Drakes Bay Oyster Company Gets Backing From Virginia-Based Interest Group

Embattled Point Reyes Oyster Farm Forms A Powerful Alliance
FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2011 file photo, owner Kevin Lunny holds a Pacific oyster at the Drake's Bay Oyster Co. in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, said he will shut down an historic Northern California oyster farm along Point Reyes National Seashore, designating the site as a wilderness area. Salazar said he will not renew the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. lease that expires Friday. The move will bring a close to a years-long environmental battle over the site. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2011 file photo, owner Kevin Lunny holds a Pacific oyster at the Drake's Bay Oyster Co. in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, said he will shut down an historic Northern California oyster farm along Point Reyes National Seashore, designating the site as a wilderness area. Salazar said he will not renew the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. lease that expires Friday. The move will bring a close to a years-long environmental battle over the site. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

The Virginia-based Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund has agreed to administer a litigation fund to be used to help finance the Drakes Bay Oyster Company's lawsuit against the United States National Park Service.

The oyster operation was ordered to close by the government after its long-term lease expired in November. Drakes Bay is fighting the issue in court. Drakes Bay will solicit support from its customers, supporters, restaurants and others from the Bay Area and Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties with the defense fund managing the money.

The money in the fund will be used to finance the company's public interest litigation against the park service. Contributions to the fund are not tax deductible as charitable contributions. ___

(c)2012 The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.)

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