Richardson Grove is only one of eleven CalTrans projects across the State that may be "streamlined" past State Environmental reviews. This has upset groups such as the Sierra Club and the EDF. Whether it's drilling into the Berkeley Hills or trashing ecologically sensitive areas in San Diego, the barbaric side of Konan the Destroyer is beginning to take shape. Why the sudden flip-flop from the man who was supposed to save California from it's over consumptive and unsustainable energy woes?(Anyone remember Governor "Grey Out" Davis?)
WHAT ABOUT THE JOBS THAT WILL BE CREATED FROM THESE PROJECTS?
That's what the supporters of usurping environmental regulations will argue. Please keep in mind that these are only temporary jobs, and the governors push for illegally streamlining these projects will be just enough employment to TEMPORARILY offset the states current unemployment statistic of 8.4% for a 12 year high.
ARE HIS INTENTIONS IN THE RIGHT PLACE?
Arnold wants to eliminate the 8 hour workday(Google it), providing little or no overtime compensation for California's hardest workers. Why would Arnold sacrifice principles to appease big business? "Developers and others in the construction industry have contributed $21.6 million to Schwarzenegger since he took office in 2003 after promising to take moneyed influence out of Sacramento. He's taken another $15 million from banks and other businesses, according to Consumer Watchdog."
Even actors can be boght and sold by big business special interests. We all must keep in mind that Arnold is a real live ACTOR(Ronald Reagan was a good actor too, but his presidency is debatable). The trouble is, Arnold thinks that he can cut red tape without damaging his green image. Swartzenegger is seeking help from President Barack Obama to waive Federal Reviews for these projects. How green is Obama? We shall see...
No, "They won't be back", at least when it comes to the critters that depend on the eco-systems that Arnold wishes to terminate(Apparently neither will Arnold for another term). Many of these projects are currently disputed by groups such as the Surfrider Foundation. Some smaller projects such as the tree removal project in Independence are being completed by CalTrans without State financing approval. CalTrans screwed up on a massive envronmental scale in Redding just one year ago, so why allow them cut around 2000 year old Redwoods in Richardson Grove. Along with the major responsibility of the Statewide Environmental Project of the Year in Tahoe, who the hell is in charge of CalTrans anyway?
I'd venture to say the mafia:
"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."
From: "The Departed"
Please visit:
http://action.edf.org/campaign/CA_environmental_review to voice your opinion about these projects including the Richardson Grove expansion to multiple representatives at once. Your participation is vital and meaningful.
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Just a bunch of Tanoaks being cut down and ONE small redwood less than 24 INCHES in diameter. I've seen far too many accidents on that stretch of road. Fix it, please.
ReplyDeleteDo you live in Richardson Grove, Anonymous?
ReplyDeleteYou would have to be a park ranger or such to witness "far too many accidents".
Construction would actually increase the risk of an accident: "Highway 101 in Southern Humboldt and Northern Mendocino is served almost exclusively by volunteer fire departments; Hedin asked how they would be expected to respond to a potentially increased number of accidents in the narrow corridor" (http://www.northcoastjournal.com/issues/2009/01/08/drive-thru-redwoods/)
The issue is all encompassing. Whether it is the roots of the giant redwoods that will be damaged, the endangered species that will be ran off during construction, or the fact that the project will open the floodgates for big development; All of these issues can be avoided by leaving the Richardson Trees(and Humboldt) alone.
Go develop somewhere else. We won't allow it here.
Logging trees, and cutting into root systems of old growth trees and canopies that are centuries old will harm the old growth trees. Tree stumps and retaining walls will not help our tourist trade at all. Bad economy could mean the old growth redwoods and guardians of the forests good energy to survive and thrive...
ReplyDeleteI own and operate the Riverwood Inn in Phillipsville in Southern Humboldt county. I belong to the Humboldt Visitor and Convention Bureau as well as the Garberville Chamber of Commerce. I have been in this business since 1995. The Riverwood is a bar, restaurant and inn as well as a live music venue. I have worked long and hard to build up my business. My customers are both locals and tourists. I advertise all over and have a web site that receives inquiries from prospective visitors from all over the world. I talk and converse and email them directly and here is what I have found out. They come here for the trees. The redwoods. The Avenue of the Giants. They DO NOT come here for Home Depot, Walmart, Kmart, or to buy bulbs or cheese or ice cream.
