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Testimony at Commerce Hearing Confirms No Jeopardy to Habitats, Wildlife and Watershed From State Route 241

Posted on: Monday, 22 September 2008, 21:00 CDT

The proposed route for the extension of State Route 241 to connect with Interstate 5 south of San Clemente on Camp Pendleton is safe for the environment, watershed, wildlife, campers, surfing and the beaches, according to testimony presented today during a U.S. Department of Commerce Hearing at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

"Outside experts and agencies have validated the sensitive design of the route to avoid endangered habitats and protect the beaches," said Jerry Amante, chairman of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. "We have presented overwhelming evidence that the 241 will protect the environment, the watershed and endangered habitats. We are encouraged that the facts will prevail over emotion and deceit and that Commerce will overturn the California Coastal Commission's vote against the extension."

Speakers cited reports from multiple government agencies and outside experts. The most compelling: a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biological opinion that the road will not jeopardize the existence of any endangered species. The report issued a strong rebuttal to the "unsubstantiated assertions" made by the Coastal Commission staff about apocalypse for the Pacific pocket mouse and other species.

The California Department of Fish and Game approved the measures the TCA will implement to protect fish and wildlife resources during construction and operation of the roadway. One report even noted that the hikers and bikers cause more damage to the pocket mouse population than any road would; hikers and bikers routinely crush the mice and ruin their burrows.

The biggest myths and lies from the opposition during midday testimony included claims that: the 241 will obliterate the last pristine watershed in California; the road is the death knell for numerous endangered species, including steelhead trout and the pocket

mouse; TCA is paving over San Mateo Creek; the road will decimate one of our most beloved state parks; and the road would devastate sacred Acjachemen and Juaneno grounds at Panhe.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biological opinion debunked many of the myths:

-- "Currently, no designated or proposed critical habitat exists in the action area of the toll road project....Therefore, critical habitat for the tidewater goby, arroyo toad, Riverside fairy shrimp, San Diego fairy shrimp, southwestern willow flycatcher, least Bell's vireo, coastal California gnatcatcher, and thread-leaved brodiaea are not considered further in this opinion."

-- The toll road will have no impact on the arroyo toad population.

-- "Following completion of the proposed restoration, we anticipate that the number of gnatcatcher pairs range wide will be similar to or slightly greater than pre-project conditions."

The National Marine Fisheries Service has determined that the project would not adversely impact steelhead trout. TCA plans to build temporary bridges for construction equipment, even during the dry season, will ensure that there is no interference with migrating steelhead if there was water flow. The NMFS also determined that when construction is complete, the final bridges are not expected to interfere with the steelhead migratory habitat.

The land used for the 241 represents just .16 of one percent of an 83,000 acre watershed, most of which is in Camp Pendleton and the Cleveland National Forest.

"That's the equivalent of one teaspoon of water in a five-gallon jug," said Amante.

Sensitive Planning for Crossing San Mateo Creek

Claims that the TCA is "paving San Mateo Creek" are laughable, Amante said. The road will bridge over San Mateo Creek on four small columns, each about 70 square feet at the base - each about the size of a dining room table - and designed for minimal environmental impact. There are far fewer columns than can be found nearby with Interstate 5, old Highway 101 and the trestles bridge for rail traffic. Over the years more than 500 supports, abutments, pier walls, footings, timber piles and upgraded foundations sunk into San Mateo Creek to support the railroad trestles, Old Highway 101, and eight lanes of Interstate 5. The creek will continue to flow just as it does today with the completion of 241, Amante said.

Representatives from several cities in Orange County that are most impacted by congestion on I-5 cited the sensitivity of the alignment and how it threads a needle between wetlands, endangered habitats, a campground and Native American ceremonial sites. Testimony from several supporters noted that completion of the 241 will save time and money in commuting, plus reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Other major facts covered during the hearing included:

Outside Experts Say Park, Surf and Beaches Safe

Facts and government agency reports show that the 241 crosses an inland subunit of San Onofre State Beach Park east of Interstate 5 almost a mile from the beach. It is used by only five percent of park visitors. Ninety-five percent of the park's visitors go the beach portions of the park on the west side of I-5 to enjoy Trestles, Old Mans and San Onofre Beaches, far from the 241. These visitors will see no change to their experience after the road is built.

The 241 Toll Road will be constructed to ensure that the world-class surf conditions at Trestles Beach will be fully protected. Two independent peer reviews of reports on the completion of the 241 Toll Road and surfing conditions in the vicinity of San Mateo Creek concluded that the project will have no impact on surfing or wave formation. Richard J. Seymour, Ph.D., research engineer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and noted consultant in coastal oceanography, said: "No substantial change, either positive or negative, to surfing quality would result from the project." This was validated by another study from Howard H. Chang, Ph.D., professor of civil and environmental engineering at San Diego State University and a noted consultant with more than 40 years of experience in river sedimentation.

The project includes a state-of-the-art system to collect and treat storm water runoff, including runoff from a segment of I-5 that currently goes untreated.

For Native American lands, the slope from the realignment of Cristianitos comes within 6 to 10 feet of the northern corner of the enclosure, but does not impact the enclosure itself. TCA's environmental studies fully recognized the presence of places within the project area that are culturally and historically sensitive and has been working with Orange County tribal governments since 1996. TCA will continue to treat these sites with the appropriate dignity and care that is warranted for these sensitive resources.

Polls Show Two-Thirds of San Diego and Orange County in Favor of the 241

Public opinion polls of south Orange County and northern San Diego residents have shown overwhelming support for the extension of the toll road by 2-1 margins. When apprised of the true facts -- that the alignment is nowhere near the beach, does not close any campgrounds, and has met tough environmental standards -- rather than the myths spread by the anti-road campaign, voters are even more likely to support the project.

Widening I-5 Not an Option

Experts also dismissed opponents' claims that widening Interstate 5 was an option. It would cost Californians an estimated $2.4 billion and displace some 1,200 homes and businesses. No federal or state funds exist to widen I-5. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration said the I-5 option wasn't viable for many reasons.

Will Kempton, director of Caltrans, said completion of the 241 Toll Road will take pressure off I-5, a corridor the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) has designated as having the highest national importance to interstate travel and international trade. The I-5 is the sole coastal route between the San Diego and Long Beach/Los Angeles ports, and is used for international trade and goods. The region needs an alternative route for emergency situations and the 241 is the answer, he told the hearing.

The 241 Generates Jobs

Representatives from labor - the building trades, carpenters, operating engineers, iron workers and Teamsters in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Diego Counties - had one big word: jobs. The 241 represents thousands of guaranteed jobs in the next two years, plus a ripple effect of employing up to 20,000 at a time.

About Completion of the 241

Extending the 241 will relieve traffic on Interstate 5 in South Orange County by providing an alternative route. With construction of the toll road, two miles of Interstate 5 will be retrofitted to collect and treat runoff, improving water quality in the Trestles area. Without the toll road, travel from the San Diego/Orange County border to Mission Viejo will take one hour in 2025. With the toll road constructed, the same drive on Interstate 5 will take 25 minutes and it will take 16 minutes on the toll road. The new road will provide an alternative to Interstate 5 for the hundreds of thousands of motorists a day who travel between San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

Source: Business Wire

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