P R E S S R E L E A S E
………………………………………………….
Contact:
Greg Clark, assistant to the city manager
530.225.4064 | 530.227.1233 – cell
F O RÂ Â I M M E D I A T EÂ R E L E A S EÂ gclark@ci.redding.ca.us
June 18, 2008 – noon
P145650
City fights 11th hour
Stillwater lawsuit by Butte County group
The City of Redding has raised objections to a federal lawsuit filed by an environmental group that claims federal agencies did not do enough to protect wetland species present in portions of the proposed Stillwater Business Park.
The Butte Environmental Council (BEC) filed suit in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District, challenging environmental permits granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (ACOE) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The BEC is seeking a temporary restraining order and/or injunction of work at Stillwater and its suit names both the Army Corps and FWS.
In a document filed with the District Court, Redding City Attorney Rick Duvernay has informed the court that the park has undergone substantial environmental review dating back to 2001 and that no order is necessary to stop construction because significant mitigation measures have been incorporated into the permits that have been granted.
First planned in 1999, Stillwater underwent exhaustive public environmental review from 2001 until 2006, when it received final certification by the federal agencies. During that period, the City received no communication or public comments from BEC concerning the project. The City received one public comment from BEC in 2006 after the legal deadline for the comment period had lapsed.
“We’re extremely disappointed that this outside group chose to attempt to halt progress at this late date, rather than become involved constructively during the normal public comment and review process,” said Assistant City Manager Barry Tippin. “Delay and obstruction at this late date, after all environmental requirements have been fully met, can only add more costs for the citizens of Redding.”
The park site consists of 673 acres of land, of which 315 acres has been set aside and preserved in a conservation easement as required by the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and subsequent permit requirements. Additional acreage or “wetlands credits” have been purchased by the City to further mitigate any impacts on sensitive species, for a total of 390 acres.
“Filing eleventh hour lawsuits is a favorite tactic employed by many environmental organizations that seek to halt important projects that have already gone through years of review and mitigation efforts,” said Rep. Wally Herger, who was instrumental in helping the project advance through federal channels.
“The City of Redding has gone to great lengths to address all of the environmental issues. Indeed, the project would not have received permits from the regulatory agencies unless those agencies believed that the City had fully complied with the rules. I hope that the Court will expeditiously deal with this matter.”
The lawsuit comes after nine years of planning by the City and considerable public comment. Approximately $6.5 million has been spent to date developing the project, which will provide large, “shovel-ready” industrially zoned sites with development entitlements in place. Groundbreaking was held Thursday, June 12, for Phase 1A, which will include construction of a bridge and main roadway into the park and other infrastructure at cost of approximately $12.4 million.
Said Rob Middleton, chairman of the Shasta Economic Development Corporation: “I am very disconcerted that an organization from a neighboring county is attempting to interfere with the efforts to bring economic vitality to Shasta County. The Butte Environmental Council never participated in any of the Redding public forums associated with Stillwater or the environmental review over the last several years this project has been planned. Now, at the last minute the Butte Environmental Council is attempting to halt our project.”
#
