I remember back in the day – “protest” and musical performance went hand in hand. Sometimes the music was the window dressing for speeches – and sometimes the musicians themselves were protesting.
For example? Remember Country Joe at Woodstock? GIMME AN “F”!
I protested back then – and as you are guessing, I’m about to protest again, right now.
Then, I was pissed off by hypocrisy, greed, stupidity and corruption on the part of the older generation that brought us the VietNam War, Watergate, and leaders who said things like “If you’ve seen one Redwood tree you’ve seen them all.”
Now? Well I’m still distressed by the same things, only now, it’s my peers doing dirty deeds that I object to – plus I’ve added a few concerns: destruction of our environment, destruction of the species who share life with us on this little planet, and increasing concern for the blind incompetence and corruption of our current leaders in California State government, and in our Federal government.
Oh – I’m also concerned by the full-scale devastation of the environment in China, and the impact that it will increasingly have directly on us here in California – where the toxic clouds of their insane slave-labor based industrial manufacturing system are blowing our way, and threaten to poison our air and water – as they already are doing to Japan.
You think I’m ranting? We’ve got the same problem just a little west of Cotati, right here in Sonoma County! It is being made possible by a departing Sonoma County Board of Supervisors – who are making decisions that will have a tragic impact forever, but are doing it anyway – and one can only guess at their motives. What could possibly compel people who hold our trust to violate it so blatantly?
Check this out: carrq.org
You will find a sordid tale of inside dealing behind closed doors and under the radar of the general public. If you think China is acting irresponsibly in regards to the environment, Cotati’s air quality will be destroyed by a mining operation proposed for the Roblar Road area just west of town.
And the potential impact of high level explosive blasting used to mine gravel, in an area directly adjacent to a old landfill dump that is unlined, and contains who-knows-what toxins from the more liberal dumping days of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s — this is a recipe for devastation of the water supply of the central Sonoma County Area.
And they know it! The Supervisors know that this could be catastrophic – and their response? To ask the developer, North Bay Construction, to carry insurance that relieves the County of responsibility.
Injury to citizens living in the county and destruction of the water supply are not covered – just the County being protected from lawsuits as a consequence of this bad deal. The cost of a clean-up would go into the hundreds of millions — and guess who would pay for that – it would be you and me!
This is outrageous! Really outrageous, because they know that there is a very high probability that there will be damage to the environment and to the water supply, yet they choose to look the other way.
And – yep, you guessed it – all of the “required” studies are compromised, have been waived, and or have been modified and/or shelved by a Board of Supervisors who are complicit in allowing this horrific destruction occur in the name of MONEY.
And we haven’t even talked about the sale of 250 acres from the developer to the County, and then the gift-back to the developer of a roadway thru the County purchased land for 150 to 240 gravel trucks a day to drive through this beautiful pastoral land, then on Roblar Road, Pepper Road, Valley Ford Road and Stony Point Road, out to Highway 101 in Cotati.
We’re talking 1000 huge gravel trucks roaring along little country roads a week. Have you ever ridden a bike out on these roads? It’s beautiful, and the roads are not designed for heavy industrial use. Oh – and their hours of operation? 7AM to 10PM.
Bottom line? This is a bad deal – and it’s a deal that could use some light of day!
If there is any good news, it is that everyone with any sense opposes the gravel mining operation proposed for the Roblar Road area — check out the report from the RussianRiverKeeper organization, at the CARRQ.ORG website above — all of this is spelled out in great detail.
The mine is absolutely unnecessary to the needs of the County – there is more gravel already available to the county’s construction needs than can be used – and yet this dirty deal continues to move forward – are you getting the picture?
Heck yes I’m pissed off! That this could be happening here and now! And I’m telling you as loud and clearly as I can — we have got to stop this shortsighted and potentially devastating deal from going down.
Please look at the web site, get informed, review the materials – make up your own mind — and then – PLEASE TAKE ACTION.
Call or write the County Supervisors who will vote on the “give away” NOW! Tell them NO to gravel mining and gravel trucking on this beautiful irreplaceable pastoral land. Say NO to destruction of our County’s water supply. Say NO to destruction of Cotati’s air quality!
Say NO to deals being made with out regard for our environment and the safety and well being of our citizens.
The Supervisors to express your opinion to are:
Valerie Brown vbrown@sonoma-county.org
Shirley Zane szane@sonoma-county.org
Efron Carrillo ecarrillo@sonoma-county.org
Thank you!
Oh – one more thing, if you’ve read this far, please go to the web site carrq.org and check it out for yourself — give it 15 minutes. Oh, and, gimme an “F”!
