The
ALVISO SLOUGH RESTORATION PROJECT
Help Restore Alviso to pre-1983 Conditions
Letters of support must be sent to the Army Corps of Engineers
by June 29, 2012
On March,
2012, the United States Army Corps of Engineers posted a Public
Notice for the Alviso Slough Project. This Public Notice is the
first step in the Corps permitting process. The project
removes decades' worth of silt and restores the slough to its
pre-1983 condition.
June 29, 2012 is the deadline for the Army
Corps of Engineers to accept comments on the Alviso Slough
Project
The letter-writing campaign is a critical first-step hurdle to get
past if we want the feeder to the Alviso Slough, the Guadalupe
river, to continue to be a river. If enough letters are received,
the Corps will initiate consultation on endangered species with
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service.
Don’t worry, even if you sign the letter, extensive environmental
reviews will have to be performed before the project proceeds, and
effect on endangered species will be carefully considered.
So there are plenty of checks/balances in place, the
letter-writing merely starts the process.
But there’s a problem: the commenting period that began on May
30th will come to an end on June 29, 2012.
It is urgent and very important
that all of the members of the environmental community, boating
community, wildlife lovers, those who appreciate the nature and
history of the South Bay send written comments DIRECTLY to the
Corps.
If the Corps does not receive enough letters of support, the
project will be shelved, and it might take years to re-start the
restoration project.
Numerous people have put in many hours collecting signatures for
support letters. Enthusiastic support has been received from
nature lovers, South Bay history buffs, members of Yacht Clubs,
kayakers, sailors, and visitors to Alviso. Please join those
who want to restore the Slough to its pre-Silicon Valley state.
If you have questions, you can email me at dean@dmccully.com
. Or better yet, write your letter and send it in today!
As a serial procrastinator, I know: we still have a couple of
weeks weeks. But I also know (for the same reason) that we’ll be
just that much further behind by then. So think about it: it will
take less time to write the letter than it takes to complain about
access to nature in the South Bay, and the decades-long neglected
Slough. Besides, sending a letter will accomplish a whole
lot more than griping. The postage stamp costs less than what it
takes to drive to the docks.
There are 4 easy options to
printing/signing/snailmailing a letter....
Whatever
you do, just get your letter in the mail FAST.... The June
29 deadline is almost upon us.
Please be sure to include Public Notice Number (2011-00107S),
project name (Alviso Slough Dredging), and applicant’s name (Santa
Clara Valley Water District).
Option 3) Cut/paste the text below, modify, print, sign,
snailmail.
Option 4) Or feel free to create your own letter. Just please get a letter in
the mail before June 29, 2012.
Sincerely,
Dean McCully dean@dmccully.com
Kayaker, Nature Lover, South Bay Yacht Club, Fan of Restoring
Alviso Slough to pre-Silicon Valley conditions.
Sample Letter:
U. S. Corp of Engineers
Mark D’Avigon
San Francisco District
Operations and Readiness Division
1455 Market Street, 16th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-13978
Reference; Public Notice Number 2011-00107S
Applicant: Santa Clara Valley Water District
Please accept my comments for the public record regarding the
referenced project.
The Alviso Slough has over the years been allowed to become
choked with non-native plants and silt. This project, which
removes by dredging, is long overdue.
