Santa Ana Mountains targeted for highways, powerplant

For an increasing population in southwestern Riverside County and for those of us in Orange County, the Santa Ana Mountains provide the nearest wildlands where one can really get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. This northern Orange County forest land, which is part of the Cleveland National Forest, is arguably the most threatened area of any national forest in California with proposed new highways, massive transmission lines, hydroelectric projects, and antenna tower that would scar its scenic beauty forever. Protecting these mountains from the many threats they face is the primary objective of the Santa Ana Mountains Task Force (SAMTF).

Riverside and Orange counties are currently studying where to establish a freeway route between the two counties and many of the proposed routes go right through wild areas of the Santa Ana Mountains. We need volunteers to actively help oppose routes through the forest and promote mass transit solutions. There are important public meetings coming up on this project, including ones on April 12 in San Juan Capistrano and April 13 in Anaheim Hills. Contact Jay Matchett at sierra_jay-at-juno.com or Betty Bains at bettybains-at-yahoo.com to volunteer or for further information.

Another major threat to the Santa Ana Mountains is the construction of a hydroelectric project with reservoirs in Morrell and Decker canyons and a power plant near Lake Elsinore. Connected with this project are efforts to construct massive power lines along the eastern side of the forest right next to the San Mateo Wilderness. These projects should not be built in the forest and there are other options. Contact Gene Frick at gfrick-at-cosmosaccess.net to volunteer or for further information.

Our wilderness project is designed to gain congressional support for four potential wilderness areas in the Santa Ana Mountains to help counter the threat of infrastructure projects and protect wildlife. These areas include Ladd Canyon, Coldwater Canyon, Morrell Canyon, and Sitton Peak. Contact Ulrike Luderer at uluderer-at-pacbell.net to volunteer or for further information.

Forest management plans will be coming out in August and the SAMTF is collaborating with the Southern California Forests Campaign (SCFC) to ensure large turnouts at the Forest Service's final public meetings, probably in late summer. At the July 26 meeting of the Sierra Sage Group SAMTF and SCFC will present a program outlining needed changes in the forest plans. People attending the meeting will have a chance to write a comment to the Forest Service. The meeting will be held at 7pm at the Unitarian/Universalist Church in Mission Viejo. Contact Paul Carlton at pfcsage@cox.net to volunteer or for further information.

The SAMTF has many other projects where new volunteers are critical. These include the trail maintenance project (contact John Kaiser at kaiser-at-pulsco.com) and two fundraising events. Contact Rachel Myers, our staff OC conservation coordinator, at rachel.myers-at-sierraclub.org for details about the fundraisers.