Where Have
$2 to $5 Million
of Your Tax Dollars gone?
$605,481.42 has been paid to the
Subcontractors Alone
Who assisted in the preparation of the 2011 dEIS
There are other expenditures not yet accounted for:
1. 2011 Becker, Allen, Press Report: $150,000.00 to $200,000.00 (maybe more). Additionally:
1.1. Becker 2011 replaced Becker 2010, estimated cost $150,000.00 +.
1.2. Becker 2010 replaced Becker 2009, estimated cost $150,000.00 +.
1.3. Becker 2009 replaced Becker 2008, estimated cost $150,000.00 +.
1.4. The reports date back to 2005, and there have been other versions and many revisions of versions estimated cost $300,000.00+.
2. 2008 National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Ocean Studies Board report on Drakes Estero, requested by the Park in 2008, $439,295.00. It was completed in two parts (see page 6 of this document: 2008.04.16 – NAS Contract for Drakes Estero )
2.1. $211,852.00, (not to exceed) for part one, click here to see the report: NAS 2009 part one
2.2. $227,443.00, for part two (subject to modification), click here to see the report: NAS 2009 part two
2.3. The committee charged with this report, concluded that there is a “lack of strong evidence that shellfish farming has major adverse ecological effects on Drakes Estero”.
2.4. The Park and their partners (Sierra Club Marin Group through Gordon Bennett and National Parks Conservation Association through Neil Desai) did not like this result, and asked the MMC to reject it and do a study.
3. The Marine Mammal Commission completed one report and is in the process of completing a second.
3.1. The First report concluded that seals and oysters are coexisting well. The cost is not yet known, but estimated cost $250,000.00
3.2. Not satisfied with the results, the Marine Mammal Commission is concluding another report at the request of the Park. The cost is not yet known, but estimated cost $250,000.00
4. The Park Service put on three “Open House” evening events, for the public to “comment” on the draft EIS. Staffed by park personnel and sub-contractors who assisted in the writing of the dEIS, one in Point Reyes, one in San Francisco, and one in Mill Valley, estimated cost $50,000.00
Conservative estimates of total costs are around Two Million Dollars
$2,000,000.00
Other estimates put the total as high as Five Million Dollars
$5,000,000.00
We have submitted a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request for all records, from 2005 to the present, that identify costs specifically associated with the National Park’s evaluations pertaining to the extension of the Special Use Permit for Drakes Bay Oyster Company (DBOC) in Point Reyes National Seashore including, but not limited to:
§ The contract for development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (we have received subcontractor’s expenses)
§ Any contracts for grants or research
§ Any employees hired specifically to work on the EIS or other aspects of the evaluation
§ Any overtime costs for existing employees attributable to the evaluation
§ The cost, operation, and maintenance of the wildlife observation cameras employed in the Drakes Bay area which, over three and one half years, produced 281,000 photographs providing photographic evidence the oyster operations caused no harm to harbor seals yet was not included in the dEIS
§ The cost of, acquisition and support of, any other equipment, or services associated with the evaluation.
When we receive the response to our FOIA request, we will update this posting with the figures.
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Drakes Bay Oyster Company & the National Park Service. Watch the video, "THE FRAMING OF AN OYSTER FARM" at http://vimeo.com/52331881 