Las Vegas in the North Bay?
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Las Vegas in the North Bay? |
Greenbelt Alliance * The Newswire
Volume 2, Issue 7, July 2003
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and Station Casinos, a Las Vegas-based developer, have released plans for a casino development on 2,000 acres fronting the San Francisco Bay along Highway 37 and Lakeville Road in Sonoma County. The site is highly scenic, completely undeveloped farmland and wetlands.
The site has been a target for preservation for over 30 years. The agricultural lands and wetlands constitute one of the largest remaining open landscapes fronting the San Francisco Bay. There are significant environmental concerns regarding development on the site due to its proximity to, and drainage directly into, the Bay. Much of the land surrounding the site is owned by state or federal agencies as part of the San Pablo National Wildlife Refuge, or is protected with conservation easements through the Sonoma Land Trust.
There is significant opposition to the proposal in the North Bay. The Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and Solano County Boards of Supervisors have all passed resolutions against the project, and the Sierra Club, the Marin and Sonoma County chapters of the Audubon Society, Greenbelt Alliance and other environmental groups have publicly voiced opposition. In addition, Senator Feinstein has added her support to a bill proposed by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, and co-authored by Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, that would subject the Graton Rancheria's proposed casino to "rigorous environmental review and community input."
To find our more about the casino and efforts to stop its creation at the proposed site, contact Kelly Brown, Greenbelt Alliance's Sonoma-Marin Field Representative, at (707) 575-3661, or kbrown@greenbelt.org.