Highway Widening Thru RIchardson Grove Would Facilitate Nuclear Waste Transport!

We don't know who made this video, but think it's great. It seems accurate except for the part that says that old-growth redwoods are set to be cut INSIDE Richardson Grove State Park for the CalTrans 101 road widening project. Our understanding is that ancient trees inside Richardson Grove are not scheduled to be cut, but will have their roots EXCAVATED, CUT, and PAVED OVER. Such damage to the roots is horrendous for the life of the trees. There are some old-growth redwoods on private property adjacent to the Grove that we suspect would be CUT, if CalTrans were to do the road widening. Join us in action to make sure CalTrans can't!
~Richardson Grove Action Now

CalTrans in Richardson Grove: Road to Ruin in the Redwoods video p. 2

CalTrans in Richardson Grove: Road to Ruin in the Redwoods video p. 1

Richardson Grove Banner Treesit video links

These are the links to the video I made this week from my footage of Monday's treesit and banner hanging.

CalTrans in Richardson Grove: Road to Ruin in the Redwoods p. 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_2StgpiChI

CalTrans in Richardson Grove: Road to Ruin in the Redwoods p. 2

http://www.youtube.com/user/AndyCaffrey?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/HsTH9RjPPH4

All of the videos I shoot will end up at http://www.youtube.com/AndyCaffrey

Please let people know about this video and these links. Thanks!

Andy

Monday, Feb 21st: CalTrans Lies Exposed!

We are here in this tree to draw attention to trees threatened by Caltrans' plan, and to send the message that we are prepared to stop the plan at any time, at every step. The tree we were in was one of a grove of trees marked for removal, including at least six ancient trees, on land to be taken by "eminent domain". Not one ancient should be cut!

The trees in the grove have all been spray-painted with white dots. When a tree is spray-painted, this means death. Caltrans has denied any knowledge of the marks and denied intent to cut the grove. The decision-makers at Caltrans originally wanted to push the highway widening through without a public comment period. And when public meetings were held, Caltrans had already made the decision to go ahead, despite a majority of people with real, valid opposition. Caltrans has misclassified trees, and made every effort to minimize the effect of their project in the media. With them pushing the plan so hard, why should we believe they aren't going to cut those trees? Why should we believe they have no ulterior motives? Caltrans will take license to cut whatever they want.

It is common knowledge that highways are the arteries of military, industry, development, and capitalist opportunists: everything which represents death to us. These things turn living places into dead, like Camden, New Jersey, or Pelican Bay. These things are "progress", and we say it ends here for Humboldt.

ONE DEMAND: CANCEL THE PLAN!

EXPOSE CalTrans' Lies and

Mis-information

CalTrans proponents of the federally-funded road widening through Richardson Grove initially tried to push the project ahead unlawfully, without the required Environmental Impact Report and thus, without public input. If a CalTrans [California Department of Transportation] employee had not discovered this disgraceful attempt, the Richardson Grove plan would have gone through without our prior knowledge or the minimal required environmental review. CalTrans' District One Supervisor, Charles Fielder, wants the road widening through the Grove to improve his political status with government and corporate entities. The highway expansion plan through Richardson Grove is no minor project, as CalTrans¹* would have you believe.

CALTRANS IS DECEITFUL

ABOUT THE PLAN'S EFFECTS

ON THE ENVIRONMENT:

CalTrans lies about the effects that cutting the roots of ancient redwoods would have. CalTrans denies that cutting the roots will kill ancient trees. CalTrans lies about the effects of paving over ancient redwood tree roots. CalTrans lies about the effects of pneumatically excavating the roots of ancient trees. Redwoods (and these are in a park where they are supposed to remain protected) cannot survive cut, blown out, or paved-over roots. If the ancient trees in and near Richardson Grove are not cut now, but their roots are damaged the way CalTrans intends, the old trees, next to the highway, will slowly die and eventually be cut. CalTrans will call them “dangerous.” Not one tree should be cut in Richardson Grove State Park. And we are not fooled. We know that trees are affected by what happens to their roots!

“...physical damage that will occur to the root systems of these ancient trees will jeopardize their long-term health & well-being.”

