Help Save Endangered Species at Camp Parks in Dublin

BEST WILDLIFE HABITAT IN DUBLIN THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT

Help Save Endangered Species at Camp Parks

The U.S. Army and NASA are attempting a land exchange that would transfer 180 acres of land at the southern end of Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area to the City of Dublin for urban development.

In January the Army held an open house for 50 developers to view the property including the Raiders football team who are looking for a new stadium site. At this meeting, the Mayor of Dublin declared the goal of transferring the land by April 2008 and breaking ground on development by January 2009. She presented alternatives for five massive commercial and residential developments.

None of these development proposals have been presented to the public before, nor do any of the proposals have natural habitat considerations included for threatened and endangered species. The Camp Parks military training facility is one of the relatively undeveloped portions of the Amador-Livermore Valley, and is home to several endangered, threatened and rare wildlife species that would be displaced by development. The need for delaying this transfer is obvious.

Camp Parks is home to the largest and one of the few remaining colonies of breeding western burrowing owls in the Valley. Development without consideration of the owls would likely evict them from the site. The proposed project site supports golden eagles, has potential foraging habitat for the endangered San Joaquin kit fox, has 21 acres of known and suitable breeding habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog, and known breeding habitat for the threatened California tiger salamander.

Concerned citizens would like to see the following:
1) Delay the land transfer until public hearings are held regarding environmental concerns under the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and California Environmental Quality Act;
2) Give conservation groups input on the on terms and conditions regarding on-site mitigation for the sustained, long term populations of special-status species;
3) A signed commitment from the City of Dublin to include the citizens' review findings in the U.S. Army and NASA Deed of Sale/Transfer; and
4) A commitment by Dublin to protect burrowing owls and endangered species on the site.

The proposed development of the Concord (CA) Naval Weapons Station is a model. In Concord the U.S. Navy attempted to award 5,000 acres of land to a developer in exchange for the developer building residential housing in other states for the Navy. Because of citizens group's protests, the matter is now postponed and a multi-year study is ongoing with the conservation community. Elected U.S. Representatives stepped in and supported the conservation efforts, slowing down the transfer.

Camp Parks Conservation Strategy - April 2008

Please contact the City of Dublin and tell them not to evict the burrowing owls and that endangered species need to be protected. Our Northern California Congressional Representatives need to get involved in the Dublin transfer in order to permit time for the conservation community to review the proposals and make recommendations.

Please write to:

Mayor Janet Lockhart, City of Dublin
100 Civic Plaza, Dublin, CA 94568
Phone: (925) 833-6663
Fax: (925) 833-6651
e-mail: janet.lockhart@ci.dublin.ca.us

Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-11th District
5776 Stoneridge Mall Road, #175, Pleasanton, CA 94588
Phone: (925) 737-0727
Fax: (927) 737-0734
E-mail: Go to http://mcnerney.house.gov/contact.shtml