Lagoon Lifesaver-- February, 2003

RESTORATION PROJECT STATUS (2/03)

As of this date, Marin County Open Space District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working on a major revision to the Draft Feasibility Study Report/EIR/EIS released last June. The many public comments received in response to the June release have been analyzed, and the revised plan will reflect those comments.

In order to meet the major public criticisms, the revised restoration plan must:

• Be dramatically reduced in size and scope, both to utilize the advantages of a “phased adaptive management” implementation and to reflect the realities of current state and federal funding;
• Include a justification of the need for corrective action in Bolinas Lagoon related to the preservation and protection of endangered or threatened species and/or habitats;
• Involve consultation with the Bolinas Lagoon Technical Advisory Committee and the public during the project formulation process, which will provide current information and seek comment and concurrence; and
• Utilize a panel of biological sciences experts to review the alternative plans in an effort to assure minimum adverse impact on the lagoon’s biota.

While neither a revised project schedule nor a target completion date have been established for the reformulation of the restoration plan, it appears that reformulation will be a multi-year effort, due primarily to the need for greater public involvement in the process. Scheduling will depend on the level of funding available. Although Marin County Open Space District has the funds necessary to meet its share of the funding required for developing this revised plan, the availability of federal funding is far less certain. The omnibus funding bill enacted by the federal congress last week includes $300,000 for Bolinas Lagoon in the current year, but the President’s Budget for FY ’04 does not include funding for any project in this category in the entire country. We will attempt to secure $500,000 for the project in the Congressional budget bill, and will ask you to write supporting letters later in the spring.

Peter Arrigoni, Bolinas Lagoon Foundation’s Vice-President, read a statement expressing our support for the restoration project at the public meeting held in Stinson Beach on January 29th (reproduced on the back of this letter). The meeting was attended by approximately 70 people, the vast majority of whom voiced their support for a scaled-down project.

Information about the status of the project will be posted on our web site as it becomes available, and the Lagoon Lifesaver will continue to be distributed as conditions warrant.

Bucky Mace
For the Foundation