert at the San Clemente Community Center. Approximately 50-70 activists were on hand to demonstrate their opposition to Rep. Calvert’s ongoing support for the TCA’s planned extension to the 241 Foothill South toll road. With television crews from KNBC, FOX and FUEL looking on, local protesters took advantage of the opportunity to admonish Rep. Calvert for his patronage of this ill-conceived project. To his credit, Rep. Calvert stood before the crowd for nearly 20 minutes, answering various questions. Ultimately however, the Congressmen’s answers proved unsatisfactory.

When queried about report findings from renowned engineering consultants, Smart Mobility, which stated that a simple widening of Interstate 5 would be cheaper and more effective than extending the toll road, Rep. Calvert responded “I’m all for widening I-5, but I think we need the toll road as well,” to which local Surfrider Foundation activist Mark Babski quickly reminded the Congressman that the TCA has a non-compete clause written into their contract with Cal Trans.

“Today’s protest is just the beginning,” said Surfrider Foundation South Orange County Chapter Chair Ed Schlegal. “Everyone of our elected officials, from the San Clemente City Council to the Governor, needs to know that our community is not going to stand for this project compromising our State Parks and threatening our coastal environments.”

Look for coverage on today’s events on KNBC as well as on upcoming episodes of FUEL TV’s Weekly Update with Boost Mobile.

Join Surfrider Today! - www.surfrider.org/join

South Orange County Chapter Web site - www.surfrider.org/southorangecounty