SAVE THE AMERICAN RIVER ASSOCIATION
Guardians of the American River and Parkway since 1961
NEWS RELEASE Contact: Stephen Green
Vice President
916-436-6961
SARA FILES SUIT AGAINST FOLSOM OVER PLAN TO PAVE THE LAKE NATOMA SHORELINE
Save the American River Association (SARA) filed suit in Sacramento County Superior Court over the City of Folsom's plan to pave a trail on the Lake Natoma Shoreline.
"The city did a minimal assessment of the project's environmental impacts rather than a comprehensive Environmental Impact Report," said SARA Vice President Stephen Green."The project fails to meet the minimum legal requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, the American River Parkway Plan, and State Planning and Zoning Law.
"SARA is concerned about the environmental impacts -- especially those associated with aesthetics, biological resources, recreation and land-use planning," Green said.
Dan Winkelman, a Folsom resident, retired State Park Ranger, and author of the book "Lake Natoma," added that the project would dramatically alter "this treasured piece of wilderness in our city.This is just the first segment of the city's plans to take over and develop Lake Natoma."
Defendants in the suit are the City of Folsom and the City Council which approved the project on June 11.The project is called the Lake Natoma Waterfront Trail Enhancement Project.
The Project would be located on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation land managed as a park by the state Dept. of Parks and Recreation.A small portion of the trail would be on city property.
The project site would extend from the intersection of Gold Lake Dr. at the top of the Lake Natoma Crossing Bridge down to the Lake Natoma waterfront, and follow the existing trail along the waterfront to where it reconnects to the existing paved bike trail about 1,000 feet south of the Lake Natoma Crossing Bridge.
Green noted that the site currently is designated for Low Intensity Recreation/Conservation.The proposed project would provide for high-density recreational use.Existing habitat would be removed and pavement would cover roots of historic Oak Trees.
"SARA board members are especially concerned that the project includes lighting of native oak trees and bollards in the State Park," Green said."Yet the park is closed to visitors after dark."
In the past, the City of Folsom has approved projects that cause light pollution in the Lake Natoma area.When the Folsom Auto Mall was approved, area residents were assured that there would be no light intrusion into the lake and State Park.From the day the mall opened, light has been intruding in and around the lake -- and directly into a Fair Oaks neighborhood across the lake.
The City of Folsom has a long history of abuses of the Lake Natoma environment, Green added.
The City of Folsom has been fined for the release of sewage that has flowed into Lake Natoma.Sewage releases still occur in the city when there is heavy rainfall.
For years, the City of Folsom and its contractors allowed toxic runoff from the Folsom Corporation Yard Landfill in violation of the city’s NPDES Permit, Green said.
Previously, the City of Folsom destroyed habitat in and around the landfill site for a federally listed threatened species, the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (desmocerus californicus dimorphus) , Green continued.
The failure to Prepare an Environmental Impact Report for the project violates state law and constitute a prejudicial abuse of discretion, Green concluded.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to SARA to protect the American River, go to www.sarariverwatch.org
