friend to friend

FROM TRESTLES TO SADDLEBACK—PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY—stop the toll road south

A Project of Sierra Club APRIL/MAY 2007

foothill-south toll road delayed

more evidence of rising costs and environmental destruction
a delay for the toll road is a victory for our coast, open space Perhaps the most difficult hurdle the TCA will have to get
and state park. The Foothill-South Toll Road would bisect both over is the California Coastal Commission, which regulates de-
the Donna O'Neill Land Conservancy and San Onofre State velopment along the state’s coastline. To try and clear that hurdle
Beach - California's 5th most popular state park and home to the the toll road board recently approved spending $1.15 million on
world famous surf beach at Trestles. coastal consultants and lawyers.
On February 28, 2006, the Transportation Corridor Coastal Commission staff have already expressed a vari-
Agencies (TCA) announced that the Foot- ety of concerns regarding the toll road. Mark
hill-South (241) Toll Road has been delayed Transportation Delaplaine, a coastal analyst for the Coastal
by at least two years.  Corridor Commission, said that the fact that the toll road
The environmental permitting process Agencies (TCA) would slice through the middle of the park and
is taking the TCA much longer than they ex- announced that loom over the San Mateo Campground is a ma-
pected to get the approvals they need to build the Foothill-South jor concern.
the road.  Construction of the toll road was (241) Toll Road “The campground is a huge issue,”
originally scheduled to begin in 2008, but that has been delayed he said. “It's almost unconscionable from our
date has now been pushed back to 2011. Toll by at least perspective – a highway that close to a camp-
road officials say that inflation will add $3 mil- two years.  ground valued mostly for its pristineness.  We
lion to the total cost of the project – currently think it destroys (the park).  It becomes unus-
estimated at $875 million – for every month of delay. able.  You're not going to want to go there.  It's such a breath of
During the next three years, the TCA will attempt to secure fresh air in Southern California; just a priceless resource.” The
permits from at least eight state and federal agencies, including TCA has acknowledged that one of the challenges they face is
the US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Coastal Commis- “organized opposition” at each step. This is a great complement
sion, the California Department of Fish and Game, the Army to the work you’ve been doing! We will continue to keep you up-
Corps of Engineers, state water quality regulators, the Office of dated and let you know how you can help as the toll road agency
Historic Preservation, Federal Highway Administration, and the attempts to move through the approval process.  This delay dem-
Navy- because San Onofre State Beach is on leased land from onstrates that the toll road is still a long way from being approved.
Camp Pendleton. Working together, we can ensure that it will never be built! 

