from Save Little Lake Valley
In the latest good news for Little Lake Valley, its residents, its farmers, its watershed, and its non-human critters, CalTrans has announced a complete stoppage of work on the hard fought [see pg 33 of the new EF!J ] Willits Bypass. “Caltrans has notified our contractors that we intend to suspend work effective July 8 at the end of the day’s work until the Corps’ permit suspension is lifted,” the Willits Bypass Project News web site reads.
Initially, the Army Corps of Engineers’ suspension of the Clean Water Act permit that authorized the project meant that CalTrans could continue work in select areas of the project, including the southern interchange.
According to CalTrans, however, the cost “to keep contractor crews on standby and other delay costs have added an estimated $800,000 to the Willits Bypass Project from June 20 through July 7, and are accumulating at about $100,000 per day.”
Moreover, the Willits Bypass Project News site (which was originally set up in March 2013 to counter the momentum of the CalTrans Bypass opposition) reports, “This was not an easy decision, but with the mounting costs and uncertainty from the Corps of when they might lift the suspension, Caltrans had to reduce the escalating costs to taxpayers.”
This decision is a strong indication that negotiations between CalTrans and the Army Corps are not going well for CalTrans. The permit suspension order has relatively strong teeth, and it may take a long time for CalTrans to meet its conditions (if they ever do).
Among these conditions are that CalTrans must get caught up on its Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (MMP), and that it must provide extensive new mitigations (including new wetlands restoration) to make up for being so late in getting going on the existing mitigation plan.
SOLLV is calling for CalTrans to scale back the project’s northern interchange as part of any future agreement between the Army Corps and the transportation agency.
The Bypass Project News web site further states:
“Only a few contractor employees will remain onsite to complete a road to be used as a future detour of US Highway 101, maintain a water diversion in order to protect fish, and to be ready to handle any other pressing issues that may arise. Caltrans continues to schedule meetings with the Corps and is working to get the suspension lifted as quickly as possible.”
