Commercial interests true foes of Willits bypass
Your news article reported that Caltrans' work had been halted on the 101 Willits bypass by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This is somewhat of a paradox, and I wonder if your readers know the whole story?
The Willits Valley is formed by the crater of a long-extinct volcano. Numerous streams feed into the valley that form its perimeter. They junction into Outlet Creek, which flows through a natural restrictive canyon to the Eel River. During winter rains, the creek would back up, causing the whole valley to be a wetlands. The migratory fish navigated through the valley to all of the feeder streams.
After World War II, the Army Corps, having little to do as justification for its existence, embarked upon a nationwide program of "flood control." Willits Valley was one of its projects. They dug a system of drainage canals, deepened the outlet to drain the wetlands, and denuded the banks of the native trees. They reduced the wetland footprint by more than 50 percent. In so doing, they obstructed the migratory fish's entrance into several of the feeder streams and seriously reduced the migratory bird habitat.
Now the corps claims Caltrans is not properly addressing the wetland issue! The corps is a federal entity, and is being used by those opposed to the bypass. The real opposition comes from those who have commercial interests in Willits; they are using the mask of ecological damage to further their agenda. The present ecologists are unknowing and willing participants.
Donald A. Dunn, Redcrest