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and elsewhere Posted: 9-15-03 By: Diane Hichwa Ever since Port Sonoma was illegally dredged from the San Pablo Bay mudflats some thirty years ago, Madrone Audubon has participated in innumerable battles to preserve the tremendously rich arc of diked former wetland which stretches from the mouth of the Petaluma River all the way east to Sears Point and then on to the Napa River. Once again the area is in danger, this time from plans by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria to claim 2000 acres as tribal lands and place a casino right in the middle of baylands. Madrone has taken a position, along with more than a dozen other environmental organizations, opposing the siting across from Sears Point for such development. This threat to baylands MAY be over but that is yet to be determined: as long as the option to buy has not expired,is still held by the tribe and has not been signed over to Sonoma County, the threat remains. The Baylands site: "The Graton Rancheria resort casino is proposed in the heart of the largest remaining unprotected wetlands and open space on the San Francisco Bay shoreline" is stated in the "white paper" jointly prepared by The Bay Institute, Sonoma Land Trust and the Sonoma Ecology Center. "The ultimate goal of the Bay wetlands programs . is to restore a large, contiguous complex of wetlands across the historic expanse of tidal marsh habitat areas around the mouths of major sloughs and rivers, such as Petaluma River and Tolay Creek. Connectivity of restored areas enable wildlife to move throughout the ecosystem to find favorable conditions, enhancing their survival." Any development in an environmentally sensitive area like this would have significant environmental impacts including destruction of sensitive habitat, impacts to species of special concern, water quality issues from runoff of vehicle pollutants from impermeable surfaces and from erosion, as well as noise and light pollution that disturbs animals. There have been several Leaves articles about this major baylands restoration vision that all levels of Audubon have endorsed (the local Madrone Chapter, Bay Area Audubon Council, Audubon-California at the state level and President John Flicker and the National Audubon Society). More than $600 million has been spent or committed already for study, purchase and restoration projects, largely funded by public monies. The next site selected by the Graton Rancheria in the Laguna de Santa Rosa floodplain raises some environmental concerns, especially because of exemptions under tribal sovereignty. These exemptions appear to include standard applications for land use, meeting county-city-state review for land use or structures or water or waste-water It is urgent that we act very quickly. The best chance for affecting this plan is before the land is approved by the Department of the Interior for transfer to the tribe. After approval many laws would no longer apply. Because of the status of Indian tribes as sovereign nations their project would not be subject to the preparation of environmental impact reports (EIRs) nor to zoning designations of the county. In order to assure this project be relocated with sensitiviy it is urgent that many members of the general public speak up. Your letters are very important because this is a very unusual situation. WE URGE YOU TO COMMUNICATE NOW on the Graton Rancheria casino proposal. OUR NEXT STEP WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP: Letters are needed ASAP in September. Please note specific instructions below: 1. To Senator Dianne Feinstein (S. 1342) and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (H.R. 2656) (Send their letters to their California addresses so they're not delayed several weeks by security screening.) Let them know you STILL support their bills (refer to them by number) AND WANT THEM PURSUED STRONGLY. This legislation should subject a tribe's development plans to environmental review and allow community input on the proposed property and development; it should subject the tribe to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and give the Secretary of the Interior discretion over taking the land into trust and option to reject the tribe's application for a specific site that is inappropriate. (this involves changing wording from "shall convey" to "may convey" land in trust in the earlier tribal status act) 2. To Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton who has responsibility for granting the tribe a land trust. If the Rancheria's request is under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, she uses several criteria in making her decision: will gaming benefit the tribe, will a casino be detrimental to the surrounding community/environment, and does the Governor concur with her decision. The environmental organizations all agree that a casino would be detrimental in the Baylands; other sites near wetlands and sensitive habitat are also of environmental concern. 3. To Governor Davis who can influence Secretary Norton's decision on the land trust and, if a land trust is granted, the tribe must negotiate a gaming contract with the Governor. 4. Send the ORIGINAL of letters to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, to Bureau of Indian Affairs (state level) and Director of Indian Gaming Management (federal level) to County Supervisor Valerie Brown. She must submit these letters as inter-governmental communication where a government to government relationship is established. (Supervisor Brown would like to receive a copy of all the letters you send directly on to Senators, Congresswomen/men, and Governor.) sample letters are available at www.stopthecasino.org- "write your politicians" or write a short, simple letter in your own words Names & Addresses - Write to Make a Difference! Senator Dianne Feinstein (S.1342) Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (H.R.2656) Governor Gray Davis Sacramento, CA 95814 Secretary Gale Norton Honorable George Skibine |
