Sac News & Review Coverage

Cosmo Garvin writes about the Highway 50 lawsuit in this week's SN&R.

Lawsuit Update: We Win!

Judge Frawley today released his order in the NAST/ECOS lawsuit challenging the adequacy of Caltrans' environmental review of the proposed Highway 50 expansion. The short story is that we won. Here's a quote from the soon-to-be-distributed press release:

Judge Timothy M. Frawley of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, issued a ruling halting the progress of CalTrans’ plan to widen Highway 50 between Sunrise and Watt Avenues. Neighbors Advocating Sustainable Transportation (NAST) and the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) filed the suit because CalTrans’ analysis of the project’s air pollution and climate change impacts was inadequate, and the project did not consider options that did not involve widening the freeway. The ruling was issued on July 15th. The lawsuit was originally filed in June of 2007.

Among other findings, Judge Frawley found that CalTrans failed to:

Complete an analysis of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and disclose the air quality impacts associated with the traffic increase.

Consider a reasonable range of potential alternatives, including the feasibility of a transit only alternative as way of meeting the project objectives.

Adequately address the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the project.

The entire text of the judge's order is available here. I'll post the press release as soon as it is ready.


Thanks to everyone who provided logistical, financial, and moral support over the past year. This victory is a triumph for the transparent and thorough public process that CEQA demands. We look forward to a more thorough and honest debate about the value of more freeway lanes in the Sacramento region. Given what's happened to gas prices in the past year, that debate should be very interesting!


Update: Here is the press release.

Lawsuit Update

The lawsuit filed by ECOS and NAST challenging CalTrans' environmental analysis of the proposed Highway 50 expansion is scheduled to go to hearing on March 21 in Sacramento Superior Court. The case will be heard before Judge Timothy Frawley in Dept. 29. The hearing is open to the public.

The opening briefs have been filed and are available on the Sacramento Superior Court's website. You can access their document viewing system here. Choose "other" for format, and then type in the following case number: 07CS00967.

NAST Silent Auction Details

As previously posted, NAST is holding a lawsuit fundraiser at Revolution Winery in midtown Sacramento on February 22. It should be a blast!

Among the events of the evening is a silent auction, and local vendors and citizens have contributed an astonishing list of items. Click here for a list of items donated thus far.

Plan on joining us on February 22, bid generously to support NAST, and thank our donors for their support!

Highway 50 Litigation Fundraiser!

NAST is organizing an exciting event for an important cause-- raising cash to fund the litigation against CalTrans over the Highway 50 Project. Join us February 22 at Revolution Winery in midtown Sacramento for an evening of wine tasting, a silent auction, and other surprises. Details are available here.