This page provides court records from the depositions of State and Federal Agencies under oath regarding the prosecution of the Sweeney family who owns Point Buckler Island in the Suisun Marsh.
The Sweeney’s sued Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) in Solano Superior Court and won in 2017. Now under Appeal.
- Superior Court of California – JD Sweeney and Point Buckler Club v BCDC and CA Regional Water Quality Control Board – Statement on BCDC Order
The Sweeney’s sued the Regional Water Quality Control Board in Solano Superior Court twice and won both cases in 2017. Now under Appeal.
- Superior Court of California – JD Sweeney and Point Buckler Club v BCDC and CA Regional Water Quality Control Board – Statement of Decision on Cleanup and Abatement Order
- Superior Court of California – JD Sweeney and Point Buckler Club v BCDC and CA Regional Water Quality Control Board – Statement of Decision on Civil Liability Order
The United States of America Department of Justice with the help of United States Army Corp and EPA stepped in and filed suit to as they say “[to] pile on to force a settlement and assist the State.”
The Federal case is now heading to trial in early to mid-2019 with Judge Kimberly Mueller in the Eastern District Court Sacramento. These depositions taken below are for the Sweeney family’s defense.
Depositions
Deposition of Steven Chappell, Suisun Resource Conservation District
Deposition of Katerina Galacatos, US Army Corps of Engineers
Deposition of Adrienne Klien, SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission
Deposition of Bill Lee, Environmental Protection Agency
Deposition of Stuart Siegel, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice
Exhibits from the deposition of Katerina Galacatos
501 Department of the Army Permit Regional
502 Letter from the
503 Letter from the United States Department of Commerce to Susan Fry Dated July 3, 2013
504 Letter from Laurie Monarres to John Sweeney Dated October 24, 2011
505 Email from Steven Chappell to David Wickens Dated January 12, 2012
506 Email from David Wickens to Steve Chappell Dated July 8, 2014
507 Email from David Wickens to Steve Chappell Dated July 18, 2014
508 Email from Bryan Matsumoto to Alisha Kerschbaum Dated September 8, 2014
509 Email from Bryan Matsumoto to Galacatos Dated September 25, 2014
510 Email from Cody Aichele to Alisha Kerschbaum Dated October 9, 2014
511 Suisun Tidal Wetland Restoration Projects Map
512 2015 Annual Application for the USACE Wetlands Maintenance Permit (File No. 2012-00258N)
513 Photographs
514 EcoAtlas Screen Shot
515 Email from Katerina Galacatos to Tori White Dated October 22, 2015
516 Email from Katerina Galacatos to David Wampler Dated November 5, 2015
517 Email from Agnes
518 US Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District Memorandum for Record
519 Email from Katerina Galacatos to Bill Hurley Dated December 18, 2015
520 Email from Katerina Galacatos to Keith Hess Dated March 1, 2016
521 Letter from Aaron Allen to David Wampler Dated March 28, 2016
522 Letter from Aaron Allen to John Sweeney Dated March 28, 2016
523 Email from Bill Lee to Keith Hess Dated May 6, 2016
524 Letter from Holly Costa to John Sweeney and Curt Setzer Dated September 1, 2016
525 Email from Bill Lee to Katerina Galacatos Dated September 13, 2016
526 Email from Katerina Galacatos to Bill Lee and David Wampler Dated September 16, 2016
