CEQA Lawsuit

In early 2011, the Fairgrounds declared themselves exempt from California's pollution laws in the operation of their equestrian area.

Despite the evidence we presented showing raw manure flowing into the Salsipuedes Creek (see pictures (large): One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six), and against the advice of the California Attorney General's office, the Fairgrounds claimed that because they'd been doing this for decades, they could continue (the exact quote was "If you've been poopin' in this pond for the last forty years, you can continue to poop in the pond for the next forty years.").

In June, 2011 we sued under CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act) to stop this pollution. At the hearing, on 9/27/11, the judge allowed the rodeo to go ahead this once, but took the larger issue under consideration.

Note that the Fairgrounds' 9/27/11 press release, claiming they had won the case, was completely false.

A decision in the case is expected in late January, 2012.