Sierra Club
Redwood Chapter Newsletter
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Beringer/Blass Mega-Winery Facility Threatens Precious Wetlands Chris Malan, Napa Group Political Chair | |
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The Sierra Club filed a lawsuit on Thursday May 9, 2002 in the courts of Napa County to challenge the Napa County Board of Supervisor's decision to approve a 1.5 million square foot winery facility (the size of 30 football fields), 55 acre feet of winery waste water ponds, 12 acres of storm water ponds, 115 acres of vineyard on a 218 acre parcel that will destroy what the U. S Fish and Wildlife Service deem 'precious' wetlands. This precious site that consists of emerging wetlands, scattered vernal pools, unusual grasslands and historic wetlands within the flood plain of the Napa River is one of the last remaining habitats for endangered Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (VPFS) whose eggs can be carried by the wind and float to various wet areas in the vicinity. These tiny aquatic creatures are sensitive to changes in their environment and would be subject to massive winery wastewater products that are planned to be sprayed off the ponds in this habitat. Polluted runoff will drain into the Fagan Marsh Ecological Preserve in the immediate area causing deleterious effects to this sensitive landscape of aquatic domain that then connects to the Napa River. The River itself is deemed an impaired water body due to sediment, pathogens, and nutrients which essentially lists the river as polluted beyond acceptable limits for fish and humans. Endangered Chinook Salmon and threatened Steelhead all forage in this area during their migratory and spaw ning cycles. Their numbers are dwindling every year teetering on extinction. |
The Beringer/Blass proposed vineyard would pollute this entire mosaic of historically connected and functional wetlands with millions of gallons of winery waste, pesticides, fertilizers, and industrial runoff which will likely cause detrimental effects to the VPFS critical habitat. The Sierra Club is also challenging this project on the basis that it violates the County Airport Industrial Specific Plan and threatens the economic viability (the project site is immediately south of the airport) of the Napa County Airport by putting passenger and pilots in harms way since it will likely attract birds to the 67 acre feet of waste water ponds. Migratory birds and small aircraft cannot share the same air space. Therefore, the airport can loose funding sources. The Sierra Club position is that this multi-national wine corporation should have proposed a wetlands alternative project that would have protected this critical habitat for future generations. |