The San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved a letter of support for congressional legislation that would reopen Clear Creak to off-highway vehicle use.
The bill put forth by Congressman Sam Farr, H.R. 1776, calls for the creation of Clear Creek National Recreational Area and would allow the use of the area for OHV recreation.
“It is in the very preliminary stages of the legislature,” said Barbara Thompson, assistant county counsel. “We will track it to see if there are any updates.”
A portion of Clear Creek in San Benito’s south county area was closed in 2008 based on a study by the Environmental Protection Agency that concluded the naturally occurring asbestos in the area posed a health risk. A second study commissioned by the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division of the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation concluded that management and operational strategies could be employed to allow for OHV recreation “without exposing the public to higher than acceptable levels of (naturally occurring asbestos) and without presenting a serious risk to human health,” as stated in the letter of support.
The state agency’s report found the risk of OHV usage five days per year at eight hours per day was equated to being similar to the lifetime risk of smoking less than one cigarette over the same one-year period.
“We’ve been trying to do this for so long,” said Supervisor Margie Barrios. “It was closed in 2008 and they said it would be two years. It’s been five years now and it will likely be five years before it is reopened. This is detrimental to our economy.”
Supervisor Anthony Botelho said he thought it was wrong when the federal Bureau of Land Management originally closed public access at Clear Creek.
“This letter will reiterate San Benito County’s position,” he said. “I certainly support the letter.”
The bill was introduced on April 26 and referred to the subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation on May 3.
