Join the campaign to stop state park closures! Help us protect our state parks and keep them open for today, and for future generations. The Save Our State Parks Campaign is a project of the California State Parks Foundation.
Favorite Pages
Photos
2 of 3 albumsSee All
I (Heart) State Parks EventsCreated about 3 months ago
Wall PhotosUpdated about 5 months ago
4 of 7 fan photosSee All
|
| ||
|
|
Events
1 past eventSee All
- Park Advocacy Day 2009
State Capitol
Monday, March 23 at 8:30am
Notes
3 notesSee All
- State Parks Budget Update 3:29pm Jul 21
- Preserved for a price, parks on endangered list 10:13am Mar 3
- U.S. Commerce Department Says Toll Road Not in National Interest 1:45pm Dec 18
As you may have heard, last night the Big 5 (Governor Schwarzenegger plus the Democratic and Republican leaders in the State Senate and Assembly) announced they have reached a deal on the state budget. The details are not yet in print, but several sources are confirming that $70 million of the park system's General Fund allocation will be eliminated, with $62 million backfilled by other funding sources on what appears to be a one-time basis.
This leaves the state park system with an $8 million gap, and is expected to result in park closures. At this time, there is not a list of certain closures, we do not know how many or which parks may be closed as a result of the budget deal.
Considering where we started just 8 weeks ago, this outcome is better for state parks than most people could have imagined. We are not finished – the Legislature still needs to approve the budget deal by the end of the week and more details need to come out regarding the parks that will close – but the fact that we're looking at a much more scaled-down version of park cuts than we started with is welcome news. It is certainly a testament to the Save Our State Parks Campaign, the tens of thousands of Californians – like you! – who stood up for their parks, and the efforts of all of us that we've stared down such a draconian proposal.
In terms of next steps, the deal must be agreed to by 2/3 of the Legislature, and they're expected to vote on it on Thursday or Friday. As you can imagine, there are plenty of pieces in this agreement for all sides to hate, but let's hope there is the will to at least get this passed now, to keep the state moving forward.
Thank you for your efforts to help Save Our State Parks, and we will update you once a final state budget is in place.
Traci Verardo-Torres
Vice President, Government Affairs
This leaves the state park system with an $8 million gap, and is expected to result in park closures. At this time, there is not a list of certain closures, we do not know how many or which parks may be closed as a result of the budget deal.
Considering where we started just 8 weeks ago, this outcome is better for state parks than most people could have imagined. We are not finished – the Legislature still needs to approve the budget deal by the end of the week and more details need to come out regarding the parks that will close – but the fact that we're looking at a much more scaled-down version of park cuts than we started with is welcome news. It is certainly a testament to the Save Our State Parks Campaign, the tens of thousands of Californians – like you! – who stood up for their parks, and the efforts of all of us that we've stared down such a draconian proposal.
In terms of next steps, the deal must be agreed to by 2/3 of the Legislature, and they're expected to vote on it on Thursday or Friday. As you can imagine, there are plenty of pieces in this agreement for all sides to hate, but let's hope there is the will to at least get this passed now, to keep the state moving forward.
Thank you for your efforts to help Save Our State Parks, and we will update you once a final state budget is in place.
Traci Verardo-Torres
Vice President, Government Affairs
The San Jose Mercury News ran an interesting article yesterday on funding shortfalls impact on state parks across the nation....
Preserved for a price, parks on endangered list
http://www.mercurynews.com
Preserved for a price, parks on endangered list
http://www.mercurynews.com
SAVE SAN ONOFRE COALITION
U.S. Commerce Department Says Toll Road Not in National Interest and Alternatives Exist
LOS ANGELES – In response to today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce to reject a request to overturn the California Coastal Commission decision regarding the proposed 241 Toll Road Extension, Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation and member of the Save San Onofre Coalition, issued the following statement:
"This decision is a fatal blow to this terrible proposal and a great victory for California.
"We agree with the sweeping decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to uphold the California Coastal Commission's February 2008 vote against the Foothill-South toll road. Today's decision by the Bush Administration, which has not distinguished itself on environmental matters affecting California, means this project was so fundamentally flawed even a million-dollar lobbying blitz couldn't save it.
