On January 31, 2023, ECOS submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento regarding the Truxel Bridge over the American River.
Tag Archives: American River
ECOS Settles Lawsuit v. Caltrans
Caltrans’ Capital City Bridge Project
State Route 51 Bridge Deck Replacement Project, https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2020100388/6
Good news! On July 18, 2022, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) and Caltrans settled the lawsuit over Caltrans’ plan to widen the Capital City Freeway bridge over the American River. Caltrans agreed to do these as part of the project:
• Include a bike-ped facility as part of the bridge widening, with access to both river levees.
• Provide enhanced bat habitat in the vicinity of the bridge.
• Mitigate loss of salmonid habitat, such as adding shade trees along the river.
And, in the design and environmental review of the subsequent and larger Cap City Corridor project from Midtown Sacramento to El Camino Avenue, Caltrans agreed to address induced demand, and assess the structural capacity of the bridge to accommodate potential future light rail trains.
Here’s the background:
Caltrans issued a “notice of preparation” five years ago for an environmental impact report (EIR) for plans to widen from three to five lanes each way the Capital City Freeway (SR 51) over the American River from Midtown Sacramento to El Camino Avenue (3.4 miles). Caltrans never produced the EIR. Instead, last year, it released a “mitigated negative declaration” for widening the east side of the CapCity bridge as part of a “deck replacement” project.
From the start, the plans for widening caused us concern for the increased traffic this would induce, along with the related increases in air pollution and greenhouse gases. When we realized Caltrans intended to proceed with the east side widening with no true environmental analysis, ECOS sued. Attorney Don Mooney of Davis, CA represented ECOS in the suit. ECOS thanks those who contributed to fund the lawsuit.
Stop the diversion of 147,000 acre-feet of American River Water to San Joaquin County
On July 6, 2022, the Environmental Council of Sacramento submitted a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office (AHO) supporting the AHO’s recommendation to cancel San Joaquin County’s application #29657 from 1990.
Below is an excerpt from the letter.
While not the subject of the AHO’s recommendation, the diversion of 147,000 acre-feet of American River Water to San Joaquin County, as envisioned in application #29657, would have substantial adverse impacts to the American River and would disrupt the Water Forum’s 29 years of work to meet water needs, protect river flows, manage river temperatures for salmon and steelhead, and restore aquatic habitats in the Lower American River. The up-stream diversion would likely impact river flows and summer temperatures. With climate change and the projected demand in this region, the river cannot absorb an additional 140,000+ acre feet of diversion and still maintain the fishery and full recreational potential of the lower American river.
ECOS Climate Committee 5/12 Focus on Transportation
ECOS Climate Change Committee – Focus on Transportation, THURSDAY, MAY 12 6:00 pm
Co-hosted by Ralph Propper, Climate Committee Chair and John Deeter, Transportation Team Lead
Agenda
6:00 Let’s chat — Zoom break-out rooms
6:05 Welcome and brief introductions
6:10 Sacramento Regional Transit (Sac RT) staff will discuss plans for the coming year. RT’s fiscal status has improved, as ridership is increasing again.
Craig Norman (Director of Engineering) will discuss more frequent service on Folsom line, electric buses, low-floor light rail stations/vehicles, new LRT stations (Dos Rios station; Horn Rd. station near Rancho Cordova’s Kassis property)
6:30 SacRT and TOD – Traci Canfield will provide high level overview of the SACOG-SACRT Transit-oriented Development Action Plan written in 2020
6:50 CapCity Freeway Lawsuit Update – Betsy Weiland of SARA (invited contributor) to discuss impacts to river
7:05 Transportation Ballot Measure for November election – Steve Cohn of SacMoves (invited contributor)
7:20 UPDATES
- Climate Action Plans for County and City of Sacramento
- For July presentation — Valley Rail, San Joaquin JPA, by Dan Leavitt, Manager of Regional Initiatives, will update us on the Stockton to Sacramento segment of Valley Rail w/maps, station areas, station designs. Valley Rail is on the Sacramento Subdivision from Stockton to Natomas — on separate, parallel UP track(s) to Sac RT from Cosumnes River Blvd to R Street in Midtown. Service will extend to Natomas (Elkhorn Blvd), but planning work is being done with Butte CAG and SACOG for a future extension to Butte County (Chico).
7:30 Adjourn
Thursday, May 12, 2022, 6:00pm
Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155
American River Bridge Deck Replacement Project
On April 21, 2022, ECOS submitted a letter to the California State Lands Commission regarding the American River Bridge Deck Replacement Project. Below is an excerpt of our letter.
ECOS requests you pull this item from your consent calendar to enable a full discussion of this item. ECOS further requests that the Commission deny Caltrans’ application for a public agency permit and approval of a right-of-way map for the American River Bridge Deck Replacement Project.
In 2021, ECOS filed a lawsuit against Caltrans for this Project, asserting that their Mitigated Negative Declaration is inappropriate, for reasons cited below. Our subsequent settlement negotiation for this Project has not led to a resolution.
Making the Best of the Poor Conditions in this Critically Dry Year
By Jessica Law | July 23, 2021 | Sacramento Water Forum
Severe drought conditions are back in California. Unfortunately, that means the Lower American River is headed into what may be some of the worst summer conditions we’ve seen on the river in recent memory.
I won’t sugarcoat it. Conditions in the river will be bad. However, the Water Forum and our partners are working hard to ensure conditions are as good as they can possibly be, and to minimize harm to fish and habitat.
What to expect in the coming months
PHOTO CREDIT: DWR, Lower American River 2014
As you may have seen on the news, we began this year with a near-normal snowpack. In most years, the snowpack melts and feeds our lakes and rivers. This year, the snowpack disappeared in the span of several weeks, soaking into the dry soil or evaporating—perhaps foreshadowing what may turn out to be the case study for climate change impacts on our water supplies and environment.
