US: Redwoods vs. red wine: Lawsuit aims to block vineyard
US: Redwoods vs. red wine: Lawsuit aims to block vineyard
Jun 8, 2012 6
(MSNBC) - Drawing a line in California's redwood forests, environmental groups on Thursday sued to block a winery from building on 173 acres, and sent a message to developers of an even larger, nearby 1,600-acre proposed project.
The smaller battle is over Artesa Winery's plan to grow pinot noir grapes near Annapolis in Sonoma County.
The lawsuit targets California's Department of Forestry -- not Artesa -- and argues that in approving the project it failed to consider the environmental impacts of converting forested areas to an open vineyard.
Artesa did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but notes on its website that only a few old-growth redwoods are still on the property, which had been a sheep and apple farm.
Comments