STOP THE TRUCKS: Ozena Wants to Expand Hours of Trucking Thru Ojai and Hand Pick the Consultant who will Review their new Proposal!
(Trucks passes through town on Ojai Ave & Montgomery, photo credit to Ray Smith, Daly Road Graphics)
In documents recently obtained by the Ojai "Stop the Trucks" through a Ventura County Public Records Request, the Coalition has learned that Ozena wants to alter their existing permit so that trucking through the Ojai Valley will begin as early as 3:00 am and continue as late as 6:00 pm during the week with "No Route Restrictions" at all on Saturdays!
This proposal would more than double trucking from a total of seven hours a day during the week to a new and even more intrusive and disturbing 15 hours a day!
In a recent review of weigh tickets from 2007, the "Stop the Trucks" Coalition estimated that Ozena is likely now violating existing permit hours in trips through Ojai by as much as 55%. In a letter to "Stop the Trucks," County CEO, Ms. Marty Robinson, agreed with the Coalition that violations have been under reported by the Planning Division.
In a further review of emails obtained through that same Records Request, we found that the agent for Ozena, John Hecht of West Coast Environmental & Engineering, rejected the consultant the County originally selected, URS, because: "...the proposed costs did not appear in line to the anticipated scope of work. Ozena believes that a competitive process will provide a qualified CEQA contractor in a more cost effective manner."
In a separate email Mr. Hecht then went on to propose the names of three other firms:
"Per our discussions, the following consultants that we are familiar with that are qualified to provide services to the county on mineral extraction and other industrial services:
Mr. Marty Derus, Lilburn Corporation of San Bernardino; Mr. Tony Locacciato, Managing Principal of Impact Science, Inc.; and Mr. Warren Coalson of Enviromine, Inc. of San Diego.
Additionally Mr. Hecht, on behalf of Ozena, asks that a second C.U.P. proposal on building an Aquaculture stock pond be including in the same review.
This Aquaculture proposal of Ozena's keeps popping up like a mummy in some horror movie, despite the fact that in 2004, a consultant for the County, David Magney & Associates reported "Potentially Significant" Environmental Impacts."
Magney wrote: "Mosquito Fish and Catfish are nonnative invasive fish species. Presently, neither Mosquitofish nor Catfish are known to occur in the upper Cuyama River and tributaries. Aquaculture of these fish species, into isolated ponds in areas adjacent to a natural river system (Cuyama River), creates a high potential for the introduction of these species into the Cuyama River and tributaries." "Mosquito Fish and Catfish will inevitably escape and colonize natural stream habitats." "Catfish and Mosquito Fish are scavengers and eat almost anything that fits in their mouths." "...these fishes will potentially swim upstream into river habitats inhabit by populations of Rainbow trout." "The introduction of these fishes creates the potential for populations of native natural fishes and amphibians to be lost."
(The Ozena Valley Ranch & Mining Operation, from Google Earth)
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