The Environmental Protection Information Center
P.O. Box 397 • Garberville, CA 95542 • 707.923.2931
#122, 600 F St Suite 3, Arcata CA 95523 • 707.822.7711
January 30, 2009
Deborah Harmon, Senior Environmental Planner
CA Department of Transportation
1656 Union Street
Eureka, CA 95501
deborah_harmon@dot.ca.gov
RE: Richardson grove Operational Improvement Project
Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental
Assessment and
Programmatic Section 4 (f) Evaluation
Dear Ms. Harmon:
This letter is submitted on behalf of the Environmental Protection Information
Center (EPIC), the North Coast Environmental Center (NEC), Friends of the Eel River
(FOER) and Californians for Alternatives to Toxics (CATs). EPIC is a Humboldt
County based non-profit organization that actively works to protect and restore forests,
watersheds, coastal estuaries, and native species in northwest California. EPIC was
established in 1977 by local residents in Humboldt County. EPIC works to ensure that
state and federal agencies follow their mandate to uphold environmental laws and
protect endangered species. Many of EPIC’s members use the Eel River for boating,
fishing, bird watching and general recreation, as well as for aesthetic enjoyment.
Particularly, members of EPIC visit and use Richardson Grove State Park, and rely upon
its beauty and natural resources for personal and professional enhancement. Members of
EPIC have an interest in knowing that California remains alive with wildlife and natural
wonders, still beautiful and available to enjoy and utilize when they choose.
NEC is also a Humboldt County based non-profit organization, whose mission is
to promote understanding of the relations between people and the biosphere and to
conserve, protect and celebrate terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems of northern
California and southern Oregon. Since its establishment in 1971, NEC has worked to
conserve the area’s biological assets and to stimulate public awareness in securing the
future of these natural treasures, which are vital to sus