527 Letter from Kathleen Johnson to John Cruden Dated September 22, 2016
528 Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, Preservation and Restoration Plan
529 Aerial Photograph
530 Aerial Photograph
Exhibits from the deposition of Adrienne Klein
531 E-mail chain starting 10/3/12 from Laurie Monarres to Adrienne (1 page)
532 Annie Mason Point Club Land Use Summary (9 pages)
533 Annie Mason Point Club Land Use Summary (11 pages)
534 E-mail from Xavier Fernandez to Janelle D. Leeson and others 7/21/15 Subject: Potential Violation for Unauthorized Diking of Suisun Tidal Marsh (1 page)
535 E-mail chain starting 10/19/15 from Katerina Galacatos to John Briscoe and others Subject: FW: Point Buckler Interagency Site Visit (1 page)
536 Handwritten notes 10/21/15 Bates stamps USEPA0008653 – USEPA0008655
537 Handwritten notes “Point Buckler Meeting at Water Board” 1/20/15 (3 pages)
538 Handwritten notes “Pt. Buckler CC” 12/8/15 (1 page)
539 Confidentiality Agreement Between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission Regarding Claims Against Point Buckler Club LLC and John Sweeney Bates stamps USEPA0009743 – USEPA0009747
540 FY 2015-2016: Updated 3/17/16 Staff Time for Pt Buckler ACLc (1 page)
541 Handwritten notes by A. Klein 6/8/16 (2 pages)
542 Handwritten notes Bates stamps BCDC P.B. 1417 – BCDC P.B. 1419
543 Handwritten notes 7/22/16 Bates stamps BCDC P.B. 1421 – BCDC P.B. 1428
544 Talking Points for Point Buckler October 25, 2016 Meeting (2 pages)
545 Handwritten notes 10/25/2016 Bates stamps BCDC P.B. 1429 – BCDC P.B. 1431
546 San Francisco Conservation and Development Commission letter to Douglas Furman 12/26/17
Exhibits from the deposition of Steven Chappell
547 Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD) 8 “About Us” (1 page)
548 E-mail from Steven Chappell to David Wickens and Adrienne Klein 8/31/11 Subject: Chipp Island Anonymous Photos Aug. 30th, 2011 (1 page)
549 E-mail from John Sweeney to schappell@suisun 6/22/11 Subject: Chipps Update (4 pages)
550 E-mail from John Sweeney to David Wickens 6/23/11 Subject: Chipps Island levee
551 E-mail chain starting from David Wickens to Orlando Rocha 6/24/11 Subject: Re: 915 Urgent and/or Unforeseen Work Request (Unclassified)(1 page)
552 E-mail chain starting from David Wickens to Schappell@suisunrcd.org 10/19/11 Subject: Re: Chipps Island Violation (1 page)
553 E-mail chain starting from Steven Chappell to Laurie Monarres and others 10/29/12 Subject: Re: Unauthorized Activity at Duck Club #915, Fins and Feathers, Chipps Island West of Spoonbill Creek, Solano County (1 page)
554 E-mail from Steven Chappell to Laurie Monarres 10/29/12 Subject: FW: IMG_0827 (3 pages)
555 E-mail chain starting from Steven Chappell to Laurie Monarres 10/29/12 Subject: Re: Unauthorized Activity at Duck Club #915, Fins and Feathers, Chipps Island, west of Spoonbill Creek, Solano County Attachment: Mr. Sweeney’s ownerships in Suisun (1 page)
556 E-mail chain starting from Steven Chappell to Adrienne Klein 10/29/12 Subject: Re: Unauthorized Activity at Duck Club #915, Fins and Feathers, Chipps Island, west of Spoonbill Creek, Solano County (1 page)
557 E-mail chain starting from Steven Chappell to James Waters 10/29/12 Subject: Re: Unauthorized Activity at Duck Club #915, Fins and Feathers, Chipps Island, west of Spoonbill Creek, Solano County (1 page)
