Take 5 minutes to oppose the new Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area (Carnegie SVRA) and State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (OHMVR) “Preferred Concept Plan.”
SUBMIT COMMENTS BY DECEMBER 13, 2013 DEADLINE
The State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (OHMVR) has issued their Preferred Concept Plan (**see below for more detail) for the existing Carnegie SVRA and Tesla Park acquisition area. The plan calls for Carnegie SVRA to expand OHV use into most of the Tesla Park land.
The OHMVR Preferred Concept Plan materials can be viewed at http://carnegie.engage-sites.com/preferred_concept.
The deadline to submit comments on the OHMVR Preferred Concept plan is December 13, 2013.
Please submit comments opposing the OHMVR plan and ask that Tesla Park (also called the Acquisition area and Alameda-Tesla property by OHMVR) be designated as a non-motorized park and preserve.
TELL STATE PARKS – NO OHV USE IN TESLA
WHAT TO SAY:
- All of Tesla Park is unsuitable for OHV recreation use because of its unique and rare natural, cultural and historic resources.
- There can be no OHV recreation use in any part of Tesla Park (Acquisition area or Alameda-Tesla property).
- A non-OHV use alternative that provides for Tesla Park to be designated as a non-motorized park and sensitive area preserve must be considered in the EIR.
- A detailed analysis of all direct and cumulative environmental impacts of full build-out of the Carnegie SVRA expansion plan and required mitigation must be part of the current DEIR and cannot be deferred or fragmented.
WHERE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS:
You can send by e-mail or US mail to:
- Dan Canfield, Manager Planning Office, OHMVR Division
-
1725 23rd Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95816-7100
- AECOM
-
Attn: Carnegie SVRA General Plan
-
2020 L Street, Ste. 400, Sacramento, CA 95811
SAMPLE COMMENTS:
Dear Mr. Canfield:
I am aware of the irreparable damage caused by OHV use in Carnegie SVRA. OHV use will damage the irreplaceable natural and cultural resources at Tesla Park and should not be allowed. I oppose the recently issued Preferred Concept Plan.
Tesla Park (acquisition area or Alameda-Tesla property) should be established as a non-motorized recreation park and preserve. Tesla Park is unsuitable for motorized recreation use because of its unique and rare natural, cultural and historic resources.
The Draft EIR for the Carnegie SVRA and Tesla Park expansion should include evaluation of a non-motorized recreation park and preserve alternative. The Draft EIR must also include detailed analyses of all direct and cumulative environmental impacts for build-out of the nearly 5,000 acre OHV park and required mitigation. This detailed environmental review is required up-front and cannot be deferred or fragmented.
SUBMIT COMMENTS BY DECEMBER 13, 2013 DEADLINE
Thank you for your continuing help to SAVE Tesla Park.
_______________________________________
**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OHMVR PREFERRED CONCEPT PLAN FOR TESLA:
The OHMVR Preferred Concept plan will establish of a 5,000 acre OHV park directly in an area of significant biodiversity and extensive natural, cultural and historic resources. Most of the OHV park will be in Eastern Alameda County. The OHMVR Plan for a 5,000 acre OHV park provides for:
The existing Carnegie SVRA to remain as it is currently managed
- Tesla Park acquisition area to be opened up to OHV recreation use by all types of OHV vehicles, with expanded OHV facilities throughout the Tesla Park land
- Multiple new entrances into the Tesla Park land for OHV use
- OHV recreation use allowed around and through the historic Tesla mine/town site and other historic and cultural resources, with the protection zone being limited to the footprint of any particular resource.
- Addition of some interpretive/education services
The OHMVR Preferred Concept Plan materials can be viewed at http://carnegie.engage-sites.com/preferred_concept.
The OHMVR plan does not recognize or protect the extensive natural resources present throughout the entire Tesla Park land. OHV trails and facilities can be established throughout the entire Tesla Park area. OHMVR has identified very limited sensitive areas, but OHV trails can still occur even in these limited sensitive areas.
The OHMVR plan provides for OHV recreation use throughout the western watershed portion of Tesla Park that is in the Alameda Creek watershed and Tri-Valley/Livermore view shed. Tesla Road is the only access from the Bay Area to the planned 5,000 acre Carnegie SVRA. All Bay Area users will travel through Livermore and along Tesla Road to get to Carnegie SVRA.
The OHMVR plan provides for not only OHV recreation use throughout ridge tops of this biologically significant and scenic area, but the ridge tops are also designated as a gathering and services center that could include camp grounds, parking, staging areas, concessions, ranger station, entrance kiosk, etc.
The OHMVR plan does not protect the “interpretive zone” around historic and cultural resources. There will be OHV recreation use around and through historic and cultural areas, and within the view and sound shed of historic and cultural resources.
OHMVR does not intend to analyze non-OHV use alternatives in the Draft EIR, such as a non-motorized recreation park and preserve.
The OHMVR plan is based on “programmatic approval” that will not evaluate the direct or cumulative environmental impacts of opening up Tesla Park to OHV recreation use and the build–out of a 5,000 OHV park. Rather, OHVMR plans to defer and fragment the environmental review, if done at all, to unknown later dates when trails or facilities are built, attempting to prevent a comprehensive upfront analysis of all direct and cumulative impacts and required mitigation.
OHMVR has also provided an online “Comment Card.” However, the comment card is designed to force OHVMR’s desired range of responses based the assumption that the Tesla Park land has to be used for OHV recreation use. We do not accept this assumption. We recommend you submit comments by email.
We are working with our state legislators to find other ways to SAVE Tesla Park. Your comments and those of all others you can reach demanding to SAVE Tesla Park are important. They demonstrate to elected officials the widespread opposition to the Carnegie SVRA expansion plan to establish a 5,000 acre OHV park in this biologically and culturally rich part of Eastern Alameda County.
The next comment stage will be when the DRAFT EIR is issued sometime in Spring 2014. We will provide more information as it is received.
Please submit your comments by December 13, 2013 deadline opposing the OHMVR Preferred Concept Plan and calling for all of Tesla Park to be preserved as a non-motorized use park and preserve.
Thank you for helping to SAVE Tesla Park.
