California
Vernal
Pools
a collection of information and resources
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[ VernalPools.Org ] [ General Information ] [ Kids & Education ] [ Animals & Plants ] [ Places To See ] [ Conservation Links ] [ Regulatory Links ] [ Mitigation & Creation ] [ Publications & References ] [ Outside California ] [ Mather Field ] [ UC Merced ]
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University of California, Merced
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March Breaking News
UC Merced Reduces Footprint
On March 13, 2008 the US Army Corps of
Engineers released a public notice related to a new permit
application for the University of California at Merced.
The recently proposed campus footprint has been reduced in
size and will impact fewer vernal pools.
Public
Notice - Maps
and Drawings - Opinion
News articles and other information
will be posted
as they become available.
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Background
For the past two years VernalPools.Org (along with Butte Environmental
Council, California Native Plant Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Protect Our Water, San Joaquin
Raptor/Wildlife Rescue Center, San Joaquin Valley Conservancy and
The Nature Conservancy) have been meeting with the University of
California and the regulatory agencies to discuss conservation
issues related to the Merced campus. These meetings resulted in a
stronger conservation strategy and a smaller campus. On Friday,
October 5, 2007, the University issued a press release announcing
the reduction of their footprint and the intention to start the
environmental review process over.
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Original proposed site. The campus location has
been moved to the southwest. Much
of the proposed original site will be permanently protected by
conservation easements.
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The agreed upon reduced footprint will protect an additional 670 acres
of pristine vernal pool habitat that would have been destroyed by the
current plan. Many additional occurrences of threatened and endangered
plants and animals will also be conserved by the reduced footprint.
Vernalpools.Org applauds the University of California for coming to the table
with a willingness to work out a compromise that works both for the
environment and for the campus.
The UC’s announcement marks the beginning of a new public process
for the campus expansion. Previous permit applications will be
withdrawn. A new application will be submitted that will trigger a
joint EIR/EIS for the campus and community. Vernalpools.Org and others will
continue to participate in the public process.
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Brief History
For an overview of the project and all of its
original controversy, visit the History to
2002 and the April 2007 Status
pages. These have not been edited to remove any of the original
criticisms the environmental community had about the original
proposed campus footprint. |
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VernalPools.Org
- dedicated to
saving California's vernal pool landscapes
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