Long-time horticulturist & plant pathologist, Stan Binnie, who now resides in Humboldt wrote in a February 12, 2011 Eureka Times-Standard Op-ed:

...I witnessed the death of hundreds of mature maple and oak trees from damage to their root systems during the construction process. The problem was significant enough for me to author a university publication, which is still being distributed to concerned developers and homeowners. Consequently, I have some knowledge & background to justify my concerns about the root systems of the old-growth redwoods in Richardson Grove.”

Mr. Binnie also cited Dr. Stephen Sillett of Humboldt State University, and a world-renowned expert on coastal redwood trees, as writing in a letter to CalTrans: “I have studied redwoods for many years, and my repeated observations of large redwoods near construction sites have convinced me that cutting large roots is a BAD IDEA if maintaining tree health and vigor is a goal.”

Mr. Binnie continued, “...Caltrans states that no roots larger than 2 inches in diameter will be cut during this project. However, it appears that no surveys were conducted to determine if any larger roots are in the area of the proposed project-which seems inevitable when dealing with such large trees-or where the roots are located... “... what will happen if larger roots are encountered, and what will happen if larger roots need to be cut or removed. Will the project be stopped or canceled? I seriously doubt it.

In Richardson Grove State Park, just feet from where the road project is proposed, there are signs that say: “AREA CLOSED TO PROTECT ROOTS.” And another nearby sign says: “Ironically, one of the greatest threats to a redwood's longevity comes from well-intentioned humans. Continuous foot traffic compacts the soil around a tree, damaging its network of fine surface roots and restricts their intake of water and nutrients. For this reason, visitors are asked to stay on designated paths.”

How is it that there is concern about foot traffic damaging the roots of ancient redwoods but there seems to be little concern over heavy equipment crushing their roots or the ...cutting, filling and compacting of soil over their delicate root systems. ...as far as the trees are concerned, nothing good can come to them as a result of this project.

Why would we want to jeopardize the long-term well-being of these few remaining old-growth redwoods?...”

CalTrans downplays the impact and significance of the road widening project.

We know that it IS a big deal. CalTrans is relying upon an “incidental take permit”as the go-ahead to kill endangered species and wipe out rare habitats. “Take” defined by the Endangered Species Act is 'to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any threatened or endangered species.' Harm may mean that a construction or development project, or resource extracting activity, kills or injures a listed species by interfering with essential behavior like nesting or reproduction. This project requires an incidental take permit which means harassment and death to otherwise protected species and habitats in and around Richardson Grove State Park- that may never again exist on Earth. Forests cannot survive in isolated strips. Redwood forests, in particular, have developed for thousands of years in circular, shallow, and connected root families.

CalTrans, in its mis-information campaign, responds to the people's outrage, to simple science and to common sense by casually claiming to care for our environment. CalTrans officials repeat over and over the incredible lie that the road widening project will not affect old-growth trees. If you look at the marker stakes in the Grove that show where CalTrans aims to cut, excavate, compact, and pave over, you will see markers leaning right up against ancient redwood trees.

????Why are there White Dots Painted on Ancient Trees adjacent to Richardson Grove State Park ????

The huge old redwood trees, which are on the Singing Trees Recovery Center property, were marked with white paint in June of 2010 - the property owners' knowledge. We figured CalTrans painted the dots during a survey but Kim Floyd, Caltrans manager for the road widening project through the Grove, denied knowledge of the marked trees. The ancient trees, branded with white paint, are between CalTrans' orange project markers and Hwy 101.

Do the white paint dots mark the location for CalTrans to build a retaining wall through the Singing Trees property - as part of the road widening project? Does CalTrans intend to cut the marked trees to make an equipment staging area? Does CalTrans want to wipe out the old trees to create a vehicle detour?

Any way we think about it, it doesn't look good. Road construction usually requires retaining walls, equipment staging areas, and vehicle detours. CalTrans' plan has stated the government's intention to declare eminent domain on parts of the Singing Trees property. Does CalTrans want to take out those huge ancient singing trees to accomplish their plan?... and not tell anyone?

CalTrans fails, in all public discourse, to mention its intended use of DEFOLIANTS. Agent Orange is an example of a defoliant. Just as defoliants had no place in the jungles of Vietnam, in the bodies of human beings, or in the waters that flow through the land, defoliants have no place in Richardson Grove or the Eel River, much less any forest or its inhabitants.

