Deal to restore salt ponds to wetlands wins approval
By Herbert A. Sample -- Bee San Francisco Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Wednesday, February 12, 2003
OAKLAND -- After months of negotiations, a state commission Tuesday
granted approval for the sale of 16,500 acres of Bay Area salt ponds to
state and federal governments for conversion into wetlands.
The $100 million purchase from Cargill Inc., which has produced salt in
the northern and southern ends of the San Francisco Bay for more than a
century, was called the most significant wetlands accord in state history
when a tentative agreement was announced in May. But talks dragged out
months longer than originally expected. And loud complaints from state
lawmakers and environmentalists prodded the state Wildlife Conservation
Board into releasing documents assessing the ecological condition of the
ponds and outlining terms of the sale.
On Tuesday, however, after the board voted unanimously to accept the
purchase, virtually all sides were beaming about what they called a historic
accomplishment.
"We're ecstatic," said David Lewis, executive director of Save the Bay,
an environmental organization that has long supported restoration of bay
salt ponds. "This is a huge leap ahead for the larger goal of restoring what
can be restored in the bay."
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the California Democrat who helped secure federal
funds for the deal, said the sale "takes what has been a blight on the San
Francisco Bay and begins to restore it to its pristine state of marshes and
wetlands."
Lori Johnson, a Cargill spokeswoman, said the sale will allow the company
to more efficiently operate its salt-making business on its remaining 11,000
acres in the bay. "As we took a look at our business," Jones said, "it was
pretty clear to us that we had too much capacity in the system."
Under the agreement, Cargill will sell 1,400 acres of salt ponds and
salt-making rights in Napa County, as well as 15,100 acres of ponds, marshes
and salt-making rights in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda counties. The
firm will be responsible for cleaning up some relatively minor contamination
problems, which were identified by a pre-sale environmental assessment.
Philanthropic groups, including the David Packard, William Hewlett and
Gordon Moore foundations, will contribute $20 million toward the sale, with
the remainder coming from state and federal coffers. The foundations also
have committed $15 million toward restoration efforts.
Once escrow closes, expected next month, the state Coastal Conservancy
will lead a five-year effort to determine how and which of the ponds will be
restored, and what kind of public access and recreation opportunities will
be provided, said Stanley Young, spokesman for the state Resources Agency.
Dikes bordering some of the ponds may be simply breached to allow bay
waters to enter, Young said. Other highly saline ponds may go through more
complex procedures before being returned to the bay.
"We're hoping most of it will be a natural process," he said.
The wildlife board last month released documents relating to the sale
before its vote, including the environmental survey and the plan for Cargill
to phase out its operations.
"Because there was as much disclosure as there was, it enhanced our
confidence in the deal," Lewis said.
State Sen. Byron Sher, D-Palo Alto, lauded the agreement. He added that
he would look into requiring such disclosures in the future.
One longtime proponent of salt-pond restoration said she was concerned
that state and federal financial troubles would limit the amount of money
that will be available to convert the sites back to wetlands.
"I hope now the people will realize they need to keep an eye on things
that happen, and make sure all of the obligations of the contractors are
fulfilled," said Florence LaRiviere, with the Citizens Committee to Complete
the Refuge. |