January 29, 2024
OneShoreline Board
1700 S El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94402
Dear Chair Dave Pine, Vice-Chair Debbie Ruddock and Members of the One Shoreline Board
Re: Request for Release of NOP Comment Letters submitted for the Millbrae/Burlingame Sea Level Rise Protection Project
Dear Members of the One Shoreline Board,
We are writing on behalf of tens of thousands of members and supporters of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, and Sierra Club’s Bay Alive Campaign, as well as concerned citizens who share an appreciation for the value of a healthy thriving Bay for our Bay area. We appreciate the OneShoreline Board's commitment to addressing the critical issue of sea level rise protection along the Millbrae/Burlingame/San Mateo shoreline.
The significance of this high-profile project, coupled with public funding, warrants a transparent and inclusive approach. The current process, so far, is somewhat lacking in the transparency and outreach expected of a project of such great impact and interest to the environmental community, regulatory agencies, the airport, property owners and the general public.
Specifically, in light of these desired principles, we request1 the public release of comment letters submitted by agencies, community groups, environmental organizations, and the public in response to the Notice of Preparation (NOP) of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Millbrae/Burlingame proposed project. In order to create an open process, this practice has successfully been adopted by some public agencies for their recent EIRs, including Sunnyvale’s Moffett Park Specific Plan2 and San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority’s SAFER Bay Project3, and others, reassuring the public that all input is public and that progress is being made judiciously.
Transparency not only builds trust but also enhances the credibility and effectiveness of the overall project. Access to this information is important to all for fostering an open dialogue and ensuring that the concerns and insights of all stakeholders are considered in the decision-making process.
We understand the complexities involved in such projects and believe that you will agree that a transparent agency process is important for the success and acceptance of challenging sea level rise protection initiatives.
We kindly urge the One Shoreline Board to demonstrate a commitment to transparency by making these comment letters publicly accessible in a timely manner. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to participating in a robust and inclusive process moving forward.
Sincerely,
Susan DesJardin, Chair
Bay Alive Campaign SCLP
Mike Ferreira, Chair, Executive Committee
Sierra Club Loma Prieta
CC Gail Raabe, Co-Chair, cccrrefuge@gmail.com
Carin High, Co-Chair, cccrrefuge@gmail.com
Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge
Lisa Belenky, Senior Counsel, lbelenky@biologicaldiversity.org
Center for Biological Diversity
Chris MacIntosh, Conservation Committee Chair, chrismac@alumni.upenn.edu
Sequoia Audubon Society
Lennie Roberts, Legislative Advocate, lennie@greenfoothills.org
Green Foothills
San Francisco Baykeeper, Aundi Mevoli, aundi@baykeeper.org
Field Investigator and Policy Advocate
1 We sent a written request, via email, to Project Manager Makena Wong on December 5th 2023 and received a response from her, on December 22nd, that the request was under consideration.
2 Moffett Park Specific Plan EIR - Appendices