Posted: July 25th, 2008

The hearing originally scheduled for July 25, 2008, at UC Irvine on the proposed toll road through San Onofre State Beach has been cancelled. On July 11, UC Irvine notified the U.S. Department of Commerce that it could not accommodate the 10,000 people expected at the hearing. The Commerce Department has not scheduled a new hearing date.

You can help by writing to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, asking him to enforce the public right to a new public hearing, and opposing the toll road through the sacred Native American site of Panhe and San Onofre State Beach. Download the letter from United Coalition to Protect Panhe (UCPP), The City Project, and the diverse and growing national alliance here.

This image is used with the permission of UCPP and may not be reproduced without their express authorization.

The National Latino Congreso adopted an amended resolution on July 18, 2008, which provides in part:

• WHEREAS a proposed toll road threatens the San Onofre State Beach in Southern California, compromising Panhe, a 9,000 year old Native American Acjachemen village, burial ground, ceremonial site, and religious site; eliminating precious open space on the California coast; impacting recreation opportunities for hiking, biking, surfing, and camping; and destroying habitat for endangered or threatened species; and

• WHEREAS San Onofre State Beach is one of California’s most popular state parks, receiving over 2.4 million visitors per year; more than 88% of campers in San Onofre’s San Mateo campground reside in California, and 93% of these California campers reside in the 8 counties with the greatest green space needs – in combined terms of the fewest acres of green space per thousand residents, and highest levels of child obesity, children, poverty, and people of color. San Onofre is also in one of those 8 counties; and

• WHEREAS the proposed toll road would represent the first time in California that state park lands were taken by a local governmental entity for a major infrastructure project and allowing this project to proceed would set a dangerous precedent, threatening coastal parks, open space, and cultural, historical, and Native American resources everywhere in the state; and

• WHEREAS the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 to deny the proposed toll road based on the devastating impacts the road would have on cultural, and environmental resources, beach and camping access, and the Transportation Corridors Agencies have appealed that decision to the United States Department of Commerce;

• THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the organizations represented by delegates of the 2007 National Latino Congreso urge that . . . federal, state, and local agencies should take all necessary steps to save San Onfore State Beach and the sacred Native American site of Panhe and stop the toll road through the beach and park. . . .

• BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Federal Commerce Department should deny the Transportation Corridor Agency’s appeal and support the California Coastal Commission decision to deny certification of the toll road and save San Onofre State Beach and the sacred Native American site of Panhe.

Visit www.savesanonofre.org and www.savepanhe.org.