Commentary: Do not let misinformation dampen Banning Ranch project

I was shocked to receive a flier on my door last week sounding the alarm about a “health scare,” and becoming a “toxic surfer.”

Frankly, it didn’t look real.

And after reading today’s story (“Newport officials protest flier’s ‘health advisory’ about development planned for Banning Ranch” (Aug. 18), I see that the city has had to use valuable resources and time to discredit this fake health scare.

And we now know that this was the work of at least one person opposing the proposed Banning Ranch development.

These types of things are just shameful and discredit anyone associated with them. What this fake flier fails to do is talk about what really is going to happen. And, as one of the commentators recommends, I looked at the water-quality section of the environmental impact report (EIR).

So this project will not only clean up the oil field, it will also improve water quality by capturing the run-off from Costa Mesa and West Newport that currently runs directly into the ocean. So the project actually improves water quality and makes it better than it is today. Wow, that’s great!

And yet, the same small group of people continue to waste time and resources with frivolous lawsuits and scare tactics.

Let’s look at the facts: An aging oil field will be cleaned; more than 300 acres of parks and open space will be created; a trail system will be established; there will be a place on the Westside to enjoy the outdoors; and it won’t cost me a penny.

Enough from these extremists who thumb their noses at this great deal, and who want taxpayers to fund the purchase of Banning Ranch.

They are stonewalling the clean-up of the oil field (where hundreds of oil wells have been drilled), and the public dedication of hundreds of acres of land — land that will provide the final critical linkage to the Orange Coast River Park. The facts speak for themselves: the Banning Ranch plan is a great deal and a great plan.

Parker Douglas

Newport Beach