Invalid gravel pit EIR?
Local group claims document missing

By:    Mary Kofford, Editor

mkofford@andersonvalleypost.com

Published: September 27, 2006

An anti-gravel pit citizens group, Shasta County Citizens for a Healthy Environment (SCCHE), believes they have discovered a traffic count study which they maintain is missing from the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the gravel pit. According to Elaine Rutkowski, SCCHE member, the report is referenced in the EIR index, but is not in the EIR. "Because the report is missing, it's possible the EIR could be considered incomplete and therefore invalid," said Rutkowski.

The report in question is a traffic operations study done by Omni Means Engineering Planners, dated June 14, 2005 . The study states its main purpose was "to quantify the trips associated with the proposed project that would be added along the roadways and intersections."

At a SCCHE meeting on Sept. 21, Rutkowski questioned why this study does not appear in the EIR and a newer, different study completed in 2006 does. Rutkowski said that because of the missing 2005 report, "the traffic counts are not being divulged correctly, making other sections like diesel emissions invalid."

Bill Walker, senior planner, Shasta County Department of Resource Management, said not every document referenced in the EIR has to be included in it, but it would need to be accessible at the county offices.  "To the best of my knowledge, Omni Means was a proposal for a study, not an actual study. It was a 'scope of work' document," said Walker . "The question is whether or not the traffic study done is an adequate study. If not, then we need to go back and look at it."  "People are welcome to question what they think is missing from the EIR. Those questions should be written and submitted by the Sept. 29 deadline for public comment, " Walker said."

Walker made reference to parts of Section 10, Article 15151 of the California Environmental Quality Act [/jt]EIR 3

GRAVEL PIT LOCATION The proposed Shasta Ranch Mining and Reclamation Project would be located along the Sacramento River, about 2.5 miles southeast of Anderson.