California can abandon the rules of endangered species for highway 37

During his eight years at the Santa Rosa Municipal Council, Chris Rogers He spent an hour after an annoying hour at local transportation meetings discussing a proposal to reduce congestion of one of the main arteries of traffic in the corridor of the Napa-synoma valley.

That is why Rogers, now a rookie Democratic member, said he should laugh when environmental groups complain that a bill that penetrates the legislature, somehow “quickly tracked” the project to expand the 37 highway in the North Gulf.

“When you talk about a project that has been started or at least thoughtful before it is born … and someone calls it ‘fast tracking’, he just doesn’t track,” ” Rogers said To a committee hearing last week. “The project had to be done already.”

Assembly Bill 697 from Lori WilsonDemocrat from the Fairfield area would allow civil servants of the highways to potentially harm three protected bird species and endangered mice, as workers add new canvases to a section of highway 37 to the Wine Land.

It’s another example California Democrats, who are trying to accelerate large construction projects such as residential and public infrastructure, which can sometimes cope with decades due to the strict environmental provisions of the state.

Read more: “Too Devilishly Difficult to Build”: A key impetus to the California Democrat for faster construction

Last week, the Committee for the assembly of water, parks and wild animals voted to improve the measure. The 13 members of the committee, including Rogers, were not convinced of the objections of the Indians, environmentalists and transport intercession groups that opposed the expanding highways. They claim that research shows that adding canvases Does not reduce congestionS

Only one member of the committee, Greg HartDemocrat from Santa Barbara, refused to vote, which reported the same as the vote “no”.

The 21 -mile highway connects the Interstate 80 in Vallejo in Solano County to the Highway 101 in the Novi County of the North Pablo Gulf. It is decreasing, although some of the last remaining salty swamps of the country that are at risk of rising sea levels. Highway 37, that has a flood historyIt is also one of the most supported highways in Northern California, leading to long backups for travelers on weekdays and for wine visitors during the weekends.

The source of the narrow spot of 10 miles is the place where four strips shrink to one strip in each direction. Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 motorists turn out to be on the highway every day, usually adding an hour and a half to the trip.

Passengers suffer in traffic

Officials of decades discuss What to do Concern for road safety and congestion, as tourism to the wine country has expanded as the surrounding communities increase due to the relatively more cheaper dwellings. Meanwhile, the rising seas threatened to overcome the highway completely in the coming decades.

The highway employees eventually plan to raise the highway through a raised cause that may include a passenger rail line connecting to the train line of the Capitol Corridor, which moves between Sacramento and the bay area. But the full project, which is expected to cost more than $ 10 billion, has not been funded. It can also take decades.

Instead, they have settled in the short term, A plan of $ 500 million To add a car lane and a road lane to the existing highway between Mare and Sears Point. The project includes measures intended to protect the highway from flooding, plus an additional 1200 acres. “In the short term habitat restoration“In the area. Construction is planned to begin in 2027.S

Wilson’s measure during construction will abandon certain defenses under the California Act in California for the endangered salty marsh, as well as three protected birds: the California railway line, the California black rail and kite with white tails.

If the legislature does not allow the Ministry of Fish and Wildlife to issue permission for “accidental claim”, it will lead to great, expensive construction delays, said Wilson’s office. Without the permit, the proposed construction window will shrink to only 10 to 12 weeks a year, instead of the current six -month construction season.

Wilson told the committee that she was motivated to defend travelers in her area, many of whom make a minimum wage of $ 16.50 per hour to work in the service industry on the opposite side of the 37 highway.

“When you look at the trip they automatically reduce to $ 13.89,” she saidS “And that’s real. It’s real.”

She noted The fact that congestion is so bad that public bus lines will not run on highway 37 because they cannot set consistent schedules.

The Democrat is made in anticipation

Local transport officers, construction companies and unions, whose members will work on the project, support the measure. In total, these groups have given nearly $ 17 million to legislators since 2015, according to Digital democracy databaseS

Opposition to the bill are environmental groups who have spent much less on state policy. These include voters of the California Conservation League, which has donated $ 213,650 to legislators since 2015, according to digital democracy. Federalized Graton Rancheria Indians, a local tribe, also oppose. The tribe that owns a casino in Rohnert Park in Sonoma County has donated $ 265,200 since 2015.

In a letter with an opposition to the Commission, the tribe claims that the measure will “the green light is the perception of cultural species as a temporary, short -term project that has not yet been a meaningful tribal consultation and fails to cope with the impact of climate change.”

Of the hearing last week, Transform, a group that advocates against construction New highways or add more sails to existingalso testifies in opposition.

Lobbyist -said Zheny Ward-Waller It is envisaged that the highway will be underwater due to an increase in sea level immediately after 2040, so there is no financial sense to add new sails to be used for only 10 years. She said the project should be postponed so that employees focus on Causeway’s long-term proposal, which would achieve “greater environmental benefits”.

But Rogers said this was not practical as there was no financing for the permanent project.

“And the longer we continue to slow down, the more it affects people’s lives, the more it affects the environment. And we have come to a point of fever where we have to do something,” “,” ” Rogers saidS