Transmission
via Fax & Email
January
21, 2002
To:
Joseph Naras, Watershed Resource Manager, SFPUC
Arthur B. Jensen, General Manager, Bay Area Water Users
Association
Jerry Hill, President, Board of Supervisors, San Mateo County
Mike Nevin, Supervisors, San Mateo
County
From:
Oscar Braun, Executive Director, Half Moon Bay Coastside Foundation C.W. Posse
Dear
Mr. Naras,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
the Half Moon Bay Coastside Foundation, we are formally requesting that the
SFPUC postpone for at least 90 days
their decision to adopt a preferred public access trail alternative
(agenda item #11) through the SF Peninsula Watershed lands via the
Fifield/Cahill ridge route for the following reasons:
·
“Each
case must be evaluated on its facts,
which in turn must be reviewed in light of statutory purpose. Informed by that purpose we here affirm the principle that an EIR for
any project subject to CEQA review must consider a reasonable range of alternatives to the project or the
location of the project which (1) offer substantial environmental
advantage over the project proposal, and (2) may be “feasibly accomplished in a
successful manner” considering the economic, environmental, social and
technological factors involved
1994 SF Watershed Management
Plan Public Opinion Survey Report
·
How
Much Public Access to the Watersheds Should Be Allowed? 84% of the respondents declared
that there should be about the same or less access than now into the
watersheds.
·
Opinions
About Relationship Between Water Quality, Recreational Opportunities and
Greater Public Access to the Watersheds.
“There are many other places in the Bay Area (ie MROSD & POST Open
Space Preserves) for people like me to go for outdoor recreation: the Alameda
and Peninsula watersheds are not needed for that purpose” 80%
agreed with this statement, 51% of them strongly. Respondents somewhat more likely to disagree with this
proposition; but even with this group, 63% agreed that watersheds are not
needed for recreation.
·
“Allowing
more people into the watersheds will harm the natural environment.” 82% agreed
·
“Which
goal of watershed management do you think is most important?” 97% declared that insure water quality,
protect the natural environment and reduce costs to customer. Only 3% declared public access to the
watershed as most important.
The California State Auditor has concluded in their
February 2000 report “ the commission has
been slow to assess and upgrade its water delivery system to enable it to
survive catastrophic events such as earthquakes, fires, or floods. The
commission has also been slow to estimate the amount of water it will need to
meet demand in the future and to seek additional sources of water. As a result, the nearly 2.4 million
customers in the City and County of San Francisco, and in Alameda, San Mateo,
and Santa Clara counties who rely on the commission for their drinking water
are at greater risk of disruptions and water shortages in the event of a
catastrophe or a drought.” The
State Auditor Report did not declare that the SFPUC has been slow to
provide “recreational” opportunities to the BAWUA or the 29 communities that
are dependent on the SFPUC watershed for their clean and safe water. The
Mid-Peninsula Open Space District, the Peninsula Open Space Trust, GGRNA, State
and San Mateo County Parks & Recreation
Departments provide reasonable and feasible public recreational trails
alternative access that are adjoining the SFPUC watershed. CEQA requires the SFPUC to consider all
OFF-Site alternatives that can fulfill the basic objectives of the Bay Area
Trails Network.
Lastly, in light of the events of September 11,
2002, the Bay Area’s drinking water
supply is at greater risk now more than ever: From disruptions and
shortages in the event of a wildland/urban interface (WUI) area wildfires,
drought or arson/chemical/biological
terrorist attack. The SFPUC and all Bay
Area community elected officials should
take immediate steps to reduce the risk of
a catastrophic outage caused by
a wildfire for more than 2.5 million regional water system users. For these reasons, the Half Moon Bay
Coastside Foundation we respectfully request a continuance of agenda item #11 of at least 90 days.
Sincerely,
Oscar Braun,
Executive Director
Attachments: Mission and CRMP documents