Santa Clarita Organization for Planning The Environment

Mission:
	Promote, protect and preserve the environment of the Santa Clarita Valley.
	Work to provide a high quality of life for residents of the Santa Clarita Valley.
	Monitor, review and take action on proposals which would impact or affect the environment.
	Provide a forum for the people of the Santa Clarita Valley in which issues involving the environment, ecology or quality of life can be heard and discussed.
	Foster the education of the members and the people of the Santa Clarita Valley on matters involving environment, ecology and quality of life.
	Promote community planning and design which exhibits superior attention to quality, aesthetics, sensitivity to the environment and consideration of community goals and needs.

SCOPE is a twenty-one year old volunteer organization serving the Santa Clarita Valley, a community of over 250,000 situated in Northern Los Angeles County. There are many issues affecting the quality of life in this valley, whose explosive suburban growth is rapidly converting miles of rustic open space directly into modern automobile oriented communities. The City of Santa Clarita, governs much of the older developments, however the majority of the surrounding area is still part of Los Angeles County, and subject to the 5th Supervisory District of Michael D. Antonovich. The County has approved projects which would effectively double the population of the valley in the next decade, and looming on the horizon is the largest single development proposal in Los Angeles County history; The Newhall Ranch Project.

SCOPE is your environmental voice on these issues. We welcome your comments --you can submit an Inquiry Form directly to our Board of Directors.

NEWHALL RANCH River Plan out for public review -- this is your chance to voice your objections!

Click here to read about the upcoming public hearing on Thursday, June 11th at 6 PM at Rancho Pico Middle School (26250 Valencia Bl, Stevenson Ranch).

Click here to read an editorial published written by Alison Maulhardt abot the importance of saving this unique resource. An exerpt:

"This is our opportunity to protect a local treasure that is rapidly becoming extinct, a natural free-flowing wild river and all its jewels of biological diversity. To do so we must ensure the preservation of the wildlife corridors."

Click here to read an editorial by Lynne Plambeck that looks back on past river protectoin failures that we must avoid THIS time. An excerpt:

"The Santa Clara River is a treasure trove of animals and plants that do not exist anywhere else in the world and are fast disappearing. It is the source of a good part of our water supply, both for humans, plants and animals. It provides beauty and open space for our community. We must do a better job of protecting it this time."

Click here to read an editorial by Lynne Plambeck that questions the claims of available water for the project. An excerpt:

"In a little noticed agenda item earlier this year, Castaic Lake Water Agency arranged to purchase Newhall Ranch’s priority position to pump water from the Kern Water Bank, where CLWA stored water for drought back-up supplies. They needed the water to supply current residents, but couldn’t get it out because their water storage agreement did not provide for a pumpback priority. If such arrangements must be negotiated now, even before building all the previously approved tracts, what in the world will we do when so many new houses come on line?"

You can view the Plan at: http:www.dfg.ca.gov/regions/5/newhall

Community groups file suit December 22nd to ensure that hospital facilities will really be built

The Community Advocates for Healthcare SCV (CAHS) and Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment (SCOPE) joined forces today in filing public interest litigation to set aside the approval of a hospital office expansion that we believe does not meet the needs of our community. Although touted by G & L Realty as adding new beds and facilities to the Henry Mayo Hospital campus, the Development Agreement does not obligate this developer to provide these benefits.

Click here for Press Release (25K doc)

Click here for Development Agreement (4MB pdf)

Check out SCOPE's 2008 Holiday Card (click to open PDF file):

USA Today article discusses sprawl in northern Los Angeles County
Native Plants in the Santa Clara River
Endangered Species in the Santa Clarita Valley
Hikes in the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas
Check out the Significant Ecological Area page!
Recent articles from around the world

SCOPE is an affiliate of the California Futures Network

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