FLASHREPORT

One thing that amazes me about opponents of completing the 241 Toll Road in Orange County is how they lie, and the boldness with which they do it.

Take this press release from "Save San Onofre" containing a statement from Elizabeth Goldstein, the president of the California State Parks Foundation. It was given to me by an anti-241 activist at yesterday's pro-241 press conference by Rep. Ken Calvert and Assemblyman Van Tran.

In it, Goldstein claims:


That is an untrue statement. Just a flat-out lie. Yet it slips so effortlessly from Ms. Goldstein's tongue.

Context is needed here and in anyone interested in more background can read my 241 toll road posts on FR Blog and on Red County/OC Blog. The state leases the parkland from the Department of the Navy, and the lease expires in 14 years.

But here's some quick background to put Goldstein's prevarication in perspective.

The selected completion route for the 241 toll road runs past San Mateo Campground -- the inland campground at San Onofre State Beach. 90% of San Onofre State Beach visitors don't go there, but to the beach campsite instead (although the anti-214 enviros muddle the distinction between the two in order to confuse the general public).

Completing the 241 will not close the San Mateo Campground. Nothing in the plans calls for the campground's closure.

The closest campsite to the 241 route is 385 feet away -- and there'll be a 16-foot soundwall.

By comparison, the beach campsite at San Onofore State Beach is 250 feet from Interstate 5 -- and there's no sound wall. Yet that is where the vast majority of San Onofre State Beach visitors go, a strong indication they don't think the I-5 destroys their recreational experience.

Defenders of Ms. Goldstein will claim she isn't lying, and point to a state parks department threat to close the campground if the 241 is completed (state parks director Ruth Coleman is a die-hard opponent of the 241).

But that would mean the state parks department -- not the completion of the 241 -- would be responsible for closing the campground. And it would be done out of spite, because Ms. Coleman doesn't see any need to close the popular San Onofre beach campground, which is even closer to the 1-5.

Oh well. Life goes on. The Earth keeps turning. The economy keeps growing. The government keeps taxing and spending. And 241 opponents keep lying.