558 E-mail chain starting from Steven Chappell to Joe LaClair 10/30/12 Subject: Re: Unauthorized Activity at Duck Club #915, Fins and Feathers, Chipps Island, west of Spoonbill Creek, Solano County (1 page)
559 E-mail from Steven Chappell to David Wickens Subject: Suisun (1 page)
560 E-mail chain starting from Steve Chappell to Joe LaClair 3/17/14 Subject: Re: SRCD Visit (1 page)
561 E-mail from Steven Chappell to Joe LaClair 3/20/14 Subject: Suisun Update (1 page)
562 E-mail from Steven Chappell to David Wickens 3/24/14 Subject: Cody Aichele wants to share “BCDC-SRCD” with you (1 page)
563 Dropbox share folder from Cody with black-and-white photo 3/19/14 (2 pages)
564 E-mail chain starting from Steven Chappell to David Wickens 5/29/14 Subject: Fw: Chipps Island with attachment, “2011 Notice of
565 E-mail from Steven Chappell to Tony Vaccarella 6/2/14 Subject: Fw: Chipps Island and SRCD issues with attachment “2011 Notice of
566 E-mail chain starting from Steve Chappell to David Wickens 6/23/14 Subject: Re: Club #915 Violation (1 page)
567 E-mail chain starting from David Wickens to Schappell@suisunrcd.org 7/24/14 Subject: Re: Club #915 Violation (1 page)
568 E-mail chain starting from Steve Chappell to Joe LaClair 2/12/15 Subject: Re: Opinion Piece about SRCD its board members and Steve Chappell and Solano Board of Sups (1 page)
569 Handwritten notes “Phone Conversation with Steve Chappell” 2/12/15 (2 pages)
570 Draft Meeting Summary Suisun Marsh Preservation Agreement Coordinators Meeting 10/7/04 (3 pages)
571 Annie Mason Unit Regulatory History Compiled by Kristin Garrison DWR Suisun Marsh Program 1/20/16 (1 page)
572 E-mail chain starting from Steve Chappell to Cody Aichele 9/25/14 Subject: Re: Annie Mason (3 pages)//(Continued)
573 Declaration of Steven Chappell Bates stamps BCDC-AR000392 – BCDC-AR000396
574 California Regional Water Quality Control Board San Francisco Bay Region 12/14/16 (3 pages)
575 Public Resources Code Section 9960-995 (3 pages)
576 Recovery Plan for Tidal Marsh Ecosystems of Northern and Central California – Vol I (3 pages)
577 E-mail from Steve Chappell to Matthias Gafni 2/16/16 Subject: Re: Media Inquiry – Pt. Buckler (2 pages)
578 E-mail from Stuart Siegel to Matthias Gafni 2/12/16 Subject: Re: Media Inquiry – Suisun Marsh Bates stamps SIEGEL0001882 – SIEGEL0001884
579 E-mail chain starting from Kristal Davis-Fadtke to Steve Chappell 2/11/15 Subject: Re: Contact information for 16 Suisun Restoration Projects (1 page)
580 E-mail chain starting from Dean Messer to Steve Chappell 1/12/15 Subject: Re: January Meetings Bates stamp USEPA0040141
581 E-mail chain starting from Kristin Garrison to Cliff Feldheim 4/24/15 Subject: Fw: Pt. Buckler Violations, FYI Attachments: “Pt. Buckler Letter BCDC.pdf” Bates stamp USEPA0008593 – USEPA0008594
582 E-mail chain starting from Cliff Feldheim to Steve Chappell 2/13/15 Subject: Re: Human Dimensions Work in the Marsh Bates stamps USEPA0040066 – USEPA0040067
583 “Suisun Marsh Managed Wetlands” by Steven Chappell, Executive Director Suisun Resource Conservation District (3 pages)
584 Steven Chappell bio
Exhibits from the deposition of Stuart Siegel
585 “Point Buckler Technical Assessment of Curren Conditions and Historic Reconstruction Since 1985” Bates stamps BCDC-AR000413 – BCDC-AR000450 8
586 E-mail from Steve Chappell to Joe LaClair 10/9/14 Subject: Suisun Stuff (1 page)
587 E-mail chain starting from Kristal Davis-Fadtke to Steve Chappell 12/10/14 Subject: Re: Contact Information for Suisun Restoration Projects (1 page)