As CalTrans claims it can build a road through the redwoods with no environmental harm, it is being fined by the Regional Water Board for immense environmental violations on the Confusion Hill bypass. The Board's Complaint alleges 154 violations and 141 days that CalTrans violated General Discharge Prohibitions. CalTrans illegally and consistently discharged sediment, concrete water, and construction waste directly into the Eel River and into active streams. CalTrans caused welding slag to fall in the river and sent sandblasting waste, hydrolic fuel and other pollutants into the water and gravel bars.

One key point made by supporters and propagators (CalTrans, Feds, and ill informed locals) of the highway expansion project is that, as the road is widened, more traffic will flow quickly thru the Grove, primarily more (excessively polluting) STAA trucks. Unfortunately, a widened road and more trucks mean that rain & storm water, instead of being filtered by soil particles, will flow across the road picking up contaminants associated with air pollution particles, spilled oil, detergents, solvents, pesticides, and other toxins, which then readily make their way into the Eel River, the creeks running through Richardson Grove, and marshy patches along the river bank.

There is no basis for us to trust CalTrans to care for the well-being of our environment.

Have you seen Richardson Grove?
Do YOU believe the road can be
widened without CUTTING BIG TREES?

The only guaranteed economic outcomes from another NAFTA highway are crappy, short-lived jobs, less money for education, healthcare, and other necessary social programs, massive highway maintenance expenses, consistent access for unaccountable trans-national corporations, and the rapid urbanization of our landscape. These conditions will be long-term and pervasive, and will only get worse with time. CalTrans spreads misinformation about economic impacts of its plans. Widening highway 101 through Richardson Grove must be stopped.

The U.S. military defends the interests of multi-national and trans-national corporations, and the highways (i.e. "NAFTA highways") are expanded for both the corporations and their military protectors.

CALTRANS HIDES THE AGENDA OF INCREASED MILITARIZATION OF OUR COMMUNITIES, WATERS, & LANDS.

Highways were designed for the purpose of moving military convoys.

Today, they are still part of networks such as STRAHNET. "The Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) system of public highways provides access, continuity, and emergency transportation of personnel and equipment in times of peace and war. The 61,000-mile system, designated by the Federal Highway Administration in partnership with DOD[Department of Defense], comprises about 45,400 miles of Interstate and defense highways and 15,600 miles of other public highways. STRAHNET is complemented by about 1,700 miles of connectors—additional highway routes linking more than 200 military installations and ports to the network."

The Redwood Curtain area has been a natural bottle-neck blocking the swift access of military vehicles, tanks, etc for a long time. CalTrans intends to "straighten out" such rural highway routes so there are no obstacles to increased military access to & throughout the coast. There is also a plan to re-route Hwy 101 through Cutten- to pass the armory there.


With the Pentagon trying to station military personnel throughout communities in the U.S., with the Navy planning war games off the Pacific Coast, with the increased rounding up of undocumented people, houseless people, and mentally ill people, with the increased militarization of the police, with civil unrest more frequently occurring (thankfully), with the drug war continuing on overload, with military recruitment a major interest and enormous federal expenditure to keep bodies of poor young people going to war, with Obama's Council of Governors "strengthening" the power and alliance between state and federal "defense" abilities, and with the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and National Security Agency doing everything they can to infiltrate every part of our lives and movements, there is no doubt that widening Hwy 101 and straightening out other entry routes to the west coast continue to be motivated (as most federally funded highway projects are) by military desires.

CALTRANS' RICHARDSON GROVE PLAN WILL MAKE US LESS SAFE

Only since direct action, media, and controversy have put the Richardson Grove plan in the spotlight (Feb 2011), has CalTrans acknowledged the 1500 trucks of nuclear material that would travel through this region from the Humboldt Bay power plant- if the highway were widened. CalTrans continues, however, to conceal the larger federal plan for nuclear waste to come into the Bay from all over the world, and then be transported through and beyond California on highways. The Humboldt County Planning Commission conceded a few years ago, that if the port in Humboldt Bay were to be further developed and the highways made accessible to more and more large trucks, nuclear materials coming from overseas would likely be transported through this region, with or without our consent, to Yucca Mountain. Can you imagine? Transporting nuclear waste only means extremely dangerous possibilities for all of us.

