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SIERRA <br />t <br />LOMA PRIETA CHAPTER <br />Serving San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties <br />AGENDA ITEM 8.13. (RWC Ferry Financial Feasibility Study and Cost -Benefit & Economic <br />Impact Analyses), RWC City Council meeting January. 11, 2021 <br />January 8, 2021 <br />To: Honorable Mayor Diane Howard and Council Members of the RWC City Council <br />Via email to: councilO-redwoodcitv.ora <br />RE: Draft Final Report of the Ferry Financial Feasibility Study and Cost -Benefit and Economic <br />Impact Analyses (CDM Smith Inc. October, 2020). <br />The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and our thousands of members in the Bay Area are committed to <br />protecting San Francisco Bay and its ecosystems and are greatly concerned with impacts of traffic on the <br />Bay, development in proximity to the Bay, and impacts to habitat and our natural resources. <br />We have sent a joint letter with Citizen Committee to Complete the Refuge, Redwood City Neighbors <br />United, and Green Foothills raising concerns about possible General Plan changes that would be <br />necessary in order to meet criteria to advance the Redwood City ferry project. This is an extremely <br />important issue. <br />In addition, we have the following environmental concerns about the above referenced report. <br />• Erosion of the shorelines of Bair Island and Greco Island and destruction of habitat in the <br />refuge. Reduced speed of the ferry as it approaches and passes the Refuge islands, and its turn <br />radius are critical for preservation of shoreline architecture and habitat on the islands in the <br />refuge. In addition to concerns about erosion and disturbance by the ferry wake, we generally <br />oppose dredging in the channel that leads to alteration of inter -tidal mudflats and sedimentation <br />sink as well as to disturbances of endangered species such as the Ridgeway Rail which breeds and <br />has nesting sites on these islands. <br />No private ferries. Unscheduled smaller fast private ferries and their wakes create erosion of the <br />shorelines of Bair Island and Greco Island and destruction of habitat in the refuge. These wakes <br />have also made it dangerous for recreational kayaks and sailboats, especially in Redwood Creek. <br />Past studies have shown that safe speeds were unable to be enforced. The public has the right to <br />know, up front, if access to the ferry terminal will be for public ferries only or for private ferries <br />as well. <br />No significant relief of traffic congestion and no reduction in emissions. Present pathways to <br />reduce emissions by 2045 require us to get off of fossil fuels now. These diesel ferries would <br />impact emissions on the east side of RWC that is already under the burden of 101 and adding <br />sierraclub.org/loma-prieta — 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 Page 1 of 2 <br />