588 E-mail from Stuart Siegel to Ben Wells 5/6/15 Subject: Scope for Sweeney Historical Photo Assessment Bates stamps SIEGEL0001842 – SIEGEL0001846
589 Attachment 2 “Siegel Response to Sweeney E-mail 1 of 5_2015-0513 (2 pages)
590 Attachment 2 “Siegel Response to Sweeney E-mail 2 of 5_2015-0514 (4 pages)
591 Attachment 2 “Siegel Response to Sweeney E-mail 3 of 5_2015-0514 (2 pages)
592 E-mail chain starting from Jake Schweitzer to John Sweeney 5/14/15 Subject: Re: Project Suisun Marsh Bates stamps SIEGEL0001868 – SIEGEL0001869
593 E-mail chain starting from Stuart Siegel to Jake Vollmar and others 5/14/15 Subject: Re: Project Suisun Marsh (1 page)
594 E-mail chain starting from Christina Toms Bates stamps USEPA0011980 – USEPA00111981
595 Privilege Log (1 page)
596 E-mail chain starting from Ian Wren to Stuart Siegel 1/25/16 Subject: Re: Point Buckler Island – Executive Officer’s Report Excerpt Bates stamps SIEGEL0001870 – SIEGEL0001875
597 E-mail chain starting from Agnes
598 State of California Standard Agreement (11 pg)
599 FY 2015-2016 Updated 3/17/2016 Staff Time for Pt Buckler ACLc (2 pages)
600 E-mail chain starting from Stuart Siegel to Matthias Gafni 2/12/16 Subject: Re: Media Inquiry – Suisun Marsh Bates stamps SIEGEL0001882 – SIEGEL0001884
601 E-mail chain starting from Stuart Siegel to David Lewis 6/14/16 Subject: Re: Stuart – Re: Buckler Bates stamps SIEGEL0001961, SIEGEL0001886-88
602 E-mail chain starting from Carin High to Stuart Siegel and others 5/19/16 Bates stamps SIEGEL0001910 – SIEGEL0001912
603 E-mail chain starting from Carin High to Stuart Siegel and others 5/19/16 Bates stamps SIEGEL0001903 – SIEGEL0001908
604 E-mail chain starting from Stuart Siegel to Ian Wren and others 5/19/18
Bates stamps SIEGEL0001913 – SIEGEL0001917
605 E-mail chain starting from Stuart Siegel to Ariel Rubissow-Okamoto Bates stamps SIEGEL0001969 – SIEGEL0001970
606 Letter to John Sweeney 1/14/16 from Law Office of Edward E. Yates Re: Notice of Violation and Intent to File Suit Under the Endangered Species Act (9 pages)
607 E-mail chain starting from Brian Thompson to Steven Yoshida and others 7/18/16 Bates stamps SIEGEL002170 – SIEGEL002171
608 E-mail chain starting from Stuart Siegel to Dean Messer 2/29/15 Subject: Re: DWR requested changes to Suisun Low DO EPA Grant (4 pages)
609 E-mail chain starting from Dean Messer to Steve Chappell 1/12/15 Subject: Re: January meetings (1 page) Bates stamp USEPA0040141
610 Evidentiary Declaration of Dr. Stuart Siegel
611 “Introduction to IRWM Part 2: Site Selection” (1 page)
612 “Wetland Restoration and Enhancement Projects Completed and Planned Projects in the North Bay, San Francisco Estuary, California February 2002
613 Point Buckler Technical Assessment Appendix I High Tide Line and Tidal Datums Bates stamps BDCD-AR000687 – BCDC-AR000695
614 Tide Gauge Installation, Data Collection, and Tidal Datum Reckoning ReportPoint Buckler Island Bates stamps USEPA0027229 – USEPA0027238
615 Technical Memorandum January and February High Tides and Point Buckler Overtopping By Stuart Siegel 26 July 2018
616 Point Buckler Technical Assessment Appendix A – Baseline Aerial Imagery, 1948-2011 Bates stamps BCDC-AR000451 – BCDC-AR000452
617 Point Buckler Technical Assessment Appendix D – Alteration Period Aerial Imagery, 2012-2016 Bates stamps BCDC-AR000535 – BCDC-AR000536
618 Color map Bates stamp USEPA0003160