CalTrans lies when it cites highway safety as a priority motivation for the Richardson Grove project. There are rarely accidents through Richardson Grove. If the road widening plan was implemented, shoulders would be designated for trucks to drift into the shoulder rather than off-track. Pedestrians and bicycles will be in grave danger. Heavy truck traffic, including military vehicles, will make a once beautiful and safe stretch of highway through Richardson Grove, a busy and frightening thoroughfare.

"Expose CalTrans Lies and Mis-information" was written by Richardson Grove Action Now

1*Throughout this pamphlet we write about CalTrans, a State entity. While we may implicate planners, supervisors, managers and engineers from CalTrans, we are not referring to the regular, non-managerial workers of CalTrans. We know that many CalTrans employees are against the highway widening through Richardson Grove and hope they join us in the struggle to stop the plan.

CALTRANS LIES & RUINS OUR LIVES

Photo by Andy Caffrey

For Immediate Release
2/21/2011

Richardson Grove Action Now!
(707) 602-7551

TREE SIT HIGHLIGHTS ENDANGERED REDWOODS MYSTERIOUSLY MARKED THAT ACTIVISTS BELIEVE ARE THREATENED BY CALTRANS ROAD WIDENING PLAN THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE

HUGE BANNER SPANS HWY 101; READS - NO ROAD WIDENING. CALTRANS LIES & RUINS OUR LIVES.

There was a rally called this afternoon in Garberville town square. This event, organized by Richardson Grove Action Now! is an opportunity to expose the lies and misinformation that have been spread by the California Department of Transportation in order to gain support for their widely-opposed, federally-funded project which calls for road widening through Richardson Grove State Park.

During the rally, people were called to the north end of the grove where there are currently tree sitters and a banner drop that reads "NO ROAD WIDENING. CalTrans Lies & Ruins Our Lives." This action is part of an ongoing campaign and follows the lockdown at CalTrans District One Headquarters in Eureka on 2/7/2011 where six protestors chained themselves to the building and a crowd of people occupied the lobby throughout the day.

Though there is strong public opposition to the project, CalTrans is continuing to push forward. People are concerned because this project threatens the old-growth trees and habitat in and adjacent to Richardson Grove State Park. There are also concerns that the local economy will suffer from a "big box" invasion. This project also threatens to increase the militarization of the Northcoast. As RGAN activist Ingrid states, "I don't agree with it. Any time there's a highway project, the habitat suffers. There's no way to avoid casualties." Another RGAN activist , David, says "I don't want the road to be widened, the trees to be endangered, or Humboldt County to be further exploited through corporate takeover."

This campaign of direct action is one of necessity. RGAN will continue put our bodies and freedom on the line to protect ancient habitats, and to protect our communities from corporate and military invasion. We will not back down. Under the motto "One Demand, Cancel the Plan!" RGAN will continue to build momentum and oppose this CalTrans project until it is stopped.

RALLY To Stop Highway Expansion Through Richardson Grove This Monday!

Flier here, spread the good word!

RALLY To Stop Highway Expansion Through Richardson Grove This Monday!

Richardson Grove Action Now invites all to a rally on Monday, February 21st, to stop the highway expansion through Richardson Grove State Park. Expose CalTrans' lies and misinformation campaign!

Monday's rally will begin at noon in the Garberville Town Square.

Bring anything you want to express yourself!

Resist Invasion!

For more info contact Richardson Grove Action Now, call
(707) 602-7551 or email rgroveactionnow@gmail.com.


*RALLY
*Monday Feb 21, 2011
*Noon
*Garberville Town Square

Marked Old Growth Trees in Richardson Grove! What are the white paint dots?

(Re-posted from 06/28/10)

On June 10th, 2010, we noticed these giant freshly marked trees during a tour of CalTrans' proposed R.I.P (Richardson Grove "Improvement" Project) for the participants of the "Families in the Forest" event. The tour involved the northernmost area of Richardson Grove State Park where Caltrans wants to widen Highway 101. The property is known as "Singing Trees":



















The trees were marked with white paint dots -without the property owners knowledge. Presumably, the dots where painted on the large trees by Caltrans during a survey one week before we discovered the mysterious markings. However, Kim Floyd, the Caltrans project manager for the R.I.P has denied any knowledge of the freshly marked trees. Here are more photos, that include the Caltrans orange markers that have been present for quite some time. (Note that Highway 101 is uphill from the photographer's position, and the recently white-dotted ancient trees are between the orange markers and Highway 101.)



