"Today's decision means that key federal and state agencies have both reached the same conclusion – this proposed toll road violates federal and state laws that protect our coast. The road would destroy the fifth most popular state park and would bring little short-term or long-term traffic relief to southern Orange County and northern San Diego County. Any assertion by the toll road advocates that this road is in the national interest is flatly false.
"Alternatives exist and it's time they get explored fully and objectively. That's another message from the U.S. Commerce Department to the politicians behind this toll road, and it should be heard.
"While today's decision represents a significant victory for the thousands of individuals and groups dedicated to protecting San Onofre State Beach, this long process is not yet over. On behalf of the Save San Onofre Coalition, we call upon the TCA to suspend all litigation and federal lobbying activities, and take these resources and invest them in studying reasonable alternatives to this ill-conceived toll road."
To obtain a copy of NOAA's press release on the Commerce Department decision, go to http://www.noaanews.noaa.g
Background:
The Save San Onofre Coalition is a diverse coalition of individuals and groups that includes four former state parks commissioners, local, regional, state and national environmental organizations, cities, counties and elected officials statewide. For more information about the Save San Onofre Coalition, visit www.savesanonofre.com.
The Foothill-South Toll Road is a proposed multi-lane highway that would run through the heart of San Onofre State Park, one of California's most popular state parks. Home to the world famous surfing spot, Trestles Beach, the park encompasses the last pristine watershed in Southern California and receives roughly 2.5 million visitors a year. San Onofre State Beach was created by former President Richard Nixon and Governor Ronald Reagan more than 30 years ago with the intent that it would be preserved as a park in perpetuity.
U.S. Commerce Department Says Toll Road Not in National Interest and Alternatives Exist
LOS ANGELES – In response to today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce to reject a request to overturn the California Coastal Commission decision regarding the proposed 241 Toll Road Extension, Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation and member of the Save San Onofre Coalition, issued the following statement:
"This decision is a fatal blow to this terrible proposal and a great victory for California.
"We agree with the sweeping decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to uphold the California Coastal Commission's February 2008 vote against the Foothill-South toll road. Today's decision by the Bush Administration, which has not distinguished itself on environmental matters affecting California, means this project was so fundamentally flawed even a million-dollar lobbying blitz couldn't save it.
"Today's decision means that key federal and state agencies have both reached the same conclusion – this proposed toll road violates federal and state laws that protect our coast. The road would destroy the fifth most popular state park and would bring little short-term or long-term traffic relief to southern Orange County and northern San Diego County. Any assertion by the toll road advocates that this road is in the national interest is flatly false.
"Alternatives exist and it's time they get explored fully and objectively. That's another message from the U.S. Commerce Department to the politicians behind this toll road, and it should be heard.
"While today's decision represents a significant victory for the thousands of individuals and groups dedicated to protecting San Onofre State Beach, this long process is not yet over. On behalf of the Save San Onofre Coalition, we call upon the TCA to suspend all litigation and federal lobbying activities, and take these resources and invest them in studying reasonable alternatives to this ill-conceived toll road."
To obtain a copy of NOAA's press release on the Commerce Department decision, go to http://www.noaanews.noaa.g
Background:
The Save San Onofre Coalition is a diverse coalition of individuals and groups that includes four former state parks commissioners, local, regional, state and national environmental organizations, cities, counties and elected officials statewide. For more information about the Save San Onofre Coalition, visit www.savesanonofre.com.
The Foothill-South Toll Road is a proposed multi-lane highway that would run through the heart of San Onofre State Park, one of California's most popular state parks. Home to the world famous surfing spot, Trestles Beach, the park encompasses the last pristine watershed in Southern California and receives roughly 2.5 million visitors a year. San Onofre State Beach was created by former President Richard Nixon and Governor Ronald Reagan more than 30 years ago with the intent that it would be preserved as a park in perpetuity.
Save Our State Parks Campaign's Notes
State Parks Budget UpdateJul 21, 2009
Preserved for a price, parks on endangered listMar 3, 2009
U.S. Commerce Department Says Toll Road Not in National InterestDec 18, 2008