Save Shollenberger Park

The $32 billion that birders spent generated $85 billion in economic benefits for the nation in 2001. This ripple effect on the economy also produced $13 billion in tax revenues and 863,406 jobs. -U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birding in the United States, 2003 Last summer the Ellis Creek trail was opened to the public. Now one can walk over seven miles of trails in the Petaluma Public Wetlands. The contiguous wetlands have much to offer – 200 species of birds, 25 of mammals, reptiles and amphibians and over 100 types of plants. The Greenbelt Alliance and San Francisco Chronicle have described it as a top destination for nature lovers. The study cited above says there are 46 million birders in the U.S. and almost 4 million in California. Petaluma plans to start promoting eco- tourism to the area. Starting next January a part of the National Geographic website on California’s Redwood Coast will feature a section on our local wetlands, for example. The success of any promotional effort...

Attention West County Voters – Sonoma County Citizens! We need your help to save our Wetlands from the toxic pollution of an asphalt plant. Supervisor Efren Carrillo, District 5 (including Sebastopol), will cast the crucial vote on the Dutra Asphalt Plant. With Supervisors Zane and Brown on record as “NO” votes and Supervisors Kelly and Kerns on record as sure “Yes” votes, Efren’s vote determines what happens to Petaluma and the county’s wetlands, located in the 2nd District. We need West County voters to write and call Efren Carrillo and remind him the West County voter wants the wetlands protected. A Super-majority of Sonoma County voters voted to keep the Scenic View Corridor protected in 1998. When asked, Sonoma County voters voices are strong- keep Sonoma County Green! Please call, write and email Supervisor Carrillo and let him know, as a voter in Sonoma county, how you feel about this plant. Below is a suggested correspondence you can use. Click here to Email Efren ecarrillo@so...

FLASH! EASY ACCESS TO SIGNS AND BUMPER STICKERS TO SAVE OUR PARK Pick up a Lawn Sign and Bumper Sticker at The Mail Depot. Maureen and her wonderful staff will hand out signs for one week starting today. Mail Depot Hours: MON - THURS 8am to 6pm FRI 8am - 5pm SAT 9am to 3pm 40 Fourth St. (near Bus Stop) Petaluma

Petaluma resident Bill Kortum, a former Sonoma County Supervisor and former chairman of the California Coastal Alliance, is chairman emeritus of Sonoma County Conservation Action and explains to the Press Democrat why having an asphalt plant across the Petaluma River from Shollenberger Park is a bad idea. "The visual, noise, smell, toxic air and other asphalt plant impacts on Shollenberger Park are very real to residents of Petaluma. The proposed Dutra assault on voter-mandated protections and community values would cause consternation by any city of our county. Even London now requires asphalt plants to be located 20 miles from city limit lines. The EIR finds regional asphalt plant capacity more than adequate, so why should the county accommodate a company with such a history of violations in our voter-mandated scenic corridor? " Click here to read the entire article

SUPERVISORS' PLAN TO TAKE STRAW VOTE AND HEAR LAST PUBLIC COMMENT ON DECEMBER 8th It appears Paul Kelley, Chair of the Board of Supervisors, is intending to conduct yet another straw vote on the Dutra Asphalt plant proposal on December 8th. Supervisor Valerie Brown, who is on record against the Dutra proposal, cannot be present on the 8th and has apparently received a commitment from Mr. Kelly that a final vote will not happen on that date. It also appears obvious that the pro-Dutra strategy is for Supervisor Kelley to use the Straw vote hearing to close public comment on the "revised" proposal, and then put Dutra on a Consent Calendar vote in January. He tried this earlier this year, but public outcry and right to speak stopped this tactic. Those in favor of Dutra’s proposal would like to close the record and end public comment on the vague "revised" project description as soon as possible, however the facts still remain: 1) The revised project is still a p...