One of the biggest opportunities to protect and restore San Francisco Bay wetlands and wildlife is at risk of being lost forever. The City of Newark has approved a development project to pave over hundreds of acres of open space adjacent to the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge, trucking in over 100,000 dump trucks full of fill to destroy wetlands within a flood zone that’s anticipated to be completely inundated by sea level rise—in order to construct 469 new luxury homes. It’s now up to the state regulatory agencies whose job it is to protect San Francisco Bay to step in and stop this destruction. Urge the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) to protect this area before it’s too late. The 559-acre site, known as “Newark Area 4”, is a historic shoreline in the South Bay long prized by Bay scientists for wetland and habitat restoration—and authorized for inclusion in the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Area 4 is also a key opportunity to explore nature-based adaptation for sea level rise and flood protection for frontline communities. As a rare space for upland wetlands, a protected shoreline would not only buffer our communities from sea level rise, but also provide critical habitat for endangered wildlife. The City of Newark pushed through approval of this development, despite significant opposition and legal action from local community groups and Baykeeper’s partners. It’s now in the hands of BCDC and the Water Board—the agencies responsible for protecting the Bay—to step in and protect Area 4 before these lands are paved over forever. Join us in taking action and spreading the word to #SaveNewarkWetlands! Your Message * Dear San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, I am writing today to urge you to exercise your full regulatory authority to protect wetlands, waters and wildlife in the historic SF baylands known as “Area 4” in the City of Newark. Long prioritized by Bay scientists and wildlife managers for protection, restoration and inclusion in the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge, state and federal regulatory agencies have been on the record expressing concerns about the proposed development of Newark Area 4, correctly identifying that “the proposed development of Area 4 will only add to the cumulative loss of tidal wetlands in San Francisco Bay and endangered species that are dependent on that habitat” (SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, USFWS 2013), that “Area 4 represents a rare opportunity to… provide an area for tidal marsh species to move up slope in response to sea level rise” (Water Board, 2010), and articulating the imperative for the Bay of protecting sites such as Area 4, as described in BCDC’s climate change Policy #4: “To address the regional adverse impacts of climate change, undeveloped areas that are both vulnerable to future flooding and currently sustain significant habitats or species, or possess conditions that make the areas especially suitable for ecosystem enhancement, should be given special consideration for preservation and habitat enhancement and should be encouraged to be used for those purposes.” (As referenced in BCDC letter to City of Newark, 2013) I greatly appreciate your agencies’ past comments and involvement. With the community’s opportunities to stop this project under the California Environmental Quality Act nearly exhausted, I now respectfully request that each of your agencies exercise your full regulatory authority to the greatest extent possible to prevent the destructive “Sanctuary West” development in Area 4 from proceeding as planned by developers. In our rapidly changing environment, it is critical that local jurisdictions like the City of Newark be held accountable for advancing development that is in the regional interest—not destructive projects that harm our shared environment, and expose more people to catastrophic climate impacts. The risk of allowing Newark to proceed with this development as planned doesn’t just impact Area 4—it sets a terrible precedent around the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. I thank you for your past involvement and look forward to supporting your agencies as you seek actions to protect our Bay, our waters, wetlands, and wildlife. Sincerely, First Name * Last Name * Street Address City * State * Zip Code Email Address * I want to receive email updates from Baykeeper Unchecking will unsubscribe you from Baykeeper’s emails. Leave this field blank