ReplyDeleteI was born in Eureka in 1948. I remember when the Avenue of the Giants was Highway 101. We camped at Devoy's Grove, just south of Richardson's Grove. Devoy's is no longer there. They took it out for the new highway. Thank God they didn't take out Richardson's Grove at the same time. Devoy's had huge trees, all old growth, cabins and the best swim hole on the river. It's all gone now. Just my memory.
First impressions are lasting impressions. Richardson Grove is a first impression. The road itself through the Grove is winding and narrow, yet hundreds of trucks make it through there every day. I drive through there a lot and I will say from my experience that the trucks move along at a pretty good clip. It wouldn't hurt them to slow down a bit more. There are lots of pedestrians and motor homes moving through there and lots of tourist attractions before and after the Grove. In my opinion, from French's Camp to Bigfoot, the speed limit should be lowered. What's a minute or so?
Between the Highway 1 turnoff and the Peg House in Leggett are a series of turns on 101 that are even more challenging than anything in Richardson Grove. The speed limit is 30mph through this series of turns with flashing yellow warning lights. All the trucks that go through there have to go through Richardson's Grove too and they all seem to make it through there just fine. Maybe it's because the speed limit is 30mph?
We don't need this project. What we do need is that money spent on our state parks in this area. As it is now, the parks close right after Labor Day and don't open until Memorial Day. September and October are the most beautiful months up here in the redwoods, yet there are no places for overnight camping. All during April and May, the campgrounds are closed. This time of year he river is full, dogwood is blooming and the woods are fresh and clean, yet there is no place for visitors to camp. The fall and spring are prime times for tourist travel, but sorry folks, no place to pitch a tent. Opening the parks would be the real boon to our economy in this area. We could also use public bathrooms along the Avenue rather than port-a-potties. I have people stop at my business all the time asking to use my facilities and inquiring about camping and such. There are no campgrounds open. Period. Move on.......sorry folks.
Here's another point. Due to our hard economy, more and more people are going to choose to travel closer to home. Do we really want to have this construction happening during our prime time of the season? Especially when we aren't even sure if many of our businesses can make it through another season? I'm lucky in the sense that I do have local business all year round, but the winter is long and summer seems a long way away right now. Also, there is nothing more frustrating than to be trapped in a vehicle with kids and dogs for long blocks of time. Luckily, Confusion Hill has not caused any obstacles, but Richardson Grove will. People contemplating a visit to our area this year will be checking out the various web sites for just this type of thing and it may deter them from coming to me, to my business, to our area. I'm hanging by a thread as it is. I don't need the string cut.
I did camp at Richardson Grove last year and the traffic noise from 101 was loud, even down in the far campgrounds. If the road is widened, trucks will move faster, jake brakes will be applied and pedestrians will be at greater risk. From what I have read over the past 15 years, most of the accidents at Richardson Grove were caused by excessive speed and inattention as well as alcohol related. But hey! Blame it on the road, the trees, the deer that ran out.....whatever. Just don't blame it on yourself, right?
The proponents of this project are wealthy developers and a few business owners who want to open up Humboldt for their own purposes. The connections they have in Sacramento are huge. The grass roots objections to the Richardson Grove project seem to be finally having some impact. Why build more houses when so many are already in forclosure. Why build a Home Depot when they are closing stores? Also, why widen the road if trucks still have to come down 299 or up 101 past Big Lagoon? Ever driven on those roads? Yikes!
Please people, let us not sacrifice what we have for what they want. The true bounty of Humboldt is in it's beauty.
Anyway, I gotta stop. I Have a band tonight and I have to go to work. Thanks for the blog spot. I do appreciate everyone's efforts to stop this boondoggle...........
