Congress get involved in oyster farm fight

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Kevin Lunny bought Johnsons Oyster Farm in 2005 and renamed it the Drakes Bay Oyster Company.

(KGO Photo)

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point reyes, assignment 7

POINT REYES, Calif. (KGO) -- Congress is getting involved is an issue that's been going on for years: a battle between an oyster farm at the Point Reyes National Seashore and the National Park Service.

The Drakes Bay Oyster Farm is fighting to renew its permit to operate.

Now, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is investigating the conduct of National Park Service employees and the leadership in the Department of the Interior.

link: Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit Environmental Impact Statement: Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Story: Interior Secretary won't delay oyster farm report

Story: Park service questioned about Oyster farm study

Story: Controversial oyster farm report may be delayed

Story: Battle over local oyster farms heats up

link: Letters from the Department of Fish and Game (PDF)

link: 1976 Wilderness Act (PDF)

link: Congressional Act establishing Pt. Reyes National Seashore (PDF)

link: Letter to Secretary of Interior by former legislators (PDF)

Both have claimed that the farm is hurting wildlife at Point Reyes but there are questions about the integrity of the science used to reach that conclusion.

The National Park Service and the Interior Department must make documents and scientists available to the congressional committee in the next couple of weeks.

Neither responded to ABC7's request for comment.

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point reyes, assignment 7