Clarksburg residents – if you oppose the tunnel, sign our letter to the Department of Water Resources

Water

IF YOU WANT TO SIGN (you can read the letter below)
Because we need actual signatures, please download the signature page here, print it,  fill it out, scan or photograph it and return it.
Return by email to: deltaactioncommittee@gmail.com
Or return by text to: (530) 570-9641

DEADLINE: 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 16, 2020. Tell everyone you know in Clarksburg – friends, family, neighbors and ask them to sign!

Backgound: On January 15, 2020 the Department of Water Resources put out a formal description of the new single tunnel project, called a Notice of Preparation. The Notice of Preparation can be found at www.water.ca.gov/News/Public-Notices/2020/Jan-20/Delta-Conveyance-NOP

In order to make sure the Department of Water Resources has a record of the Clarksburg Community’s concerns and of what needs to be studied related to the tunnel project, it is important to send a letter to the Department of Water Resources. Please review letter below, If you agree with the letter, please sign your name and state your residence address and mailing address to show you are a resident of the Clarksburg Community. If you feel comfortable, please also write in your email address.

Thank you!

North Delta CARES executive committee:
Mark Pruner, Mark Wilson, Barbara Daly, Anna Swenson, Wendy Heaton

READ THE LETTER BELOW

Dear Department of Water Resources,

This letter is written to provide scoping comments to the Notice of Preparation of Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project issued by the Department of Water Resources, dated January 15, 2020 (“NOP”).  These comments are submitted both collectively and individually (jointly and severally) by the undersigned residents and members of the Clarksburg Community both as a group, and as separate individuals (together, the “Residents” and each a “Resident”). 

The Clarksburg Community in which each of the Residents lives as a resident and/or works, and/or is an interested person, is composed of (1) the land area generally located in the County of Yolo, which is bounded on the North by the southern boundary of the City of West Sacramento, on the South by the Yolo-Sacramento County Line, on the East by the Sacramento River, and on the West by the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel; and (2) the community, social network, society, and public areas, centered in and around the legacy town of Clarksburg, including the Delta Elementary Charter,, Clarksburg Middle, and Delta High Schools, Protestant Community and Catholic Churches (with members attending from the Clarksburg Community and from the general Sacramento area), a County library, independent fire district, historic post office (established in 1876 by President Ulysses S. Grant), farms and ranches, many local businesses, and other community parts and organs, including the rural lands surrounding the town of Clarksburg, the residents and businesses in the town of Clarksburg and the surrounding area, and the agricultural, cultural, historical and recreational interests and existing opportunities in and surrounding the town of Clarksburg and in the North Delta (the “Clarksburg Community”). 

The town of Clarksburg, including the Clarksburg Community, is a legacy community.  (e.g., Public Resources Code § 32301(f).)  The Clarksburg Community is an important part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a unique natural resource of local, state, and national significance (Public Resources Code § 32301, et seq.).  The values of the Clarksburg Community, and each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, such as, but not limited to, the unique values described above, including the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Residents, the Clarksburg Community, and each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, must be protected and enhanced by the Project (defined below).  (See, e.g., Water Code § 85054).  Each of the Residents is a part of the Clarksburg Community.

The Residents are, and each Resident is, an interested party (CEQA Guidelines, § 15086).

The Clarksburg Community is dependent on levees, wells, septic systems, and a system of county roads and state highways.

The proposed Delta Conveyance Project as described in the NOP (“Project”) presents a series of substantial direct and indirect effects (including environmental effects), socioeconomic effects, and cumulative effects both on the Residents, on each Resident and on the Clarksburg Community.

As an example of the indirect impact and socioeconomic negative effect of the Project on Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community will suffer substantial disruptions, or cessations, in operation because of the Project through potential levee damage, increased traffic, road and street damage, increased accidents on the roads and in other places, increased noise, increased wear and tear on Community facilities, disruption or cessation in well water operations and well water availability, disruption and cessation in septic and wastewater operations and availability, and in related operations.  

In connection with the comments above, the following, without limitation, need to be fully analyzed in your Draft Environmental Impact Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement:

  • Construction methods must be analyzed, and alternative construction methods must be utilized, as demonstrable mitigation, which will not damage the Residents, each of the Residents and the Clarksburg Community, or any significant part of the Clarksburg Community, in any significant way.
  • Significant impact of the Project on the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, or any significant part of the Clarksburg Community.
  • The impacts on the zoning and land uses authorized by law on the parcels where the Residents, each of the Residents, are located, including complete description and analysis of all land use conflicts and mitigation for each land use conflict.
  • The impacts on the continued and future growth and well-being of the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, or any significant part of the Clarksburg Community, including the impacts of any de-population in the Clarksburg Community and/or the North Delta, and on the economies of these areas, as a result of the construction, operations, and management of the Project.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, the Project will benefit the Residents, each of the Residents, the Clarksburg Community, any significant part of the Clarksburg Community, and North Delta.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, the pre-construction, construction, operations and maintenance of the Project will have a substantial impact on the views from and personal and business operations, rehabilitation, construction and reuse of the parcels of Residents and each of the Residents.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, alternative locations for the proposed intakes, and all other proposed components of the Project, would lessen impacts on the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, or any significant part of the Clarksburg Community, than, and in comparison to, the currently proposed northernmost proposed intake.
  • Show how sites, other than each of the three proposed intakes, considered by the Fish Facilities Technical Team were determined to be less impactful on the Clarksburg Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, or any significant part of the Clarksburg Community.
  • Show how visual and noise disturbance, as well as construction-related impacts to the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, or any significant part of the Clarksburg Community, will be minimized.
  • Substantive consultation, including disclosure and discussion of all alternatives and mitigation measures for the Project, with the Clarksburg Community, land use agencies, special districts (such as the reclamation and fire districts) and advisory bodies which represent the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, and each significant part of the Clarksburg Community.
  • State and analyze changes in the Clarksburg Community, each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, the Residents, and each of the Residents  caused by the Project, including, without limitation, changes in community cohesion, a reduction of opportunities for maintaining fact-to-face relationships, and disruptions to the functions of Clarksburg Community, each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, and North Delta community organizations and gathering places, such as the 1883 Old Clarksburg Schoolhouse, churches, library, and local businesses.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, traffic patterns and changes caused by the Project will impact the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community and each significant part of the Clarksburg Community.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, the Project will cause a decline in Residents and each of the Residents property values in the Clarksburg Community and the North Delta.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, the Project will cause blight and property abandonment in the Clarksburg Community, each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, and North Delta.
  • Whether the Project will invest in public facilities and infrastructure throughout the Clarksburg Community, each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, and North Delta to mitigate the impacts of the Project.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, the Project will enhance and protect the Residents, each of the Residents, the Clarksburg Community, each significant part of the Clarksburg Community, and the North Delta (Public Resource Code § 85054).
  • State and analyze the socioeconomic impacts of the Project on the Residents, each of the Residents, the Clarksburg Community and each significant part of Clarksburg Community, and the North Delta.
  • Whether, and how or how-not, the Project (including its construction, operation and maintenance) would conflict with the status quo of the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, and each significant part of the Clarksburg Community.

Each of the above are considered significant, material, important and substantial, as related to the Residents, each of the Residents, and the Clarksburg Community, and each significant part of the Clarksburg Community.