What do the white paint dots mean?

Could they be marking the location for future construction of a retaining wall- through the Singing Trees property - as part of the proposed CalTrans road widening project through Richardson Grove?

Could they be designation an equipment staging area for the proposed CalTrans project?

Could the white paint dots be indicative of a vehicle detour planned by CalTrans for its proposed project?


Any way we think about it, it doesn't seem good. Road construction usually requires retaining walls, equipment staging areas, and vehicle detours. Does CalTrans think their gonna take out those huge ancient trees (in addition to the ones whose roots they want to "pave over") to accomplish their plan?

Some people have suggested, "Maybe CalTrans is marking the trees that would NOT be cut or destroyed." But, we all know, that is not how things work.

Perhaps more of us should contact Kim Floyd, the Project Manager, and inquire about the white paint dots on the big awesome trees. Here's her CalTrans phone number and email:

Kim Floyd
Phone: (707) 441-5739, TTY 711
Kim_Floyd@dot.ca.gov

These trees are white dotted, too!


























NO WIDENING THE HIGHWAY THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!
NO MORE CRACKING OPEN THE REDWOOD CURTAIN!

Richardson Grove Action Camp! Feb 12th-15th

Richardson Grove Action Now!
presents
ACTION CAMP
near the grove
FEB 12TH - 15TH

Train & Prepare for Direct Action

Bring Food & Gear if you have it!


Set up starts 7pm Fri, Feb 11th
PLEASE CALL (707) 602-7551
rgroveactionnow@gmail.com


The camp needs donations* of Funds, Food, Firewood, Tents, AA and AAA Batteries, and Warm Stuff (sleeping bags, hats, etc)!!
You can bring donations to the camp
or drop them off at PARC in Eureka
or drop them off at the Used Bookstore in Garberville.


We will be setting up on Friday night and could use help. We will also need help in the kitchen throughout the duration of the camp.

There will be meeting places for ridesharing to the camp every day:

Northern Humboldt Rideshare
9:30am - Arcata Corp-Op Kiosk (Arcata)
10:10am - Parking Lot between Walgreen's and Eureka Natural Foods (Eureka)

Southern Humboldt Rideshare
10:30am - Used Bookstore (Garberville)


Please refrain from bringing alcohol to camp.

*Some other things we always need:
Olive Oil
Grains
Coffee
Mate
Fruit
Nuts
Headlamps

Location To Be Announced any moment now!!

For more info, call Richardson Grove Action Now:
(707) 602-7551
rgroveactionnow@gmail.com

Don't believe the hype! We were non-violent!

NEW! UPDATE 02/10/2011

Click here to listen to KMUD News interview with Caltrans lockdown participants and arrestees!


Watch the Access Humboldt video from Monday's Caltrans Rally!

Were the protesters violent?

Were the cops?

Make your own decisions, don't let the press feed you misinformation, as the Times-Standard and North Coast Journal have been co-opting media for Caltrans since the inception of the Richardson Grove Project...

A Statement from Lock-downers at Monday's Direct Action at CalTrans

ATTENTION EVERYONE!

Right now, community members from Richardson Grove Action Now are locked down inside here in the CalTrans District 1 Headquarters building with One Demand:

Cancel the plan to widen the highway through Richardson Grove IMMEDIATELY!!

ONE DEMAND! CANCEL THE PLAN!! ONE DEMAND !! CANCEL THE PLAN!

ONE DEMAND! CANCEL THE PLAN!!

The people who are locked down to the CalTrans office risk their freedom in order to Inspire You.

This direct action is born of URGENCY.

The people locked down take this direct action to inspire you to prepare and take action now to stop this destructive plan through Richardson Grove.

Even though we've opposed the plan in the courts,

Even though the Richardson Grove project promises nothing but the downfall of our local economy and the irreparable destruction of our natural environment,

Even though our Earth strains to support over consumption and expansion, and over consumption and expansion would only increase with this road widening,

CalTrans continues to move forward.

In spite of our input, our petitioning,

In spite of our letters to the editors, our calls to politicians

In spite of our lawsuits, our presence in meetings,

In spite of all the outright opposition to the road widening, it seems like they haven't heard us.

We've been loud, but we need to get louder.

Get loud folks!!!

And it's time for us to get more bold!

