SUISUN – Residents here rallied against a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter Saturday, charging the retail giant is more of a "pirate" than a savior – and predicted the Wal-Mart store could lead to more deaths on an already deadly stretch of Highway 12, known as "Solano County's version of blood alley."

"We had multiple fatalities in March alone along Highway 12. That shows how bad that stretch of highway is around here. If you bring in 37,000 extra cars on that same highway a week, according to projections, you're going to have more accidents," said Dwight Acey of Suisun Citizens League, sponsor of the rally.

"We don't need Wal-Mart coming in here like a pirate, raping this town and taking all the money out of here, leaving us for dead," he added.

A draft environmental impact report is due before the end of June for the Wal-Mart Supercenter project to be built at the intersection of Hwy 12, Walters Road and Peterson Road. Major sections of Quail Glen and Lawler Ranch neighborhoods would be as close as 300 feet from the store, which will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

Many speakers focused on frightening Solano Transportation Authority statistics which reveal there have been nearly 800 collisions in four years along the stretch of Highway 12 near where the Wal-Mart is proposed, with 492 injuries and 18 deaths. Nine people have died in Highway 12 car accidents in the last 18 months. The statistics also show that the accident rate gets worse year after year.

"I have seen a number of these accidents, including one that was quite graphic," said Phil Tucker, project director of California Healthy Communities Network, who drives the road frequently. He also informed residents that a recent study that indicates for every job Wal-Mart creates, about 1.4 jobs are lost in the community.

Opponents note Wal-Mart is overbuilding in the area, with a Supercenter set in Fairfield less than three miles away, another in American Canyon and one proposed in Vallejo. "They're hitting this whole area, Benicia, Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, Davis. They want a Wal-Mart every four miles," said Mary Magill, a Gray Panther activist who opposes the Wal-Mart.

Organizers for the Suisun Citizens League noted that the Wal-Mart Supercenter will result in increased crime, environmental damage and hurt local businesses.
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The Solano County Board of Supervisors has voted to bring the Green Business Program (GBP) to Solano County. The program was started by the Association of Bay Area Governments in 1996 to reduce hazardous materials and recyclables in the nine Bay Area counties. Until the Board of Supervisors vote San Mateo and Solano counties were the last two counties to sign on to the program.

Big businesses have resources to hire independent agents to handle their environmental problems. Small businesses rarely do. The GBP will help small and medium size businesses do their part to protect the environment.

Dwight Acey, spokesperson, from Citizens Against the Dump Expansion (CADE), spoke in favor of the program on behalf of CADE. He read the following statement:

" Citizens Against the Dump Expansion (CADE) endorses the Association of Bay Area Government's (ABAG) Green Business Program. We encourage the Solano County Board of Supervisors to offer the program in Solano County.

As stated on the ABAG website, 'The Bay Area Green Business Program is a cooperative effort that assists businesses and public agencies to come into compliance with all environmental regulations, and take steps to prevent pollution and conserve resources. Our organization strongly believes in the preservation of clean water, clean air, and zero waste. We advocate for environmental protection for residents.'

CADE also opposes the expansion of the Potrero Hills Super Garbage Dump (aka: Potrero Hills Landfill). We feel a more deliberate policy on waste management in the county will further reduce the need for more land dumping."

Ceil Scandone, ABAG Senior Planner, presented the details of the program to the Board. She said, "After one year we will come to the county for a one year review."

Supervisors Kondylis, Vasquez, Silva, and Spering voted to approve the program. Supervisor Mike Reagan opposed it.
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Some of the most common complaints about traffic heading to the Potrero Hills Super Dump are the thousands of plastic bags that end up ingested by local cows, entangle birds, and are permanently impaled on fences.

Reuse of plastic bags - and in particular the use of canvas and nylon bags - help to preserve our environment and protect the ecosystem. Most people have figured by now that the way we use plastic bags must change. Recently the city and county of San Francisco banned them altogether. Many other jurisdictions are considering similar legislation.

