ACJACHEMEN SACRED SITE PANHE SAVED! U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SAYS TOLL ROAD NOT IN NATIONAL INTEREST

You can download the decision at http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081218_tca.html


For Immediate Release
December 18, 2008


Contact: Rebecca Robles rebrobles1@gmail.com
Angela Mooney D'Arcy angela.ucpp@gmail.com
www.savepanhe.org


ACJACHEMEN SACRED SITE PANHE SAVED! U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SAYS TOLL ROAD NOT IN NATIONAL INTEREST

PANHE, San Clemente, CA—Members of the Acjachemen Nation, the United Coalition to Protect Panhe (UCPP), and our allies in the environmental and social justice movements celebrate a tremendous victory today. The Native American sacred site Panhe and San Onofre State Park will remain protected thanks to a decision from the U.S. Department of Commerce issued earlier this morning. The Secretary of Commerce upheld the California Coastal Commission decision regarding the Transportation Corridor Agency's proposal to build a six-lane toll road in a popular state park and camp ground and one of the most historically significant sacred sites of the Acjachemen people.

"Our hearts are filled with gratitude today. I am grateful for the support of UCPP members and our allies. This victory would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of our tribal community members, Tribal Nations, and our allies such as the Native American Heritage Commission, The City Project, the Sierra Club, California State Parks Foundation and others," said Rebecca Robles, UCPP co-founder and co-director.

Angela Mooney D'Arcy, co-director for UCPP said, "Today is a significant day for Panhe, the Ancestors, the Acjachemen people, San Onofre, and the millions of people who enjoy this state park and camp ground every year. However, this process is not over. On behalf of the United Coalition to Protect Panhe, we call upon the TCA to suspend all litigation and federal lobbying activities and instead focus its resources on studying reasonable alternatives to the toll road."

Louis Robles, Jr., Acjachemen tribal member said of the decision, "The voices of our Ancestors have been heard. This is an incredible victory for Panhe and for Indigenous peoples everywhere."


Background:

UCPP is a grassroots coalition of Acjachemen people dedicated to the protection of our sacred sites. Panhe is an Acjachemen sacred site and is listed on the California Sacred Lands Inventory maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, is eligible for listing as a Traditional Cultural Property, and is part of the San Mateo Archaeological District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. San Onofre remains one of the most popular state parks and is visited by nearly 2.5 million people every year. The toll road would have devastated Panhe and San Onofre. In February 2008, the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 to block a toll road that would have caused severe and irreparable harm to Panhe and destroyed San Onofre, the fifth-most visited park in California. When explaining her decision before the crowd of over 3,000, Coastal Commissioner Mary Shallenberger said that the impacts of the proposed toll road on the Acjachemen people were reason enough to deny the road.


To obtain a copy of NOAA's press release on the Commerce Department Decision go to http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081218_tca.html