The Canyon, LBNL

Stephen Chu
The.Secretary [at] hq.doe.gov
1-202-586-5000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh4l1ddOslA

A 1 and half minute sweep of the Canyon to give an impression of what is at stake. The Regent's LRDP calls for 980,000 gross square feet of new buildings, as well as the demolition of 320,000 gsf of current buildings. The labs sit on an important environmental corridor and watershed. The lab complex is already an eco-disaster with tritium plumes, mass erosion of the hill side, and pollution of the stream and creeks.

The first new structure, and the one of tallest, will be the CRT - Computational Research and Theory - a 144,000 gsf structure. The site of the CRT is at the North Fork of Strawberry Creek. Save Strawberry Canyon is challenging this building at a Federal level.

Helios, which has nothing to do with Solar Power, is the UC Berkeley-BP joint venture. It is to do new petroleum research, as well as research for switchgrass biofuel - areas of South American rainforest will be clearcut to grow the swtichgrass. Helios is 160,000 gsf, and is also being challenged due to lack of environmental impact studies.

These are just two of the many labs and related projects which are being created without public comment, without releasing impact reports, nor complete development plans.

And with Stephen Chu now operating in a Federal position, the stakes are higher and the cause is more urgent.