Thursday, November 21, 2024

Nearly 4,000 Cannabis Plants Eradicated and Several Environmental Crimes Discovered at Spy Rock Grow Site

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The following is a press release issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

The eradicated Spy Rock Road cannabis farm [Picture provided by CDFW]

On May 26, 2021, wildlife officers with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) served a search warrant on the 9000 block of Spyrock Road in Laytonville. Support was provided by a CDFW Environmental Scientist, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the State Water Resources Control Board.

Prior to serving the search warrant, a thorough records check was conducted on the property to determine what steps may have been taken to secure a state license. In this case, no state license to cultivate commercial cannabis was obtained.

The site was located on Burns Creek and its tributaries, in the Eel River Watershed. CDFW has documented many species of concern in the area including steelhead, Chinook salmon and the foothill yellow legged frog.

Environmental violations and impacts observed on the site include impacts to four tributaries to Burns Creek:

  • Two water diversions on a tributary to Burns Creek
  • Two hoop houses constructed directly within streams which were graded to accommodate the buildings
  • Heavy equipment abandoned within a stream
  • Gas cans, fertilizer, and other chemicals improperly stored within a few feet of a stream
  • A large volume of cultivation waste and household garbage dumped into streams
  • Unpermitted and improperly installed stream crossings constricting stream channels and delivering sediment
  • Over 3,800 illegal cannabis plants were eradicated and one stolen firearm was recovered.

A formal complaint will be filed with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s office. No other information is available at this time.

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Matt LaFever
Matt LaFeverhttps://mendofever.com/
For the past seven years, Matt LaFever has covered the North Coast of California in both print and radio news. A Humboldt State graduate, he has lived in the Emerald Triangle for nearly 20 years. His reporting spans local issues like crime and wildfires. When not writing, Matt is an avid outdoorsman, exploring Northern California’s rugged landscapes. Reach out to him at matthewplafever@gmail.com.

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