Frivolous Lawsuit Filed to Prevent Closure of Drakes Bay Oyster Company

A group that includes a West Marin oyster company, restaurant owners, and anti-wilderness advocates filed a lawsuit in federal court last night to try to block the National Park Service from reclaiming Drakes Estero and proceeding with the long-planned closure of Drakes Bay Oyster Company. The controversial Company lost its last attempt to continue operating on June 30th when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear its petition for review.

“This lawsuit is another desperate attempt to avoid acknowledging that Drakes Bay Oyster Company's contract expired over 19 months ago, it has made millions of dollars rent-free off our national park wilderness area, and it has no legal right to continue operating in our national park wilderness at Drakes Estero,” said Amy Trainer, executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin. “Nobody likes a sore loser, instead of accepting “no” they filed a meritless lawsuit that delays the inevitable closure and prolongs the much-needed healing in our community,” said Trainer.