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San Onofre Toll Road appeal: U.S. Commerce Department opens up public comment period

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 23, 2008 at 5:34 pm

From the O.C. Register:

Beginning Monday the public will have 30 days to tell the federal government whether it should overrule the state Coastal Commission and allow the long proposed Foothill South toll road to be built. The appeal to the Commerce Department is the last chance toll road supporters have to resurrect the project that the Commission rejected in February.

And even though the public comment period hasn’t officially begun, interests on both sides have already submitted dueling letters on whether Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez should hold a hearing in Southern California before he rules on the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ appeal.

The road “is one of the most controversial projects in California,” wrote a group of eight environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation. Their letter asking for a hearing reads more like an argument to uphold the Coastal Commission’s ruling. The Commission also wrote asking for a California hearing.

The project, a 16-mile extension of the existing 241 toll road, would cut through San Onofre State Beach Park as well as other wild habitat farther inland.

Supporters say the road is desperately needed to ease traffic congestion, improve coastal access and aid economic development. They also say improvements that would be made to a road and a gate leading into Camp Pendleton would benefit the national security. It’s the possibility of a national impact that proponents hope will convince Gutierrez to bring the proposal back to life.

But the Coastal Commission decided by an 8-2 vote that the potential environmental effects were so damaging that there’s no way even a redesigned project could meet the requirements of the state’s Coastal Act.

TCA’s lawyer wrote to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is the Commerce agency with jurisdiction over coastal issues, urging against a hearing. The letter said this road proposal has “been the subject of hundreds of public meetings and hearings during the three decade environmental review” and that another one isn’t necessary.

The Agency lawyer also expressed concern that road opponents would pack a federal hearing. “Clearly the objective of the opponents is to drown out any objective and dispassionate consideration of the serious national interest issues with intimidation and political rhetoric,” the letter said.

Ben Sherman, chief spokesman for NOAA, said a decision on whether to hold a hearing in the Golden State will be made by this summer.

You can take a poll as to whether you are for or against the toll road at the O.C. Register website, as well as find out how you can have your say in the appeals process. Read the rest of this story from the O.C. Register by clicking here.

April 23, 2008 · Filed Under Oceans and Beaches (all), San Onofre Toll Road