Court Orders CLOSURE of State Park; Ignores Collaborative Process

LIVERMORE, CA (Dec 15, 2009) - In a recent court action, a judge in Alameda County has ordered a closure of one of California's State Parks. Last week, Judge Frank Roesch ordered the closure of Carnegie State Vehicle Recreation Area (SVRA) based on his own interpretation of the appropriate application of water quality standards.

Despite years of working with regulatory agencies to address issues surrounding water quality in the Corral Hollow Watershed, Judge Roesch ordered the park, located in the hills east of Livermore, closed until State Parks files and receives approval of or a waiver for a report of waste discharge from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. This approval process could take months.