FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2003
To: Congressman George
Radanovich , Chair Parks Committee
From: Oscar Braun, Executive
Director California Watershed Posse
Subject: Congressman Tom
Lantos sponsored bill, H.R. 532 ( Rancho Corral de Tierra
)
Dear Chairman
Radanovich,
Yesterday I was informed by the California Farm
Bureau that “Mr. Lantos’ bill, H.R. 532 passed out of the Parks Subcommittee
today WITHOUT the farmland. The
bill was amended by the Chair to exclude this land. Now the bill moves on to the full
committee.” On behalf of all the
rural farm families here in San Mateo County, we say in one united voice, thank
you and God bless you Chairman Rodanovich . You have provided the leadership in
protecting California’s agricultural community’s future.
Our
non-profit Coordinated Resource Management & Planning (CRMP) Council has
filed a Writ of Mandate against the
Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). We have asked the Superior Court here in San Mateo County
to conduct a “ Judicial Review” under CEQA of the MROSD 140,000 acre San Mateo
County Coastal Annexation proposal.
The lands of the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) have been identified
as being part of the MROSD Annexation strategic plan.
Our CRMP Council has established an environmental
database for Parks & Open Space Trusts found at http://www.post-ed.info/ for the purpose of
providing regulatory agencies,
courts and the community at large public documents that reveal the lack of
stewardship , watershed management, environmental studies, toxic studies and
compliance with Federal and State environmental protection statutes. We have already received the entire
“Administrative Record” (7,787 pages) from MROSD. We’ve taken their 32 volume document
record and commissioned a court certified recorder to place the entire MROSD
Administrative Record in pdf e-format with advanced search engine
capabilities. The whole Admin
Record can be completely reviewed in under three hours. Discovery in related lawsuits is
expected to include a deposition of POST President Audrey Rust and
investigations into POST holdings, including Rancho Corral de la
Tierra.
The California Watershed Posse is asking Chairman
Radanovich and the full Parks Committee to NOT consider any further action on H.R. 532 until
AFTER the Court has concluded their Judicial Review of the MROSD and POST
holdings. The CWP will of course
provide the Congressional Parks Committee a complete searchable pdf copy of the
POST & MROSD Administrative Record, certified watershed environmental
studies , State certified appraisals, the Superior Court ruling and testimony.
Common Cause executive director said, “Grey Davis has
established a “pay to play” dynamic throughout state government.” Mr. Lantos’ (
$15 million H.R. 532), like Senator Feinstein’s ( $100 million Cargill Salt
Ponds deal) clearly have embraced former governor Davis’ “pay to play”
re-election fund raising scheme .
Tom Lantos $15 million political campaign payback bill (H.R.532) doesn’t
pass the smell test. Lantos supported Grey Davis’ veto of State Senator Byron
Shers bill that would have required full public disclosure of all details (
certified appraisal, toxic studies, EIR, stewardship costs etc) prior to the
spending of taxpayers money.
In our view, Mr. Lantos has not provided a single compelling “legal,
ethical or statutory reason” for proceeding full speed with his $15 million “pay to play H.R. 532 BEFORE there is full
Congressional oversight and public disclosures regarding 1) toxic studies, 2)
State Certified Land Appraisal 3) Certified EIR and 4) conclusion of Judicial
Review. As Governor-elect Arnold
Schwarzenegger declared the night of his election victory “If business as usual wins…..we the
people loose.”