MCA Advocates for Clean-up and Full Restoration of SCE’s Damage to Tunnel Trail & Mission Creek (September 19, 2020)
By Selden Edner,
MCA Board Member & Member, MCA Tunnel Trail & Mission Creek Working Group
Last December, Southern California Edison (SCE) conducted major road grading work beginning at the gate to Tunnel Trail and continuing up through both forks of the catway past the end of the paved road segment. Unfortunately, SCE went beyond the scope of their permit, which resulted in extensive and severe environmental impacts to our beloved trail and Mission Creek.
The most serious damage SCE caused was the unpermitted dumping of about 1,500 cubic yards of rock and dirt directly over the bank and into the Creek just before the bridge. But that wasn’t all of it. Other serious violations included the side casting (pushing loose soil over the side) of an additional 3,500 cubic yards of rock and dirt down slopes on the paved road and catways, removal of several specimen-size oak and bay trees, damage to almost 100 other trees, excessive excavation of slopes, removal of chaparral and topsoil, and, particularly, major over-excavation in the 425 feet from the cliff above the road approaching the bridge. This sadly resulted in an unstable slope, making it necessary for the current work to stabilize the slope and prevent further rockfalls. SCE used the rock and dirt which was not thrown over the side to build a crude uncompacted 3 foot high berm along the side of the paved road and catways.
These violations quickly got the attention of the City of Santa Barbara (City), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), the County of Santa Barbara, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board( RWQCB). SCE is now facing multiple enforcement actions and must take responsibility for clean-up and repairs. Fish and Wildlife and the Army Corps of Engineers have primary jurisdiction over creek-related violations and their mitigation. The City owns most of the land along the road and watershed and has major water infrastructure in the area, while the County is acting as the primary permitting agency. MCA has worked closely with Supervisor Williams to review SCE’s plans and is happy to report that Supervisor Williams has been a strong advocate for Mission Canyon.
To their credit, SCE has taken responsibility for much of their wrongdoing. Repair and mitigation planning began earler this year. SCE performed Phase One temporary safety measures in February under a temporary emergency permit, the most visible of which are the K-rails and wire fencing under the cliff near the bridge and K-rail installations at several points along the road. Phase Two work began with environmental consultant reports, surveying, and preliminary road plans in February through May, including invasive weed abatement. Phase Three work, which is subject to a full environmental impact report (under CEQA), will involve the most serious damage to the creek in the area below the bridge and is scheduled to start next year.
Immediately after the initial damage, MCA created a Working Group (WG) to represent the Mission Canyon community’s interests in the repair permitting process. Nancy Weiss was selected as the Working Group Chair. Other members included past MCA president Barbara Lindemann, MCA Board Members Hugh Twibel, Selden Edner and environmental attorney Marc Chytilo. The WG immediately assessed the damaged areas with SCE and have been in constant communication with SCE and all the involved public agencies. SCE remediation plans included safety-related items such as rock drapery and the scaling of loose rock out of their rough cuts from the December work, but also other grading work including removal of some of the roadside berms, and partial recovery of dirt and rock thrown over the edge during the December grading.
As SCE’s remediation plans became more evident, the WG focused their efforts on minimizing the scope for Phase 2 down to the required safety-related portions so that further remediation would require robust and comprehensive environmental review to ensure our beloved trail was returned as close as possible to its original condition with a “do no further harm” approach.
The Working Group maintained an open channel of communication with SCE’s project administration group. The WG position was made known to CDFW. Supervisor Das Williams and his office were in regular contact with the MCA board and working group and added support for the MCA’s position.. With the permission of SCE, S.B. County Planning and Development developed a permit application sharing file that allowed the WG to access and review the myriad proposed plans and all SCE’s consultant reports. In the first two weeks of September when the permit was close to approval the WG maintained regular contact with the County Planning Department.
A significant breakthrough came early in September when CDFW drew all areas below the road starting just above the gate into their jurisdiction and therefore into Phase Three and CEQA review.
Approved Phase Two work is now limited to rock scaling, installation of a rock netting (drapery) on the 425′ long slope just above the trail and bridge, partial reduction and shaping of the berm between the gate and bridge, and removal of the backfill that threatens oaks and other trees. At the WG’s insistence, the Habitat Restoration Plan for Phase Two was strengthened to include restoration on damaged cuts on the uphill (west) side of the road. SCE has agreed to minimize any additional plant damage and mitigate any that does occur, and at MCA’s insistence SCE has agreed that they will not be trucking dirt and rock off-site. County Fire required a robust fire protection plan for Phase Two that includes stationing two compact firefighting trucks on the job during all operating hours and a flagging and parking plan in place to enforce parking closures during the work. SCE’s contractors will be working 6 days per week on Phase Two, but regrettably, this requires a complete closure of Tunnel Trail to hiking and other public uses for up to six weeks.
SCE has established a project website where additional information is available, and SCE personnel can be contacted. Contact www.sce.com/MissionCanyon or (805) 244-0095
MCA will remain actively engaged in the pending environmental review and permitting processes. If you are interested in these issues as opportunities for public involvement arise, please send an email to webmaster@missioncanyon.org
We wish to thank MCA Board Member Nancy Weiss, who put in countless hours organizing the group and advocating and articulating the concerns of the Mission Canyon community. Throughout the permit review process, we also greatly appreciate Marc Chytilo who provided pro-bono environmental law expertise, and past MCA President Barbara Lindemann, and current board members Hugh Twibell and Selden Edner who provided countless volunteer hours and expertise.
SCE Press Release