Elephant Rumblings: Judge upholds Howard Terminal EIR, rejects lawsuits

Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!

A new A’s ballpark at Howard Terminal is becoming a tantalizingly tangible possibility.

Yesterday, Bob Egelko at the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman rejected three lawsuits that essentially argued that the City of Oakland’s environmental impact review of the proposed project was deficient.

Casey Pratt at ABC 7 hailed the decision as a “huge win” for the A’s.

Judge Seligman deemed that the EIR met the essential criteria of “adequacy, completeness, and a good-faith effort at full disclosure,” though he did also rule that “the EIR improperly defers mitigation measures for wind impacts” and ordered involved parties to meet and confer on solutions to this sole deficiency.

The plaintiffs in these matters include the East Oakland Stadium Alliance, the Capitol Corridors Joint Powers Authority, Union Pacific Railroad, the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. They may appeal yesterday’s decision and slow progress to some extent, but the judge’s ruling contained numerous statements indicating that Oakland and the A’s are on strong footing.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf celebrated the ruling as “a win for the climate and for the residents of Oakland.”

Today, Schaaf will be joined by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Barbara Lee on a tour of a federally funded transportation project that supports the Howard Terminal development plan. Pratt tweeted that the visit presents an opportunity for the city to lobby for additional funding.

A few big hurdles remain before we can break out the champagne, but the quest for a new A’s ballpark has gained unprecedented momentum. It may be possible to celebrate final approval by New Year’s, though Pratt seems a bit nervous about meeting that timeline. Fingers crossed!

A’s Coverage:

• Ashford: Game #138: A’s demolished by White Sox 14-2
• Brener: Series preview: A’s continue homestand vs. White Sox
• Egelko: Judge rejects challenges to A’s plan for $12 billion waterfront ballpark in Oakland ($)
• Kawahara: A’s minor-league system improved by trades but depth remains in question ($)
• Rosenthal: How MLB’s $50 million pre-arbitration bonus pool will be distributed ($)
• Kawahara: After A’s release, Elvis Andrus ‘hungry’ again with contending White Sox ($)

MLB News & Interest:

• Drellich and Rosenthal: MLB 2023 rule changes expected to be voted in Friday: Pitch clock, shift restriction, larger bases ($)
• Franco: MLB Players Association Joins AFL-CIO
• Adams: The Changing Landscape Of The AL Cy Young Race
• Stark: A guide to MLB’s stretch run: 8 things we’ll learn in September ($)
• Passan: Prospects Willy Fañas, Keiderson Pavon suing Los Angeles Angels, alleging agreements pulled back by team
• Heyman: Tony La Russa hoping for White Sox return soon: ‘Going to be OK’
• Franco: Rays Likely To Activate Wander Franco From Injured List
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

Hopefully the third time will be the charm.

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Bert was the first to do it all on the field in one day.