CANCEL THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!!

CalTrans and elected representatives continue to ignore our will, the will of the people, bowing instead to a few big business owners and the wealthiest one percent of our population. People charged with the duty of representing the will of the people blatantly go against us: The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors both secretly and overtly have shut out public participation regarding this project. Elected state assembly member, Wes Chesbro, has lied and given the green light for the ruin of Richardson Grove. CalTrans project manager, Kim Floyd, and District One Supervisor, Charles Fielder, stand to advance their own positions with the completion of the Richardson Grove road widening. They have all rubber stamped this horrendous project in spite of the will of the people.

The people have made a Loud and Bold expression of our desire for autonomous communities. Autonomous communities that operate free from outside domination, free of top-down governance.

We want communities without unnecessary infrastructure.

We want communities not dependent on endless expansion and the false progress of convenience.

We want a place free of corporate invasion, free of WalMarts and prisons.

We want a place that honors the spirit of the land and the spirit of the people who call it home.

We want to cultivate community and we will stand together until this plan and any other nasty plans are canceled!

CANCEL THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!!

Profit-driven corporations are vulnerable because working people keep those corporations going and therefore, working people can shut them down! While those who think they are in power are short-sighted and close-minded, the people are fueled by their hearts and spirits. We are compelled, out of necessity, to act to preserve the survival of our ecosystem and respond to the needs of our living families and communities.
ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

CANCEL THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!!!

Richardson Grove Action Now is in solidarity with the people of Tunisia, Algeria, Albania, Yemen, Chiapas, Egypt, and people all over the world who say NO, WE WILL NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE!

We are in solidarity with all people resisting oppressive conditions imposed upon them and who are rising up against corrupt systems that attempt to enslave them.

We are in solidarity with those fighting back for their freedom. We are here to say “NO. You WILL NOT expand the highway through Richardson Grove. WE WILL STOP YOU.”

During this perilous time in the herstory of this planet and the history of our species, we must, WE MUST Stop the Destruction of the Natural World. We must stop destruction that comes in all shapes and sizes, from international laws that keep people in poor qualities of food, water and air, to the mass of plastic bottles floating in the ocean, the paving over of the life-giving land, to the toxicity that enters our bodies and minds.

The Earth is undergoing a continual smothering into a concrete hell. Capitalism is killing us. We know it's the problem. Focusing on simplifying our lives is the first step towards surviving and determining our own healthy existence.

The people who think they are in power orchestrate wanton destruction of the land and push for the building up of structures that only ensure their profits and deny the survival and quality or our lives. Their aims are presented as progress, yet in reality, they bring us sickness.

CANCEL THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!!

We want to be able to walk along the road through Richardson Grove. Those trees in Richardson Grove are in a protected park. We want them to stay that way. With such a small amount of ancient forest left, everything we do to it should be good for the trees, not good for the trucks.

We will defend what's left. We will defend the ancient trees. We will defend our lives from further corporate and military invasion. We have the power to protect the forests for future generations!

Raise your voices and shake the walls of CalTrans! We will Stop This Plan and we are CANCELING THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION PLAN THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Join us with direct action. It is urgent!

Mass Rally, Monday Feb 7 To Demand that CalTrans Cancel 101 Road Widening Project Through Richardson Grove State Park

For Immediate Release:

February 4, 2011


Mass Rally, Monday Feb 7 To Demand that CalTrans Cancel 101 Road Widening Project Through Richardson Grove State Park




Contact: Angie, Richardson Grove Action Now! 707-602-7551, rgroveactionnow@gmail.com

Humboldt County, CA-Richardson Grove Action Now, one of many community groups that emerged in the past three years to oppose the federally funded California Department of Transportation [CalTrans] plan to widen Highway 101 through the ancient redwoods of Richardson Grove State Park, will rally at CalTrans District 1 Headquarters to demand the immediate cancellation of the Richardson Grove plan. Monday’s rally will take place at Wabash and Union Streets in Eureka, beginning at noon. A group bike ride to the CalTrans office will leave the Arcata Plaza at 10 am sharp.

The road widening threatens the region with irreparable harm to the ancient trees and overall integrity of Richardson Grove State Park in addition to opening the door to big box development and increased militarization. North coast residents say this project will exacerbate local economic disaster for working people and small businesses, and bring an unacceptable increase of truck traffic.