That was beautiful Loreen. What makes Humboldt so special is our Redwoods and our remoteness. I sincerely hope that the Riverwood Inn has a much better year.
ReplyDelete"Do you live in Richardson Grove, Anonymous?
ReplyDeleteYou would have to be a park ranger or such to witness "far too many accidents"."
Uhhh, no Jeff, I live in Eureka, but travel through down to the Bay Area on a monthly basis, moreso in the summer. And yes, in the last two years alone, I have seen three major accidents - been stuck in traffic waiting for the emergency response teams to respone.
Over the last ten years, I can think of at least five more accidents right off the top of my head where there was major vehicular damage as well as minor to major injuries to the occupants.
Your parameters and conditions to where I must live in order to witness too many accidents is a joke.
Wow Anonymous! Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. You must do a lot of excessive driving...
ReplyDeleteAnyways, to reply to your response about traffic safety in Richardson Grove, I would like to share with you Scott Greacen's(of EPIC) response to the DEIR in regards to truckin' through Richardson:
"The DEIR Does Not Establish That This Project is Necessary for Safety
The DEIR tries to support the need for the project on the basis of safety. On February 15, 2008, pursuant to a Public Records Act request, EPIC received from Caltrans the CHP information on traffic accidents in the Richardson Grove stretch of Highway 101. But the studies it refers to do not show what the DEIR states.9 The report date is February 13, 2008. What the tables reveal is that for the stretch of Highway 101 from mile post 0.920 to 2.120 which is the scope of the project, for a period of 5 years, there were only 6 accidents involving trucks, two of which occurred within one minute of each other on August 16, 2004 at 11:10 and 11:11 p.m, and only one of the five involved two trucks going in opposite directions. Notably, there have been no truck accidents since June 21, 2005. The CHP Report to the Legislature from August 2005, which evaluated the effect of Vehicle Code 35401.710 advised that there were no collisions, citations, verbal warnings, complaints, or highway incidents involved licensed carriers of livestock vehicles on the identified portions of Highway 101.11"
I would say that imposing a safer speed limit through Richardson Grove, and other multiple sections of the 101, would be a much more prudent and economical way of addressing your issue. I would also question how many of those accidents that you personally (or Anonymously:) witnessed involved commercial or "oversized" vehicles.
The 101 is a scenic corridor, unlike Interstate 5.
Please slow down, enjoy the view, and save some ga$.
Great posts...I have to stop by Riverwood Inn in Phillipsville, and I will stop and say hello Loreen; sounds like a fun get away for the weekend. I will tell my friends who still have jobs about that idea for a fun weekend in the redwoods.
ReplyDeleteThat was our fun too, as a child; going to the goves along there, including Devoy Grove, Richardson Grove, and a couple times to Benbow Inn to watch the square dancing. One grove even had the band Airplane playing (Jefferson Airplane and then Jefferson Starship I think was the same band) I was only about 14 or 15, when we were so lucky to hear this band that was just starting out.
What a total blast to enjoy swimming and hikes all day, then to hear a real rock and roll band was a real treat, while gazing up at the gigantic redwoods with a full moon, and dancing to this great music.
The redwoods are so awesome and it would just break my heart to see that area damaged, now that I woke up to find this is not just a couple trees; it is the root systems of these ancient trees in danger. Just read above; these people know what they are talking about, I researched it myself.
"Excessive driving"?? WTF? Was it "Excessive driving" when you made it down to the tree sit in Berkley, "Jeff"? (btw, how did that work out for you, aside from a 2million dollar cost to us taxpayers? The trees still got cut).
ReplyDeleteTalk to Ernie Branscomb, "Jeff". He is a volunteer fireman down in SoHum and has been part of innumerable traffic accidents, many of them fatalities through the years.
"I would also question how many of those accidents that you personally (or Anonymously:) witnessed involved commercial or "oversized" vehicles."
