Environmental Study on School Released

The Oxnard Elementary School District board released a draft of an environmental study Thursday on the proposed site of Juan Lagunas Soria School.

The district released the document in response to a lawsuit filed by the Environmental Defense Center, a local watchdog group. Attorneys for the group had accused the district of withholding vital safety information from the public.

The draft document discusses the risk of using methyl bromide on farmland surrounding the proposed site east of Emerson Avenue and west of Rice Avenue. The final copy of the study was included in the environmental impact report released earlier this year.

District officials had previously argued that the draft was not public record, so they were not required to show it to the public. But board members said they decided to release the document to avoid spending money defending a lawsuit.

According to school and Environmental Defense Center officials, the draft reflects the conclusions of the final report, which said that pesticides may be used in nearby fields and could have an effect on student safety if the district does not take precautions.