“This rally is a wake up call from local residents. The Richardson Grove road-widening project, along with CalTrans’ similar proposals for Highways 299 and 199, threaten to punch a hole through the “Redwood Curtain” and impact our beloved redwood trees. Acting together, we have the power to stop this wasteful and destructive project,” says event coordinator Margie of Richardson Grove Action Now.


Local residents are frustrated with the lack of transparency and, in spite of the significant harm posed to the state park and local economy, have been shut out of the planning process. “First CalTrans said there would be no trees cut, and now the number has grown. CalTrans can’t get its story straight about the true impacts of their proposed construction, and in collusion with the County, they’re lying about the true motivations for the project,” said Margie.



Richardson Grove Action Now is a network of individuals mobilizing collective social action in a time of unprecedented ecological peril. While CalTrans plans to expand major commercial and military arteries throughout the north coast bioregion, the group is organizing grassroots efforts to effectively stop the highway expansion through Richardson Grove and protect this region’s unique ecosystems and way of life.


Richardson Grove Action Now knows that widening highway 101 through Richardson Grove will take us one leap closer to the hustle and bustle of Southern California city life styles. “People in this region learned the hard way, for instance with Maxxam Corp., how outside corporate interests destroy local industries and jobs, while forcing us to ruin the environment we live in,” says Margie.


The public is invited to the mass rally on February 7 to join in demanding CalTrans immediately cancel the road-widening plan through Richardson Grove State Park. Vegetarian food will be shared by Food Not Bombs. Musicians Joanne Rand and others TBA.

Informational pamphlet from Richardson Grove Action Now available here:
http://www.box.net/shared/6xyyml02vu

Banner unveiled at Redwood Curtain entrance

We just received this from "Richardson Grove Action Now":

For immediate release:


THIS!


"According to the Transportation Engineering website, "the most important function of Highway Systems is to ensure the defense readiness capability of public highway infrastructure and establish policy on how the DOD[Department of Defense] uses the public highway system."

Homeland Security measures are a high priority in highway construction projects. Left unchecked, we are facing potential invasion from land and sea--increased accessibility for military convoys on our highways and Navy dominance of our oceans.

We know that the Highway 101 expansion is supported by the U.S. military and so-called defense agencies who wish to have greater access and control of the people and natural resources of this region.

There may be a lot Caltrans isn't telling us about the real motivations and funding of the project.

Letter to the Editor, sent to Times-Standard Jan31, 2011

Dear Times Standard Editor,
I think Caltrans should leave the trees alone in Richardson Grove State Park. They say the forest won't be significantly harmed by their road widening project, but that is a flagrant bald faced lie. They know what to say to get the project started, and it will be easier to get forgiveness later than permission now. If safety is the issue, why not slow down like between Eureka and Arcata? It's only 100 yards of narrow winding old growth. Respect for the long protected park trees should trump any benefits of the so called progress this would bring. Do you really think the prices we pay for goods and services would go down as a result of this project? Our quality of life is the only thing that would go down. How do you feel about nuclear waste coming into Eureka from other countries and trucked down to Yucca Mountain, Nevada? If the real reason for the "strategic" road widening is to be able to bring military tank trucks up here at a high rate of speed, then people should be even more opposed to it. A lot of people enjoy a slow pace of life, and that's why we live here. Not too long ago, the whole Redwood Highway was an attraction in and of itself. All the reasons why we like it here would be gone if this area grows the way some secretly want it to. Just south of the grove is the county line. Do we really want to become more like Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin? What happened to 2 million acres of redwoods and a once thriving timber industry down there? How does our suffering for the lack of an extra 5 feet of semi truck length compare to the suffering of the earth? All we have left of the old growth are these relatively tiny postage stamp sized beauty strips and now even that is threatened.

People once said Los Angeles would never grow- no water, right? Humboldt Bay, even though 90% reduced from its original size, has the greatest potential of any large bay on the west coast to recover its biodiversity. Out of all the ecosystems of the earth, the bay ecosystem has the most reproduction going on. Deep reverence for mother nature would be real progress. Please come to the Rally at Caltrans, Wabash and Union, Mon. Feb. 7 at Noon. This road widening project is a waste of money. Cut the Caltrans- fat!


Sincerely,
George S. Phillips 3036 Avenue of the Giants