Activists Continue to Halt Willits Bypass with Treesit and Lockdown

Last tree-sitter still high in Ash grove; Nightime action delays fill trucks for 8 hours when activists lock themselves to truck under-carriage

by Karen / Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters

Three people were arrested after stopping a caravan of 20 trucks headed to load up with fill, destined to be dumped on wetlands.  The line of trucks was stopped for 8 hours after two brave activists used steel tubes to lock themselves to the underside of the lead truck, with supporters nearby, brandishing a banner reading “Save Our Water, Stop Caltrans Now!”

The Bypass highway Caltrans is building around the town of Willits has met with fierce opposition and persistent protests, making the point that it is overbuilt, environmentally devastating and ridiculously exensive.  Recently, the County of Mendocino was forced to revoke a permit it issued itself, and the lead permitting agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, called Caltrans on the carpet for failing to consider the effects of 55,000 wick drains on the hydrology of the wetlands, and failure to have a (required) mitigation plan in place. The central mission of the Army Corps is to ensure no net loss of wetlands.

Residents also say some of the fill used to de-water the wetlands is suspect because if came from an old Louisiana-Pacific mill operation site, generally a source of toxics.

A large rally is being planned in the Willits area on the weekend of Oct. 12, and Bay Area activists are invited to participate. Details will be posted soon.

In the meantime, more info can be found in previous entries at our website gro.evreserpsretawdaeh@hcab.www and at www.savelittlelakevalley.org.  People and monetary support are always needed and appreciated.