619 Expert Report to the U.S. Department of Justice Point Buckler Island, Solano County, California(21 pages)
620 Interior Marsh Plain Topography Histogram Bates stamp BCDC-AR000629
621 Experts’ Response to July 11, 2016 Evidence Package Prepared by Stuart Siegel, Peter Baye, and Bruce Herbold, July 21, 2016 Bates stamps BCDC-AR002852 – BCDC-AR002876
622 Request, Authorization and Contract for Services of Expert Witness,
623 Compensation Paid to Expert Witness Team Members Bates stamp SIEGEL0000001
Exhibits from the Deposition of William Lee
624 7-21-15 & 7-23-15 E-mail String Re: Potential Violation For Unauthorized Diking Of Suisun Tidal Marsh, Bates USEPA0019739 – USEPA0019740 (2 Pages)
625 Handwritten Note, (1 Page)
626 7-19-15, 7-20-15, 10-1-15, 10-5-15 & 10-15-15 E-mail String Re: Suisun Tidal Marsh Unauthorized Diking (Levee And Borrow Ditch Construction), Bates USEPA009177 – USEPA009182 (6 Pages)
627 10-21-15 Region 9 Enforcement Division Point Buckler Inspection Report, Bates USEPA0019519 (1 Page)
628 11-12-15 Point Buckler Meeting Sign-in Sheet, (1 Page)
629 Confidentiality Agreement Between The United States Environmental Protection Agency And The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board And The San Francisco Bay Conservation And Development Commission Regarding Claims Against Point Buckler Club LLC And John Sweeney, Bates USEPA0009743 – USEPA0009747 (5 Pages)
630 CONFIDENTIAL: ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED Document: Point Buckler Meeting With Technical Experts Jan. 26, 2016 Agenda, (1 Page)
631 CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED Document: Pt Buckler March 4th Site Visit Debrief Agenda 3/8/2015, (1 Page)
632 CONFIDENTIAL Document: Point Buckler Technical Meeting May 30, 2016; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. RWQCB Oakland Office Agenda, Bates USEPA0019206 (1 Page)
633 8-9-18 E-mail String Re: State To Audit Point Buckler Fraud, Bates USEPA0019506 – USEPA0019507 (2 Pages)
634 PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL, PREPARED IN ANTICIPATION OF LITIGATION, ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT PRIVILEGED, FOIA EXEMPT Document: Attachment B, Attachment C & Attachment D, Bates USEPA0002825 – USEPA0002829 (5 Pages)
635 ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED/COMMON INTEREST CONFIDENTIAL Document: Point Buckler October 11, 2016, Meeting Agenda, Bates USEPA0001217 (1 Page)
636 2-9-17 Region 9 Enforcement Division Point Buckler Inspection Report, 21 Bates USEPA0019544 (1 Page)
637 7-13-17 & 7-14-17 E-mail String Re: Point Buckler Business (Common Interest, Attorney Work Product, Attorney-Client Communication), Bates USEPA0033324 – USEPA0033325 (2 Pages)
638 7-10-17 & 7-11-17 E-mail String Re: For Comment: Draft ICAP (Attorney-Client Work Product Confidential), Bates USEPA0019140 – USEPA0019141 (2 Pages)
639 7-31-17 & 8-1-17 E-mail String Re: Ex Parte Admin Record – CONFIDENTIAL JOINT PROSECUTION COMMUNICATION, Bates USEPA0020950 – USEPA0020951 (2 Pages)
640 10-3-17 E-mail To Brett Moffatt, Et Al., From Brett Moffatt, Bates USEPA0020784 (1 Page)
641 3-29-18 Region 9 Enforcement Division Site Visit Report And Photograph Log, Bates USEPA0019575 (1 Page)
642 8-23-18, 5-15-18 & 5-16-18 E-mail String Re: Point Buckler Island Request For Geotechnical ExploratoryBoring Permit, Bates USEPA0020804 – USEPA0020807 (4 Pages)
643 10-25-18 E-mail To Bill Lee From Brett Moffatt, Bates USEPA0033337 (1 Page)