ACTION ALERT!
Caltrans Highway Project
Threatens Mono Lake
YOUR LETTERS TO GOVERNOR DAVIS
NEEDED BY THE END OF JULY!
Issue Background
North of Lee Vining, Highway 395 travels a tight path between extremely steep Sierra slopes and the west shore of Mono Lake. Limited space is available for highway expansion. This stretch of highway has an accident rate below the state average and a low traffic volume that is only slowly increasing.
In 1992 local residents suggested to Caltrans that scenic turnouts, shoulder space for bicycles, and an improved turnoff at Old Marina would be useful improvements to this stretch of highway. The Committee supported these recommendations. But Caltrans has transformed the community’s simple request into a huge, $13 million engineering project that, if allowed to go forward as designed, will cut across sensitive wetlands and move the highway toward the lake. And now Caltrans is moving to lock in their proposed project by filing the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in July.
The US Forest Service, California State Parks, State Water Resources Control Board, and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board have repeatedly noted significant problems with the project as currently proposed by Caltrans. The Mono Lake Committee has participated in 2 years of public planning meetings expressing the concerns below and offering alternative ways of addressing safety needs. Despite all of this effort, Caltrans has not altered the project’s Draft EIR to include new alternatives.
Caltrans plans to finalize the Draft EIR in June and to submit it to the Federal Highways Administration in July. Governor Davis and the director of Caltrans still have a chance to make sure that acceptable alternatives that respect Mono Lake are part of the Draft EIR—but to make it happen they need to hear from you.
The Problem
Caltrans proposes to increase the “design” speed for traffic
through this area – which will require significant re-engineering and
reconstruction of this section of the road. Of the 4 options that Caltrans
has selected to consider in its environmental analysis, ALL include:
extensive fill slopes and retaining walls through the great majority of
the project area, uniform eight foot shoulders, and moving the highway toward the lake. After two years of stated public and
agency concerns, the Draft EIR alternatives remain unchanged.
The Caltrans approach:
- Is inconsistent with State Water Board-mandated protections for Mono Lake, including the higher management level of Mono Lake, and calls for construction that may stretch into the future lake.
- Buries lakeshore shoreline and wetlands, including parts of the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve, under fill slopes.
- Scars the scenic beauty of Mono Lake with shoreline retaining walls up to 40 feet high.
- Damages wetlands as well as waterfowl and shorebird habitat targeted for restoration.
- Increases safety problems by raising traffic speeds .
- Fails to meet federal 4(f) legal obligations to include “all possible planning to minimize harm” to public parklands at Mono Lake.
- Applies a uniform, one-size-fits-all design approach to this sensitive and unique area.
An appropriate approach should:
- Protect Mono Lake and surrounding landscape, consistent with state and federal requirements.
- Address specific, real safety needs with location-specific solutions.
- Enhance scenic qualities of this unique area.
URGENT: LETTERS ARE NEEDED
BEFORE THE END OF JULY 2002
Caltrans plans to complete the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the highway widening project in June and to submit it for federal review in July. We know the draft is unacceptable. The best course is to delay the draft until acceptable plans that are appropriate for Mono Lake can be included. Otherwise, Caltrans will be moving down a path that will likely require courtroom action.
Please write to Governor Davis immediately to urge him to rethink the highway plans. His leadership will be critical to preserving Mono Lake for future generations. State that you are writing concerning the Caltrans Mono Lake Widening Project adjacent to Mono Lake. Click here to download sample letters in rich text format: Sample Letter 1 / Sample Letter 2.
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
- Mono Lake is a unique California treasure that Gov. Davis has helped to protect. We need his help again to prevent Caltrans from moving forward on a project that will harm Mono Lake, a unique California treasure.
- Governor Davis should delay the EIR until it is adequate.
- Caltrans must develop an adequate EIR that complies with state and federal requirements for Mono Lake’s protection. To start, Caltrans must fully address the concerns raised by the US Forest Service, State Parks, State Water Resources Control Board, and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.
- Caltrans needs to implement its own “Context Sensitive Solutions” policy that calls for a balanced approach when working in environmentally sensitive areas and with rural communities.
Also mention:
- Any project must be proven compatible with the higher lake level (including natural fluctuation) ordered for Mono Lake’s protection, and with the restoration of Mono Lake.
- Caltrans must pursue workable solutions by creating project plans that approach real safety problems with targeted solutions.
- Huge retaining walls and extensive fill slopes are inappropriate on the shores of the Mono Lake.
- Caltrans should use this project to demonstrate the new approach embodied in the agency’s Context Sensitive Solutions policy.
- Increasing traffic speed on a Scenic Highway in a federal Scenic Area is inappropriate and counterproductive.
- The EIR under development is not adequate. An adequate EIR must include alternatives that solve existing problems without creating new ones.
- Your personal connection and reason for caring about Mono Lake.
HOW TO SEND YOUR LETTER
We would like a copy of your letter, no matter how you send it, for
future presentation to other leaders.
You can email the Governor directly at governor@governor.ca.gov Please copy the Mono Lake Committee. (The Governor’s office does not accept email attachments).
You can fax the Governor at 916-445-4633. Please copy the Mono Lake Committee at our fax: (760) 647-6377.
You can mail your letter to the Mono Lake Committee. We will relay it to the Governor’s office AND keep it on file for presentation to other leaders. (Or mail us a copy and mail your letter directly to the Governor at: Governor Gray Davis, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814)
Mono Lake Committee
PO Box 29
Lee Vining, CA 93541
FAX 760-647-6377
PHONE 760-647-6595
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MONO
LAKE!
Visit www.monolake.org and the Mono
Lake Newsletter for more background on this issue, or call
our office.
Back to Mono Lake Widening Project Page
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|