Court Orders Records Released to Friends of Oceano Dunes.
PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
Today, the Sacramento County Superior Court ruled in favor of Friends of Oceano Dunes, finding that the California Department of Parks and Recreation violated the California Public Records Act.
Friends requested public records 10 months ago concerning new modeling data of dust control measures at Oceano Dunes. Friends believes that new data throws into question the air regulatory agencies’ claim that OHV is causing high levels of dust emissions. The Court rejected State Parks’ claims that the pandemic or any of the myriad of other excuses Parks asserted allowed such a long delay in producing the public records.
The Court also ordered State Parks to release additional records related to the closure of Oceano Dunes due to the pandemic, which Parks has been withholding for 6 months. Friends believes that Parks used the pandemic as a pretext to keep Oceano Dunes closed, because Parks opened other OHV parks in the state while keeping Oceano Dunes closed.
Friends will seek an order directing Parks to pay Friends’ attorneys’ fees in the case.
Friends of Oceano Dunes is a 501(C)(3) California not-for-profit corporation expressly created to preserve camping and off-highways vehicle recreation at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area (ODSVRA). Friends is a grass root volunteer organization which represents approximately 28,000 members and users of the Oceano Dunes SVRA. www.oceanodunes.org
