On April 4, 2022, ECOS submitted a letter along with the Sierra Club Sacramento Group, Friends of Swainson’s Hawk, the Sacramento Audubon Society and Habitat 2020, regarding the Notice of Preparation of Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting for the Airport South Industrial Project.
On October 8, 2021, ECOS, Habitat 2020 and some of our allies submitted a letter regarding the proposed South Airport Industrial Project.
Click here to read the letter in full.
Photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels
On June 28, 2021, the Environmental Council of Sacramento, Habitat 2020, Sierra Club Sacramento Group, Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk and Former Sacramento City Mayor Heather Fargo submitted a joint letter on the Airport South Industrial Project.
Below is an excerpt from our letter.
We urge you to remove Item 9 from the Consent Calendar and vote to deny the staff’s recommendation. The Resolution before you conflicts with and interferes with the success of the 2003 Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (“NBHCP”) the City’s efforts to reach carbon zero status, and General Plan policies. The City’s approval of the proposed annexation and development would constitute a breach of the City’s obligation under the 2003 Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan to not annex or develop outside of the NBHCP permit area, and could lead to revocation of the City’s Incidental Take Permit under the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan.
October 13, 2020
On October 13, 2020, the Environmental Council of Sacramento, Habitat 2020 and the Friends of the Stone Lakes Wildlife Refuge, submitted a comment letter on the California Northstate University Medical Center Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).
On September 18, 2020, the Environmental Council of Sacramento submitted a letter regarding AB-900 compliance of the CNU Medical Center Project, asking for a 30-day extension for the DEIR review period.
We are requesting an additional 30 days to continue our review of this DEIR and feel that this is more than justified given that the City of Elk Grove needs to be in compliance with the record preparation requirements of AB 900 which requires that all documents that will be part of the public record will be provided by lead agencies within five days of being received and that they will be in an easily accessible electronic format.
Click here to read the letter in full.
Click here to learn more about this project, and our concerns.
The City of Elk Grove released the draft environmental impact report (“DEIR”) for the California Northstate University (“CNU”) Hospital Project (“Project”) on August 14, 2020, finally giving the public the first look at the Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts and an opportunity to provide comments. The deadline to submit written comments and receive a response in the Final EIR is 5:00 pm on September 28, 2020.
Who: The City is the lead agency for the Project, meaning it is responsible for preparing the DEIR and complying with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”).
What: The Project is the total redevelopment of the shopping center located directly east of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and north-west of impact mitigation land for Swainson’s hawk. The Cosumnes River Preserve is only 12 miles from the Project site. CNU, a for-profit medical school already operating on site, intends to construct a 12-story hospital topped with a helipad, a dormitory, and numerous parking and auxiliary structures. The Project would be developed in three phases over a period of 10 years.
When: The 45-day public comment period began on August 14, 2020 with the release of the DEIR. The deadline to submit written comments and receive a response in the Final EIR is 5:00 pm on September 28, 2020. Oral comments may be provided at the September 16, 2020 City Council meeting and the City will provide responses to those comments in the Final EIR as well.
Where: The DEIR and supporting documents is available at: http://www.elkgrovecity.org/city_hall/departments_divisions/planning/current_development_projects/california_northstate_university_hospital/documents__visuals. Physical copies of the DEIR are available at the City Planning Division counter at 8401 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove, CA 95758.
Why: Concerned members of the public should submit comments on the Project to demonstrate opposition to this intrusive Project that would have negative consequences for residents and wildlife alike. The City is already conceding that the Project would have significant impacts that cannot be mitigated. With respect to impacts to local residents, the Draft EIR admits that the Project would create light and noise pollution and increase criteria air pollutant emissions. The Project also poses a significant threat to native protected species like Swainson’s hawk, sandhill cranes and burrowing owls that inhabit the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding habitat. Noise and light pollution would disturb roosting birds, while helicopter flights and the massive hospital building would pose a danger for bird strikes. Long-term, the Project would contribute to depleting groundwater levels and impaired air quality. Now is the time for the public to voice their concerns and let the City know that Project is not right for Elk Grove.
Click here to learn more about the hospital plans and the environmental concerns.
Mailing address: PO Box 1526, Sacramento, CA 95812
Email: office [at] ecosacramento [dot] net
909 12th St., Suite 203, Sacramento, CA 95814