North Bay Rep. Lynn Woolsey is usually hand-in-glove with conservation groups, but a deep schism is developing between the Petaluma Democrat and some environmentalists over an oyster farming operation at Point Reyes National Seashore.
Drakes Bay Oyster Company's permit expires in 2012, and the
1,100-acre property that it leases from the National Park Service is scheduled
to become protected wilderness at that time. The company, the largest
commercial shellfish operation in
The Park Service has published reports saying the oyster farm is detrimental to the surrounding area, but a recent review by the National Academy of Sciences found that those conclusions were overstated.
Many conservation groups object to a commercial operation, such as the oyster farm, delaying a wilderness designation.
Woolsey sided with conservation groups last year, writing letters that helped block an attempt to attach a lease extension to the Interior appropriations bill.
Now, however, she is siding with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has attached a rider to extend the lease to this year's Interior appropriations bill. Woolsey issued a written statement citing environmental safeguards included in Feinstein's amendment, but conservation groups are lobbying hard against it.
In addition to objections to delaying the wilderness
designation for the
The House version of the bill - which doesn't include the oyster farm lease language - passed last week, so the issue may get hashed out by a conference committee.
-- Jim Sweeney
Thank you for covering this important issue. Be aware, the Point Reyes Wilderness Act legislative history clearly states that the oyster farm could continue beyond 2012 as a pre-existing, non-conforming use. The oyster farm lease with the NPS is renewable. The NPS falsified the science to make it look like the oyster farm caused environmental damage so they would have a reason to deny the pending renewal. The NPS got caught in the lie. Woolsey knows this - that's why she supports Feinstein with the legislation. Thank you for paying attention Ladies!
I don't think we should be micro managing the National Park Service with legislation. This particularly true when it comes to promoting special interest commercial operations within parks.
If Woolsey and Feinstein think the commercial operation is more important than the park then take the land out of wilderness status and sell the to the oyster farmer.
This editorial writer apparently has no opinion as he slurps this oyster issue from both sides of the shell. If the public could vote they would overwhelmingly favor extending the oyster farm lease. Why is it that whenever "sustainable" food production comes up, the environmentalists always oppose it?