Many major businesses encourage the use of reusable bags - some by providing a small financial incentive to patrons. For instance Raley's gives a credit of five cents and Safeway gives three cents. Trader Joe's has a weekly contest for customers who use their own bags. The prize is free grocery for a lucky winner!

Local environmentalist and Suisun Citizens League member, Jean Cain, recently won Trader Joe's weekly Bring Your Own Bag Contest. Cain, who purchased her first nylon shopping bag 18 years ago in Hawaii, said she was surprised to recieved a phone call on Saturday morning informing her that she had won their contest. She said she bought a new nylon bag from Trader Joes just one month ago.

Her prize consisted of a bag of pasta, pasta sauce, lemonade, maple syrup, waffel mix, candy, tortilla chips, salsa, and a twenty dollar gift certificate.
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Members of the Suisun Citizens League appeared before the Suisun City Council on March 20th to ask the Council to do something about the increase in train fatalities in Suisun. After the death, in March, of Kenneth Langston at the Sunset and Railroad Avenue train crossing, residents were outraged. It was the third train accident since December of 2006 and the second fatality!

SCL members went to city hall to inform the city of their grief and to demand the city address the problem. they also informed the council that they consulted with a representative from the state Public Utilities Commission, who informed them that his agency advised the city last July to make physical changes at the crossing. They have not been made.

Susan Bragdon, Suisun City Manager, and the city council listened to the pleas of the community to fix the problem immediately. Bragdon responded saying the city was waiting for federal funds to assist with making the changes. When asked how long that would take she said "..by the end of the year." Residents were further outraged at the response.

Bear in mind the federal govenment is not obligated to honor all requests for funds.

On March 31 Esther Mesa, who was born deaf, was killed a quarter mile from the Suisun City train station less than three weeks after SCL members raised the alarm about train safety with city officials. She makes the third fatality since last December!

Councilman Mike Segala proposed the city purchase a sign to warn citizens of the hazards while the city is waiting on the state recommended physical changes. Lee Evans, Associate City Engineer, said that, in late March, they installed signs at the Pennsylvania and Sunset railroad crossings advising people traveling across the tracks that trains run in both directions. He also said stripes have been added to the crossing arm and signs with an "X" and "RR" were also erected.

Ron Anderson, Assistant City Manager, said, "We speeded up the project by entering into an arrangement with Fairfield. We expect to go to bid in July."
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Dwight Acey, Spokesperosn of Citizens Against The Dump Expanison, participated in a panel discussion as a part of the 2007 Annual Environmental Legislative Symposium, of the Planning and Conservation League (PCL) in Sacramento. He spoke about the struggle to halts the impacts of a super dump expanison on the Suisun Marsh and nearby residential communities.

The PCL is a nonpartisan, nonprofit alliance of individuals and conservation organizations working at the state, local, and national levels to protect and restore California's natural environment, and to promote and defend the public health and safety of the people of California, through legislative and administrative action.

Dwight Acey, said, "The Suisun Marsh is one of the last remaining wetlands in California. It is composed of 116,000 acres of land, bays, and sloughs and is the largest contiguous brackish water marsh remaining on the west coast of North America. It is currently at grave risk by Republic Services, Incorporated, owner of the Potrero Hills Super Garbage Dump. The super dump plans to double in size - which would make it one of the largest garbage dumps in North America. Citizens Against the Dump Expansion has waged a protracted struggle to stop the destruction of the marsh, endangered spieces, and the surrounding residential communities."

He went on to point out that even though the people won in Superior Court in February to stop the expanision, the battle is not over. He said once the court order has been signed by the judge the super dump will have two options to fix the problems outlined by court or appeal the decision. So it will be weeks to months before we know what path Republic Services will take. He said, "You can be sure it is not going to end here. The people must be vigilant and fight to preserve our future."

