Status Update

The following is a brief synopsis of the Save Temescal Valley (STV) Team activities and observations starting in early 2023.

Since our letter of project concerns was sent to the County of Riverside, in the Spring of 2023, and several meetings with the county and the developer, from the Summer of 2023, we have submitted our comments to the county and the developer at the scoping meeting in June of 2024 regarding preparation of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). On November 15, 2024, we finally heard from the developer that, based on comments from STV and other concerned organizations, they are working on a revised project. We have no idea what that means, but they indicated that they wanted to have a follow-up meeting with the STV Team just after the holidays. Stay tuned! 

Presently, we are educating ourselves on the permitting process, environmental compliance and reviewing the EIR’s of other projects. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is very specific about conducting studies about documenting environmental impacts and Cumulative impacts. At this time we have no project to review and therefore no reason to secure legal support. The Serrano Warehouse WILL affect every resident in the Valley. What people aren’t aware of is that in addition to Serrano, another approximately 2 million square feet of warehouse are planned near Dawson Canyon Road and Alberhill.

STV is now part of a Coalition of anti-warehouse advocates. The Coalition is an organized voice for reasonable development and to hold elected leaders accountable. With County politicians who are pro-warehouse, the burden of fighting warehouses is on our collective shoulders. 

We know “something” may be built at the Serrano location. What it will be, and how big, has yet to be determined. Our current GOAL is public education. There are A LOT of people who don’t know about the project and some who actually think it is good. The latter group has NO understanding of what adding 1,000 to 1,500 trucks per day will mean to traffic congestion, commutes and the likely use of residential side streets due to gridlock. Further, how is that diesel exhaust pollution mitigated? Electric trucks are not a solution since they don’t exist in the numbers needed, and currently there isn’t even adequate power at that location.

The EPA has established a law to regulate truck pollution called the Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions (WAIRE) Program. This program charges polluters and users, meaning warehouses, a pollution fee. Unfortunately, the polluter has the option to buy pollution credits, usually offsite, which does nothing to benefit residents near the source of pollution. If and when WAIRE becomes a compliance tool for warehouse owners and operators, citizens are going to be involved in the enforcement oversight. When lawyers get involved all communication stops. For now we want a seat at the table.

Point: we are NOT looking to see a developer write a check to buy their way out. We want physical, on-site changes.

To compound the problem, Temescal Valley, due to elevated ozone and diesel particulate pollution, has been designated an “environmentally disadvantaged community” by the State. Temescal Valley’s pollution burden is at the maximum allowable threshold. To make matters worse, County Supervisor Karen Spiegel’s Office wants to argue that our disadvantaged status isn’t true. 

We have heard there may be some misinformation about STV and the Serrano project being circulated by others. The Core group wants to be clear, we only deal with factual information and studies we have researched before utilizing that information.

We NEED to make an impact at the planning stage and not wait until the project is before the County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for a vote. We want solutions that don’t involve lawyers unless it is necessary. We want to maintain communication with the developers and continue to have a seat at the table. When attorneys get involved, the communication we have developed between STV and the developers and the County will cease except through costly legal communications.

Other news:

The State passed AB 98 which sets standards for building warehouses near communities. The start date for AB 98 is January 2026. It won’t help us with Serrano since it grandfathers in all earlier project applications.

We have written a Letter of Support to the Coalition who has applied for a $250K EPA grant to monitor Environmental air quality.

The Burrowing Owl has been proposed by the State to be listed as a Threatened or Endangered species. Over the next 12-18 months California Department of Fish and Wildlife is conducting a status review. The outcome should require greater conservation requirements. It is unlikely that the Burrowing Owl listing will do anything to change onsite development at the Serrano site.

Thank you to everyone that has been involved with STV on this important issue!