You would "question" this? Here, let me just tell you about two of them, right off of the top of my head, and NEITHER involved oversized vehicles. First one was the friday before the fourth of july weekend this past year. Guy in a classic fifties pick got t-boned by a woman in her suv. September 2007, I was the second car behind a car that lost control and smacked into a redwood tree. Car ended up being stolen, there was one guy down and hurt, and the other guy ended up running away, down into the forest.
Fix the road...
My Dearest Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI apologize if I offended you in regards to excessive driving. We all need to make a living, and some prefer to commute to Babylon from the Redwood Triangle. I myself prefer to live, work, and shop locally. I must have struck a nerve or something, but it was not intended to attack your livelihood.
We drove thousands of miles over the years for two local Treesits; Fern Gully in Freshwater and Nanning Creek outside of Scotia. You may have heard the terrific news about both actions and their recent success. This could not have been done easily without the use of my vehicle and others to drive out food, gear, and of course the super heroes and super heroines who sat peacefully and patiently to save those magnificent trees. I took the bus when my car was down. We drove because we had to, all for a great cause.
What's yours?
I agree that it is a travesty that the Berkeley Oaks were slaughtered. My partner and I had just rode our bicycles on a summer trip from Humboldt to the San Diego area on Highway 1 and Highway 101. I was horrified to see on the news the violence perpetuated by the UCPD and the hired climbers against Oak's Treesitters, Oak's Ground Support and the Grannies. We decided to take the next Amtrak with our bikes to Berkeley after seeing the news showing the UC trying to recklessly extract "Dumpster Muffin" from her treetop platform.
The rest I'm sure you know about, because you already know way too much about me to be an "Anonymous Blogger". I've already chatted(blogged) with Ernie Branscomb regarding forest defense and the enivironment. I think I'll pass on that offer to chat with him in regards to accidents near the grove. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Just two questions for you, Anonymous:
1. How does one get "T-Boned" along that stretch of narrow(but beautiful) road? Would there not have to be an incident involving a intersection for that type of accident to take place? From what I understand, to be "T-Boned" is to get hit in a perpendicular fashion, from the side if you will. Sounds like a freak accident to me...
2. The accident involving a stolen vehicle is not a very good example to support your argument. Maybe karma and/or drugs were ultimately the cause of the accident you witnessed. Moreover, a stolen car is usually not driven as safely as the general public would operate their vehicles on a day to day basis.
Please drive safely Anonymous, and send my love to Rose and the rest of the Forest Defense hater blog crew for me.
Save the Trees...Save Humboldt County!
dude...that's the point - there are lots of accidents, freak accidents and others...It's a dangerous stretch of road.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not a car is stolen or not - they wreck, irregardless...
There are Tons ' wrecks along that stretch, your denials notwithstanding...
btw, you never answered how your actions down in Berkely did anything but cost us the taxpayers over two million dollars.
Send my love to Dumpster Muffin, "Jeff"...
Fix the road! I can't wait! It's gonna happen, just like the earthshattering removal of the trees in Berkley...
Above Ukiah is very dangerous too; be careful Anonymous, and watch out not to rear end anyone through those other towns that require a person go 10 mph in areas with tons of stop lights; wow like Eureka...lol
ReplyDeleteWatch out for the crazy meth freeks speeding through 101 in Eureka and hitting people to where they end up on telephone wires. Watch out going into Rays parking lot, or you may get shot. Makes about as much sense as wanting to cut out everything in your path, so your trucks get there 5 minutes faster with two more dead cows, or an extra trailor of goods, while the other person has no job; you know the truckers that do go back and forth through Richardson Grove and have for the last 90 years. You want them out of a job???
Or is Ananomous the wonderful Sun Valley lilly's factory, where workers are so sick they may die from the pesticides,or workers having to sue to get their overtime, or the company who cares so much about Humboldt County that they hire illegal workers to under pay them and it would not surprise me if they neglected to pay workers compensation on those 250 workers.
Or is this about Arcata recycling? One would think a Recycling Company would actually care about the environment; I was so upset to learn these things. You want us to cut into a State Protected Forest Park to help you? Oh, maybe this is the person we should bow down to because you have done so much for Humboldt County and then start pushing our elected officials around; maybe that is who Ananonymous is...