Congressman Jerry McNerney, of the 11th District, who is on the House Water Resources and Environment subcommittee gave Dwight Acey time to discuss with him the ongoing damage to the Suisun Marsh and surrounding residential communities. McNerney, who holds a Ph.d in Engineering and Mathematics served as a CEO of a start-up company that manufactures wind turbines, prior to his election to Congress. McNerney unseated the national known anti-environment pro-corporate former 11th district congressman Richard Pombo. After multiple allegations of corruption, misuse of official resources, nepotism, questionable campaign contributions, and concerted opposition from national environmental groups Pombo lost his seat in November of 2006. McNerney campaigned on a pro-environment platform.

Jane Williams, Director of California Communities Against Toxics and the daughter of prominent environmentalist Norma "Stormy" Gail Williams, was honored as the Environmental Justice Adovcate of the Year. Williams formed California Communities Against Toxics (CCAT), a collective of more than 70 localized groups working to curb pollution in their regions.

CCAT is the oldest community-based environmental network in existence, having aligned groups as diverse as Native American tribes, environmentalists, business owners, school boards, and elected officials against pollution in their communities for more than 17 years.

Other participants in the conference were, John Van De Camp, Former California Attorney General, California Speaker,Fabian Nunez, Linda Adams, Secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency, Debbie Davis, Legislative Analyst, Environmental Justice Coaltion for Water, Sandra Meraz, Coordinator, Committee for a Better Alpaugh and member of the Tulare County Water Works District #1, Caleen Sisk-Franco, Tribal and Spiritual Leader, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Tim Warman, National Wildlife Federation, Dorothy Green, Founder of Heal the Bay.
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Assembly woman Lois Wolk, has been a supporter of hybrid technology, AB32, and other major environmental legislation. At the same time she has been an enemy of the Suisun Marsh and of residents who live near the Potrero Hills Super Garbage Dump. Wolk left residents to fend for themselves when they were under attack by the super garbage and sewer sludge dump's highly paid staff.

Last summer residents won a permit denial from the Solano County Planning Commission. In September the denial was appealed to the Solano County Board of Supervisors by the out of state super dump investors. Residents sent a delegation to meet with Wolk. They met with her in her office in Vacaville to request her aid. They outlined the many problems with the super dump's planned expansion which would double its size - in particular its massive impact on the state protected Suisun Marsh wetlands and wildlife habitat. Wolk is the Assembly's chair for the state's water and wildlife. The Suisun Marsh is the largest wetland and wildlife habitat on the west coast! She is also the elected representative for residents who live near the marsh.

Wolk's response was, "Sorry, but I do not get involved in local affairs." However, she wasted no time in doing just that "getting involved in local affairs". Wolk was the key note speaker at a luncheon for then mayoral candidate, Mike Segala where she enjoyed her lunch with no less than Sue Vacarro, of the Republic Services Super Garbage Dump and other attendees.

After Wolk turned her back on residents, they narrowly lost in a 3-2 vote when the super dump expansion was overturned by the Solano County Board of Supervisors. Just two weeks before their pleas to Wolk, campaign contribution records indicate, she accepted two checks from the super dump for $750 each!

Though she left residents fend off the multi-billion dollar corporation, they fought back gallantly in Superior Court - winning in February.

On May 10 Judge Beerman of the Superior court will hold a hearing outling what he expects from his decision, That will put the ball back in the super dump's hands. Once the judge signs the order they have to either appeal it or make environmental impact changes. One of the changes is to seriously consider an alternate site for dumping the super dump's million tons of garbage and sewer sludge per year.

Wolk is now planning to run for the state senate now that her assembly seat has expired. Hopefully, voters will remember her betrayal when she comes crying crocodile tears for our vote.
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California has set goals for carbon discharge into the environment in California. The plan is for a 20 percent reduction by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.

The California Field Poll has released a survey of our state's voters which proves astonomically high levels of support for the bill passed last year to reduce green house gasses to mitigate the effects of global warming. By a margin of 79% to 17%, California's voters approve of AB 32, 81 % responded that global warming was a very serious (56%) or somewhat serious (25%) problem while only 17 % stated that it was not a serious problem.