NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A years-long battle by a Northern California business to keep operating in Point Reyes National Seashore has come to an end.
A week after he visited the Drakes Bay Oyster Co., Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on Thursday issued a decision that will allow the business’ operating permit to expire at Point Reyes National Seashore in California according to its terms, and will return the affected area to wilderness.
Drakes Bay Oyster Co. is owned by Kevin Lunny and his family. Lunny has worked since 2004 to convince officials to allow his business to continue operating in Drakes Estero.
The Lunny family was reported to have been stunned by the decision, as were their supporters, including U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who had championed Lunny’s efforts to remain in business.
“I am extremely disappointed that Secretary Salazar chose not to renew the operating permit for the Drakes Bay Oyster Co.,” Feinstein said in a Thursday statement.
“The National Park Service’s review process has been flawed from the beginning with false and misleading science, which was also used in the Environmental Impact Statement,” Feinstein added. “The secretary’s decision effectively puts this historic California oyster farm out of business. As a result, the farm will be forced to cease operations and 30 Californians will lose their jobs.”
In 1972, the National Park Service purchased the land that housed the oyster operation and the owner reserved a 40-year right to continue its activities through Nov. 30, 2012.
In 2004, Drakes Bay Oyster Co. acquired the business from the prior owner and attempted to get the operating permit extended.
Thursday’s decision will end the company’s commercial operations within the national park, including an onshore oyster processing facility and offshore oyster harvesting activities that occur on over 1,000 acres in the estuary.
Feinstein’s colleague in the U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer, supported Salazar’s decision.
“This has been a very challenging issue, but I have great respect for the decision made by Secretary Salazar to allow this permit to expire at the end of its term,” said Boxer. “He studied the issue carefully, he listened closely to all sides and, in the end, he made his decision based on the science and the law.”
Point Reyes National Seashore was designated as a unit of the national park system by Congress in 1962 to protect more than 80 miles of California coastline.
The park’s authorizing legislation also enables the Secretary of the Interior to lease designated areas within the park for dairy and cattle-ranching purposes.
On Thursday Salazar directed the National Park Service to pursue extending the terms of agriculture permits from 10 to 20 years to provide greater certainty and clarity for the ranches operating within the national park’s pastoral zone and to support the continued presence of sustainable ranching and dairy operations.
He directed the affected areas within Drakes Estero within Point Reyes National Seashore to be converted from potential to designated wilderness.
In 1976, Congress identified Drakes Estero as potential wilderness – the only marine wilderness area on the west coast of the continental United States outside Alaska – and directed that it automatically become wilderness when the commercial operation ended.
“Carrying out steps set in motion by the United States Congress over three decades ago, we are taking the final step to recognize this pristine area as wilderness,” said Salazar. “The Estero is one of our nation’s crown jewels, and today we are fulfilling the vision to protect this special place for generations to come.”
Additionally, Salazar directed the National Park Service to work with the oyster company to remove its personal property from the lands and waters within 90 days, and asked the National Park Service to use all existing legal authorities to help employees who might be affected by this decision, including assisting with relocation, employment opportunities and training.
112912 Salazar Decision on Drakes Bay Oyster Co