Not going to happen; news is California is not building, not growing, and there is no money. But we will keep up this alerting the public as they need to be informed.
each year for YOUR BOTTOM line; no one else will benefit if you kill these trees and the river too with the run off. What are you thinking? Oh you were not thinking of anyone but yourself and your "self interests" "agendas" "bottom line" and we all see what big businesses do in the end...they take everything and run.
Hate to burst your bubble, but there will be no cutting into Richardson Grove...
I hate to burst YOUR bubble, misty, but the only trees being cut are a few tan oaks and ONE tree less than 24 inches in diameter.
ReplyDeleteBut those trees, yes they will be cut, and the road will be fixed, and thank Jah for that.
Ahh, and now, comments are "awaiting approval"...
ReplyDeleteLMAO, censorship is alive and well with Jeff. Nice!!!
Care to make a wager on that Misty?
ReplyDeleteLet's pick something fun to bet - a cup of coffee or tea perhaps?
Care to wager as to whether or not the road is fixed Misty?
ReplyDeleteLet's make it fun...say a cup of tea or coffee at Has beans.
I say my bubble remains intact, while your's bursts...
I bet that anonymous bloggers have special interests in greed, maybe even a guilt complex from having such a blackened heart.
ReplyDeleteGreat points Misty! What is the maximum sized trailer that can SAFELY turn through the "L" in Eureka where Broadway meets the 101? And how many more accidents will bigger trucks bring to the urban centers of Humboldt? What is being done by Cal-Trans to prevent this?
wow, four days and you finally "approved" comments...
ReplyDeleteThat's censorship, Jefe...
We don't have to approve comments. I'm unsure of what happened. No one else has had any issues.
ReplyDeleteYour argument with Misty is based on the amount and the size of trees to be cut by Cal-Trans. However, you have failed to acknowledge the impacts of the proposed project towards the Ancient Trees that are in the State Park. I'd prefer to avoid continuously quoting Scott's comments from EPIC in regards to the DEIR, but that IS what EXPERT opinions are for...
"The DEIR concedes that several of these ancient trees will be affected by construction activities, and in some cases the realignment will move the roadbed even closer to the trees. The list of trees to be affected is staggering: 40 trees, with nearly half of those over 6 feet in diameter and several in the range of 10-15 feet in diameter. The DEIR plainly acknowledges that adverse effects to large trees may be a significant impact to this unique natural community."
My questions for you, Mr. or Ms. Anonymous, are quite simple and should be easily understood and answered:
As an anonymous blogger, what are your personal and/or more importantly and apparently your professional interests in this project? Why would you choose to blog anonymously regarding this issue? Would the reason or reasons relate to the unpopularity of this project? Or is your anonimity be based on your role in this project? In this community?
As blog readers will notice, anonymous posts tend to be crude, inflammatory, and contain unpopular opinions, as if they are hiding something along with their identities. This is true for any blog regarding any hot issue.
Opponents of the Richardson Grove project tend to be outspoken, their opinions succinct and based in factual reality, and do not find it necessary or productive to hide. Our interests in stopping this project are not based in greed.
I'm also not sure why you feel it necessary to attack Misty. You sound really obsessed about this issue, far more than you should be. Misty does not have to meet you for coffee, that sounds like a blind date gone horrifically wrong.
Thanks for protecting me from preditors, Jeff, omg, coffee to wager who has the highest connections here?
ReplyDeleteNo need to go to coffee, because I have the highest "inside information" that there will be no cutting into Richardson Grove, but of course I will encourage all who have not sent comments in to Caltrans, the Governor and Pat Wiggens pushing this agenda, and every other elected official.
Also, call the stores where you shop and tell them if they are pushing this project to cut into Richardson Grove, that you wish they would not, and you can always take your business elsewhere.
Shopping locally is always the healthiest way to shop for food. Wildberries is a great place to shop; one of my favorite and their Deli is amazing. It is worth the drive. Soon the Farmer's Markets will open, and the local shops do have most of what a person needs.
