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FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA'S ROHNERT PARK CASINO SITE FLOODED "AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE"
Fatally Flawed: Read STC101's letter to the NIGC(PDF) Click Here
Stories below, and don't miss the dramatic photo of flooding at the Llano Road sewage treatment plant!
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO ALBUM OF NEW YEAR'S EVE FLOOD
VIDEO-Flooded casino site at Wilfred & Labath 12/31/05 (DSL/Broadband version)
VIDEO-Flooded casino site at Wilfred & Labath 12/31/05 (56K Dial-Up version)
VIDEO Laguna de Santa Rosa flood 12/31/2005(DSL/Broadband version)
VIDEO Laguna de Santa Rosa flood 12/31/2005 (56K dial-up version)
DO YOU HAVE PHOTOS OR VIDEOS OF FLOODING AT THE CASINO SITE IN 2005, 1997,1982, OR EARLIER, HISTORICAL RECORDS/PHOTOS THAT
YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Contact us using the link below!
Does the City of Rohnert Park already know that building in this area will create more flooding, degrade water quality, and
affect local wells and the aquifer's ability to adequately recharge? Click on the link below to read a report prepared for
the City by Parson's Engineering. (PDF format, 63 pages)
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WATER "AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE" AT FLOODED CASINO SITE
Saturday December 31, 2005: 11:50a.m.
ROHNERT PARK, CA: The new $100 Million tribal casino site on the outskirts of Rohnert Park is under water to a depth of
one to three feet or more "as far as the eye can see". This writer, who has lived in the area for over twelve years,
has never seen so much water at this site after a storm - including the Winter of 1997.
The entire site is under water from Labath on the East side to Stony Point on the West, and from Rohnert Park Expressway
on the South to Wilfred Avenue on the North.
The site is at the end of a coastal canyon, and is subject to strong, gusty winds throughout the year - the so-called
"Petaluma Express" winds. Today, the strong winds are pushing up one foot waves not only on the "lake"
that is the casino site, but also on the Laguna de Santa Rosa itself, where the waves are actually moving upstream. The roar
of the wind can be heard in the video, and was so strong, it almost pushed me off the road.
"This is a reminder that the casino site is a wetlands", said Barb Greene, Acting Head of the Rohnert Park-Cotati
Creeks Council, a group that oversees Rohnert Park’s watershed creeks. "It is a good indication of where you
should not build in Rohnert Park ."
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria also has plans to build a large sewage treatment plant on what is now 170 acres
of Community Separator. All of that area is completely underwater, to a depth of several feet.
"I was at the casino site this morning. It is completely under water", said Pastor Chip Worthington, founder
of the pro-community group Stop the Casino 101 Coalition.
"Halfway down Wilfred Ave, the main route to the casino site, we were stopped by CHP who told us that Wilfred was
'dangerous and no one should be on it'."
Later, a large truck owned by Industrial Carting went off Wilfred - driver's side down - into a ditch, in water almost
four feet deep, just West of Labath. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but it underscores the problems that could faced
by drunk drivers or senior citizens leaving the casino during severe weather.
The site's other main access road, Rohnert Park Expressway, is also closed to traffic because of flooding, and Stony Point
Road, another access road, is also closed due to flooding at the bridge.
"This points out the unsuitability of a large casino on this site", said Pastor Worthington. " If there
were a catastrophe such as this or worse, people would be in jeopardy, unable to get in or out. If that casino were open today,
thousands of casino-bound cars would be backed up onto Highway 101 for miles in each direction. 101 would be a parking lot."
The tribe has already moved its building site from the Western edge of the property to the Eastern end due to concerns
about flooding. The events of December 31st underline the importance of the Santa Rosa Plain on which the site is located,
for flood control in the area, including the City of Rohnert Park, which suffered extensive flooding and road closures due
to flooding during this storm. How much worse would the Rohnert Park flooding have been if its "flood plain" had
been paved over?
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FLOODING, LEAKS AT LLANO ROAD SEWAGE PLANT RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT CASINO'S PLANNED SEWAGE PLANT
| LLANO ROAD SEWAGE PLANT FLOOD 12/31/2005 |
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| Could this happen to the tribe's sewage treatment plant? |
SONOMA COUNTY, CA: The City of Santa Rosa, which manages the sewage treatment facility that serves a number of Sonoma County
cities, revealed on January 1, 2006 that the "Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant in Santa Rosa experienced significant
flooding (December 31st) and continues to deal with weather related issues today", and that "...partially treated
effluent flowed into the Laguna" at one point.
The Laguna de Santa Rosa, which flows into the Russian River, is the largest freshwater wetlands complex in Northern California.
The flooding at the sewage facility has raised concerns over plans by a North Bay tribe, the Federated Indians of Graton
Rancheria, to build a large sewage treatment plant near the Laguna to serve a mega-casino they want to build in Rohnert Park.
The plant would be located on a portion of the site that is currently Community Separator land under control of Sonoma County.
On December 31st, the entire site of the proposed casino was under one to three of water - more in some spots - and area
residents now fear increased flooding when the tribe paves over 100 acres of wetlands vital for flood control in the area,
as well as the potential for a sewage spill such as was experienced at the Llano Road plant over the weekend.
A report prepared by Parson's Engineering in 2004 revealed that tribe planned to release up to 500,000 gallons of treated
wastewater per day into the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The release of treated effluent into the Laguna by the region's municipalities
was discontinued several years ago due to high levels of nitrates and mercury in the Laguna.
However, if the land the tribe has purchased for its project is taken into trust for the tribe by the federal government,
the tribe will not have to comply with any local or state ordinances, and under the "right of first arrival" premise,
could also wind up being in charge of the portion of the Laguna that flows through its land, and could make its own rules
about the Laguna.
"I don't believe any sewage treatment plant should go in a place that floods", said Brenda Adelman, of the Russian
River Watershed Protection Committee. "I also believe that continual development without addressing the sedimentation
issue is creating more flooding."
Casino developers had hoped that by moving the casino's footprint from the west end of the site to the east end closer
to town would put the project on an environmental fast-track. However, significant environmental issues, including water,
traffic, air pollution, and now, flooding, can be found at the new location, too.
Before the casino can be built, the tribe must successfully prepare and have passed, an extensive environmental impact
statement. That process, started almost three years ago, is proceeding slowly.
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Stop the Casino 101 Coalition, Rohnert Park, CA
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