EIR Talking Points

Here are some of the main problem issues people have discovered in the Draft Environmental Impact Report

Here are some specific concerns:

Impact3.8-2 “According to CAL FIRE’s map for Siskiyou County, the project area is located in a very-high-fire-hazard severity zone, within the local responsibility area (CAL FIRE 2009).” The DEIR does not address the fire hazard that will result from careless travelers and homeless camps.

Impact3.9-3 Makes no acknowledgement that Sugar Pine Road is an evacuation route for Hammond Ranch and large portions of North Old Stage and connecting roads.

Impact3.9-4 Makes no mention of the increased wildland fire hazard that truck stop customers and attracted homeless camps create for the area surrounding the truck stop.

Impact3.10-4 Hammond Ranch properties all have their own private wells. There are no mitigations for properties near the truck stop site if groundwater becomes contaminated by toxic runoff.

Impact3.11-1 The project does not comply with the land use plans developed in the original CalPoly 2040 General Plan. That study was replaced with the 1981 General Plan that was developed when there were no homes in the area.

Impacts3.12-1, 3.12-2, 3.12-3, 3.12-4 None of the 4 homeowners identified as the location of the 4 Sensitive Receptors were ever contacted about noise level tests. Also, anyone can go to the Pilot Truck Stop at 10pm and observe that the 5 minute motor idling rule is not enforced.

Impacts3.13-1, 3.13-2 The DEIR again ignores the significant increased risk of fire and crime that will result from thousands of travelers passing through every day and the homeless encampments that will occur, just like presently on the commercial eastside. The extent of commercial development in south Weed requires a fire house for rapid response and protection of residents, travelers, employees, and property.

Impacts 3.14-1, 3.14-2, 3.14-3, 3.14-4 The DEIR completely ignores the fact the Sugar Pine Road has been a historic easement for over a century and is used by Hammond Ranch residents to access I-5 and Weed businesses.

Impact3.15-3 Anyone can visit the Pilot truck stop on the eastside and see that there is substantial garbage and hazardous material that is not being cleaned up appropriately. It can be expected that the same situation will exist on the westside creating visual blight and health hazards for residents.

In addition, the proposed project site is the location of Hammond Ranch residents’ post office boxes and the school bus stop for local children. This has also not been addressed.

This DEIR completely ignores impacts on Hammond Ranch residents and landowners who contribute substantially to businesses in Weed and to the tax revenues of the city.

It ignores their health, safety, and their right to the peaceful rural life that attracted them to this area.

The Hammond Landowners Association board supports Alternative 3 in the DEIR that would locate Love’s Truck Stop on the eastside of I-5 where the infrastructure is in place and extensive commercial development already exists. That location benefits Weed and Loves by requiring substantially fewer mitigations.

Air Quality. Potent carcinogens such as benzene, particulate matter from diesel exhaust, transmission and brake fluids, antifreeze, etc., all inevitable truck stop substances, should not be added to the air or groundwater near residential areas. When was the modeling performed for the emissions estimates stated in the DEIR? Monthly differences in vehicle traffic are very significant| traffic in summer is much greater than traffic in January.

Noise. The DEIR has done no analysis of noise from the proposed truck stop at nearby homes. The noise increase in those quiet forested areas would be exponential, not to mention annoying. The homes are at a higher elevation and there would be less ground absorption of the noise and the noise would carry more easily.

Truck Idling Who monitors the 5 minute idling limit on cars and trucks? lt is certain that no one effectively monitors that limit on the existing east side truck stop development. lf you visit the Pilot truck stop area on the east side at 8a.m. or 8p.m.,the truck engine and idling noise is almost deafening, and the air quality is particularly bad from the trucks idling for far more than 5 minutes. The City of Weed has provided additional truck parking on the east side to promote truck usage and because they originally underestimated the parking needs. lf they are underestimating the parking needs and need additional parking on the west side {or if truckers just park beyond the truck stop area if the truck stop parking is full) all noise and air quality estimates become inaccurate, and nearby residences are further impacted.

Crime. There is virtually no mention in the DEIR of the fact that truck stops are notorious hotbeds of criminal activity, including human trafficking, child prostitution, drug activity and stolen property. The DEIR states that, basically, the Love's project will not have a significant impact on police services because no new police facilities will need to be built. I do not have crime statistics handy, nor am I a crime expert, but criminal activity around truck stops is an acknowledged fact, and the DEIR should not ignore this, especially when the truck stop would be so near residential developments. lndeed, a recent 2018 sex trafficking lawsuit in Texas alleges that Love's knowingly benefited from sexual exploitation involving human trafficking

Waste Water and Runoff The DEIR appears to be unconcerned about runoff and potential spills emptying to the northwest, into the wetlands and wildlife area. While wetlands are efficient water filters, a truck stop emptying its toxic runoff into nearby wetlands is beyond the bounds of mitigation.

Read the EIR for yourself here https://bit.ly/2mQv5It