No thanks to coffee, but sure would be interested to see what you have to loose Anonymous, if Richardson Grove State Park is saved from the greed of a few local businesses.
What if we could get local businesses to display their disdain for the project? Maybe put up the Save Richardson Grove posters in their windows?
ReplyDeleteHow sad for you Misty that you cannot sit and have a cup of coffee (and you're invited as well, Jeff) with someone who has a different point of view than you. How terribly nonprogressive and sad.
ReplyDeleteSo now I am a "preditor" (sic)? What a sad little world you live in Misty.
I enjoy reading the Humboldt Herald blog and I believe that all Humboldt County residents should stay involved and up to date with what's happening locally. However, although some of these posts contain constructive criticism that is useful to familiarize oneself with all sides of a story, some of the remaining posts are childish and will eventually cause people like myself to stop reading them. Im all for free speech, but abuse and disrespect is a shame. Please people, contain yourself.
ReplyDeleteWell said, anonymous!
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy to join you for a cup of coffee, anonymous. Email humboldtforestdefense@gmail. I feel that your multiple posts reflect a mistake in the blog, and are not necessarily "creepy", although they appear that way since there were issues beyond our control.
ReplyDeleteAnanymous, please don't take it personally about me not wanting to meet you for coffee, but I just don't want to be around people right now. but if I wanted someone to try and change my mind on how I feel, I would find my ex-husband. He was really good at putting me down when ever we did not agree, or I would not do what he wanted.
ReplyDeleteI don't know you Jeff, but that would be great for Anonymous and you to meet for coffee. Too bad I am not more social or I would join you all. Maybe I will hide in a corner nearby and take notes.
Did you know there are Native American Artifacts that were found on the Caltrans Richardson Grove proposed site that are 3.500 years old. Wow, all those arrowheads we found as children belonged to the tribes that used to live there before, sadly they were nearly all killed by settlers.
Here we are at another crossing; big business verses what is best to preserve this State Park with old growth and canopy that supports Marbled Murlettes and Spotted Owls and other species that will be disturbed by any work done on the grove.
It is not just so simple as cutting a few trees as Caltrans tries to suggest, this is major surgery and the results could be very devistating if allowed to continue. What is the hurry. The correct studies required by law have not been done; just old charts and studies without true relation to Richardson Grove.
Caltrans knows this. They said it themselves in the Draft Environmental Impact Report. Please read the entire DEIR, and once you do, you will clearly see this is bad idea and Caltrans is contridicting themselves on nearly every page.
One requirement not done my Caltrans, a two year study of the Marbled Murlett has not even begun.
The state and federal government has no money, and this project is never going to be "shovel ready."
Let me know how coffee goes...
WOW there a lot of good posts, very interesting and articulate. I choke when I think of the trees coming down, and the critters leaving and the root systems being ruined. I have driven into that area as often as i can, for years. I love it and it takes my breath away. You know that once that road is widend then in comes Costco, and Walmart, Target and the rest of that crap that's in Ukiah, Santa Rosa, or Eureka. I like that when I'm there we drive to Eureka for that kind of shopping if it's needed. i love that I can drive through Southern Humboldt and see Osprey and their nests, even eagles. What happens to them?
ReplyDeleteWhat happens to Singing Trees Recovery Center. That business is small, it's been there operating and doing great work for the community for almost 20 years, this will put them out of business. What about those employees, some who have been there and are dedicated, for over 15 years. It would be a sad loss to the community to loose Singing Trees Recovery Center. There are many people in the community that are self employed and are responsible members of society, because Singing Trees was there. But Cal Trans or the governator says that this will employ people, and it's been said here, that that's on a temporary basis. What about the employees of Singing Trees that will be unemployed permanently.
I applaud you people who are so dedicated to not letting this happen. This will affect our planet negatively forever. Once this is done, it's done.
I've seen accidents up there too. Nothing that couldn't have been avoided by slowing down a bit.
And if the trees are gone, well hey, we can look at a cement wall as we drive by.
Carol Everest