Metadata
Petroleumbasedcrumbrubbercontainslead,aneurotoxin,cadmium,zinc,carbonblack,and <br />dibenzopyrenes,aknowncarcinogen.Thissurfacebecomesmuchhotterthannaturalturf,offgases <br />toxics,isinhaledandinjestedduringuse,andbecauseofitshardbaseismorepronetoinjuryandcan <br />leadtoinfectionriskssuchasMRSA.Thefineparticlesofcrumbrubberthatinfiltratetheartificial <br />substrate,theplasticmaterialthatresemblesbladesofgrass,becomeafinedustorfinesizeparticles <br />whendisturbedbyactivity.Whenthesurfaceissubjectedtolargeamountsofwater,thefinesize <br />rubberparticlesfloatandrunoffthesurface.Ittakesmanytonsofcrumbrubbertocoverthesurfaceof <br />justoneathleticfield,letalonethreefields.Fieldturfinstallersrecommend2.53lbs.ofcrumbrubber <br />persquarefootoffieldsurface.Theproposedathleticfieldis305,000sq.ft.whichwouldrequire <br />anywherefrom381to457tonsoftoxicandfloatablecrumbrubbertobeappliedtothesurface.Should <br />thisareawithinЋЉЉ͸oftheriverbankbecomeinundatedorflooded,thecrumbrubberwouldbecome <br />toxicflotsamandfloatdownrivercontaminatingtheriverbankdownstream. <br />Naturalgrassturffieldsuseenormousamountsofwatertokeepthemgreenandalive.Landscapers <br />recommend.62gallonsor1inchofwaterpersquareft.ofturftwotimesaweek.Thesethreefields <br />wouldrequire380,000gallonsofwateraweek.Theyalsorequireregularapplicationsofpesticidesand <br />herbicidestokeepthemfreeofinvasivebroadleafplantsandinsectsthatinhibitsturfgrowth.After <br />herbicidalandpesticidalapplications,theirrigatedturfwoulddraintolowlyingareasdistributingthese <br />nonnaturalfossilfuelproductsintotheWillametteRiver. <br />Therehavebeenmanystudiesdonebybiologistsontheeffectsofartificialnightlighttobirdsduring <br />migrationthatrevealsthelightisdetrimentaltotheirmovement.Theintensityofthelightbleaches <br />visualpigmentssothatbirdsbecomeblindedandthefactthatbirdsareattractedtolightatnight <br />resultsinmortalityfromcollision.Rainyandmistylightwithalowovercastceilingisespecially <br />hazardoustomigratorybirdswhichwouldbefromOctoberthroughAprilintheWillametteValley.Upto <br />fiftyspeciesofbirdsmigrateatnightwithherons,egrets,andkingfishersthatfrequentthebanksofthe <br />WillametteRiverbeingsomeofthem.Thefencingofthefacilitywoulddisruptthenaturalpathand <br />traveloftheanimalsthatliveintheareathatfeedandforagealongtheriverriparianzone. <br />TheproposedandinprocessDowntownRiverfrontParkisatransformationalprojecttakenonbythe <br />CityofEugeneandaprivatedevelopmentagencythatlookstorehabilitate16acresofwhatusedtobe <br />EugeneWaterandElectricBoardproperty.TheCityofEugenepurchasedthepropertywhichhas <br />envisionedahotel,condominiums,lowincomehousing,ariverfrontpark,greenspaceextensionsand <br />wetlands,urbanagriculture,andpollinatorknoll,alllocatedwestandconnectedtotheUofONorth <br />Campussite.Thelightingfromtheproposedathleticfieldswouldbeaninvasiveintrusionintothis <br />projectespeciallyfortheresidentsofthehousingfacilitiesoftheproposedDowntownRiverfrontPark <br />Project. <br />Therehavebeenoverthreedecadesofstudent,faculty,andcommunityprotests,fivelawsuits,twoUof <br />OSenateResolutions,anAssociatedStudentUnionofOregonResolution,aStudentSenateResolution, <br />petitions,andacampuswidevotetokeepthisnorthcampusareaundevelopedandnatural. <br />ThispermitproposaldoesnotaddresswhethertheUniversityofOregonhasdoneacostbenefitanalysis <br />forevaluatingalternatives,arequirementestablishedin1958.Thereisnoevidencethattheproposal <br />hasdeterminedthecostsandbenefitsofthealternativescenariosfortheriverfront:officebuildingsand <br />playingfieldsvs.restoration,academicresearchandpublicuse.Thistypeofstudymustbedonebefore <br />adeterminationofthistypeofusecanbeallowedespeciallyforapermitof30years. <br /> <br />