don't forget to mark celebrate earth day

your calendars for at first peoples
earth day sacred site at san
onofre state beach
sunday, april 22nd
1 0 a .m - 2 p.m.
See inside flyer for details.
the answer to
orange county
the aip alternative or “stay the course”
by Raeanne Murphy
While the TCA proposes the Foothill-South Toll Road as
a solution to Orange County’s traffic problems, a better,
cheaper, more environmentally sensitive option might
make more sense – like the Arterial Improvements
Plus (AIP) alternative. Michael Fitts, attorney for the
Endangered Habitats League (EHL), outlined the AIP
alternative at the March 27th Sierra Sage Sierra Club
meeting a few weeks ago. This was an alternative that
the TCA, itself, had researched, and then discarded
based on purported “high displacement impacts and
costs.” However, these high displacement impacts
and costs are not supported by any of the TCA’s
technical reports.
After studying the AIP alternative, Mr. Fitts and
EHL have come to the conclusion that it is superior
to the toll road option in “meeting future traffic
demand without sacrificing irreplaceable natural
bill introduced to protect state parks
AB 1457 could help protect
San Onofre State Beach from
the Foothill-South Toll Road
traffic?
resources.” EHL has conducted studies that
show the AIP alternative could be completed
with significantly lower costs and impacts than
asserted by toll road proponents.
Since viable alternatives, like the AIP are
available, those attending the meeting wondered
why the TCA was not considering any options
other than the Foothill-South Toll Road. Mr. Fitts
thinks it might be a “Stay the Course” mentality,
where sticking to a plan becomes the goal.
So what can you do? You can support the
organizations, such as the Sierra Club and the EHL,
that are fighting the Foothill-South Toll Road, and
write to members of your local, state, and federal
government. Ask them to pursue transportation al-
ternatives that improve Orange County traffic without
harming our parks and beaches.
Assembly Member Jared Huffman (D-Marin) has introduced
legislation – AB 1457 – which would preserve the integrity of
California’s state park system by creating a consistent policy
that would protect state parks from damaging road development
projects. It would prevent the state from funding or approving
construction of roads through state park lands, unless the State
Parks Director determines that the road would not be damaging
to the park, and that no other alternatives exist.
This bill – which could prevent construction of the
Foothill-South Toll Road through San Onofre State Beach
– would protect parks around the state from destructive road
projects.
If passed into law, AB 1457 would help protect San Ono-
fre State Beach and state parks throughout California from roads
that harm habitat and wildlife corridors, degrade water quality,
increase noise pollution, and impact campgrounds, trails and
other recreational opportunities.
As California becomes more and more crowded, we must
not let our parks become the right-of-way of choice for roads,
development and other destructive projects. Many thanks to
Assembly Member Huffman for introducing legislation that will
ensure that our families and future generations will be able to
enjoy places like San Onofre State Beach.
join us for a hike in
our local back country
Let experienced Sierra Club hike leaders show you some of Southern California's most beautiful places.
Saturday, May 5
Sierra Sage/Friends of the Foothills
donna o’neill land conservancy
Join us for a beautiful morning walk through the wild flowers on
this slow paced nearly level 1.5 mile hike. A FOF member will
discuss the damage the toll road would bring to this ecological
hot spot. Meet 8:30 am at the S OC rideshare pt. Bring water,
sunscreen, hat. Donation of $5/adult to support the work of the
Conservancy. Rain cancels.
Saturday, June 9
Sierra Sage/Friends of the Foothills
trestles beach
Fun at the beach! Enjoy this morning walk down to the famous
surfing beach at Trestles. Look for birds at the pond at end of San
Mateo Creek. A member of the FOF will discuss the importance of
protecting California’s 5th most popular state park from the envi-
ronmental damage of the Foothill-South Toll Road. Meet 8:30 am
at the Trestles surfers’ parking lot (off I-5 at Cristianitos at S end
of San Clemente, go L one block, L again and R into the lot). Bring
water, sunscreen, and hat. Rain cancels.
Saturday, July 14
Sierra Sage/Friends of the Foothills
donna o’neill land conservancy
Join us for a beautiful morning walk through the wild flowers on
this slow paced nearly level 1.5 mile hike. A FOF member will
discuss the damage the toll road would bring to this
ecological hot spot. Meet 8:30 am at the SOC
rideshare pt. Bring water, sunscreen, hat.
Donation of $5/adult to support the
work of the Conservancy.
Rain cancels.
Saturday, August 4
Sierra Sage/Friends of the Foothills
trestles beach
Fun at the beach! Enjoy this morning walk down to the famous
surfing beach at Trestles. Look for birds at the pond at end of San
Mateo Creek. A member of the FOF will discuss the importance of
protecting California’s 5th most popular state park from the envi-
ronmental damage of the Foothill-South Toll Road. Meet 8:30 am
at the Trestles surfers’ parking lot (off I-5 at Cristianitos at S end
of San Clemente, go L one block, L again and R into the lot). Bring
water, sunscreen, and hat. Rain cancels.
Saturday, September 29
Sierra Sage/Friends of the Foothills
san clemente ridgeline
Enjoy this ridgeline walk with panoramic views of the San Clem-
ente back country and Dana Point on a clear day. The trail is hilly
and mostly paved. Meet at 8:30 am at the end of Calle Cordillera in
the San Clemente Business Park. From I-5, go 1 mile East on Ave.
Pico and turn R on Calle Amanecer. Go 0.3 mi and turn R on Calle
Cordillera to end. Bring water, hat, sunscreen. Rain cancels.
South Orange County (SOC) hikes rideshare meeting
point: Ortega Business Center parking lot, Southeast corner,
at the intersection of Ortega Highway and Rancho Viejo Road in
San Juan Capistrano.
For more information or directions call
Brittany McKee at 949-361-7534
or brittany.mckee@sierraclub.org
 First Peoples
Earth Day
Celebration
at Panhe
Featuring: Native American Singers, Dancers, Speakers,
Storytelling, Basketry Demonstration, Native Plant
Demonstration, Native Foods and Guided Walks

