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Wal-Mart Pulls Out of Vallejo, Ends Long Fight

Wal-Mart puts Vallejo SuperCenter property up for sale; Community groups, activists hail decision, call it a big victory for environment, taxpayers and the city

VALLEJO - After years of wrangling, the controversial site of a proposed Wal-Mart on environmentally-sensitive White Slough here is up for sale, according to activists who fought to keep Wal-Mart's SuperCenter out of Vallejo since Wal-Mart bought the property in 2005.

Vallejoans for Responsible Growth (VFRG), California Healthy Communities Network, and environmental and community activists opposed the large-scale retail development from the start. In 2007, the Vallejo City Council agreed to have an independent third party prepare a $700,000 environmental report. For more than a year Wal-Mart has stalled on moving forward with the required environmental studies and project review.

"The Wal-Mart plan would have devastated the Slough and wildlife. Now, it appears Wal-Mart has given in to the citizens' demand to simply leave. Wal-Mart's exit paves the way for a revitalized downtown and enhances our eco-tourism offerings," said Joe Feller of VFRG.

"Environmentally-sensitive White Slough has shown an astounding ability to attract wildlife and act as a flood buffer to the Napa River. The project endangered not just local environment because of Wal-Mart's long history of environmental violations, but also threatened the Flyway Festival because White Slough is a world-renown migratory stopover," added Feller.

"The sale of this land opens the door for a project that is appropriate for the White Slough," said Stephanie Gomes of the Vallejo City Council, whose comment was echoed by fellow City Council member Joanne Schivly, who added "This is an opportunity for an appropriate business to be located on a Prime Commercial Site."

"This is a great opportunity to realize the vision of the White Slough Site Specific Plan. We desperately need a low impact, mixed use development for this site," said Katie Miessner, a community activist