Celebrate our Sacred Site

Photo by Wick Lobo

at San onofre state beach

Sunday, April 22
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The indigenous Village of Panhe was the historical home of
the Juaneno/Acjachemen people and continues to be used
as a ceremonial and reburial site. It is recognized as one of
the major villages of the Juaneno/Acjachemen people. The
Rebecca Robles (far left) and the Tushmal Singers
at the San Juan Capistrano Indigenous Peoples Festival. village site of Panhe is within the San Mateo Archaeological
District, which is on file with the Native American Heritage
Commission as a sacred site. It is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and likely quali-
fies as a Traditional Cultural Property under federal law. The proposed Foothill-South Toll Road would come
within feet of a Juaneno/Acjachemen cemetery currently used by the Juaneno/Acjachemen people.

California Native American cultural resources, habitation sites, burial sites, sacred sites, ceremonial sites, and
places of worship are limited resources for Indian and non-Indian people. They are important to the culture and
spiritual belief of California Native Americans and must be protected. Construction of the toll road, as approved
by the TCA would cause severe and irreparable damage to Panhe.

Please join us to celebrate Panhe on Earth Day!

Contact Rebecca Robles for information at 949-369-0361 or rrobles5@cox.net

Directions: From CA I-5, exit at Cristianitos in San Clemente and go East towards Camp Pendleton for 1 mile to the
San Mateo Campground on the right. Access to Panhe is within San Mateo Campground at San Onofre State Beach.
 volunteer profile:
rebecca robles
Eleven days before she died, Rebecca’s mother, Lillian Robles, testified at a public hearing in
support of protecting the San Mateo Watershed. “She could barely even walk,” Rebecca said. Lillian
Robles was an inspiration to her family and all who knew her. She spent the last 15 years of her life
fighting to protect Native American sacred sites, and when she passed away six years ago, the Robles
family agreed to carry on her tradition.
Rebecca is a member of the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation. She grew up in Long Beach, went to college in
Northern Arizona, and has lived in San Clemente for the last 10 years. She works full-time as a registered nurse and is a proud mom of
three sons, Otis, Joaquin, and Bear.
As Co-Founder and Chair of the Sierra Club’s Sacred Sites Task Force, Rebecca works to protect Native American sacred sites
throughout Orange County. Currently, she is working to protect Panhe – the indigenous village of Panhe was the historical home of
the Juaneno/Acjachemen people and sacred sites within San Onofre State Beach continue to be used for ceremonies and reburials. The
proposed Foothill-South Toll Road would come within feet of the Juaneno/Acjachemen cemetery near the San Mateo Campground at
San Onofre State Beach.
“My mother always said that it’s not just Native American history, it’s history that belongs to all Californians.”
Rebecca works to educate the public and decision-makers about the importance of protecting Panhe from the toll road. She has
testified at hearings, lobbied in Sacramento, and participated in press conferences on the capitol steps. Her group’s meeting with the
Native American Heritage Commission helped motivate the Commission to work with Attorney General Lockyer to file a lawsuit
against the toll road.
When asked whether we can win against the toll road, Rebecca responds, “Anything is possible. You don’t get into this asking
whether you’ll win, you just put every fiber of yourself into it because it’s right, and you have to do everything you can do.”

www.friendsofthefoothills.org
San Clemente, California 92674
P.O. Box 3942

A Project of Sierra Club

stop the toll road south
—PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY—
FROM TRESTLES TO SADDLEBACK

Permit No. 814

sunday, april 22nd
Mission Viejo, CA
PAID
Non-Profit
earth day celebration
U.S. Postage don't miss the first peoples