In this agreement, 13 of the 19 oak trees on Cal Poly property will be saved and the pipeline will follow its originally planned route.

The route crosses Stenner Creek and its tributaries, as well as nearby grasslands and a grove of 200- to 300-year-old oak trees in Stenner Canyon. Opponents of the pipeline claim that it could have been rerouted around the grove, through a grassland area instead.

In a Telegram-Tribune article Thursday, President Warren Baker said, "I think we did the best we could given the circumstances."

According to a university press release, bulldozing could begin as early as Thursday on campus grassland, but will not begin sooner than April 15 in the grove itself.

Along with Baker, Terry Gorton, assistant secretary of the state's Resources Agency, expressed satisfaction with the agreement.

"We think we've achieved a good compromise ‹ a solution that works for the environment the eventual water users of the coastal branch of the state water project, and the community of San Luis Obispo," Gorton said.

Although the major players in the compromise appear satisfied, the agreement is not going unquestioned. Randy Davis, an English senior and self-proclaimed activist, feels there is an underlying issue to be discussed in light of the pipeline problems. "This is a land-use issue," Davis said, "that needs to be looked at by Cal Poly and the City of San Luis Obispo. "Especially with the push for the Poly Plan and making Cal Poly an athletic mecca, the original purpose of the university is being ignored, and that's education."

Also under question from Davis and others involved in the effort to save the oaks, is why the pipeline could not be rerouted. "The oaks are one thing, but the impact on the grassland, the watershed and the riparian habitats haven't received any attention," Davis said.

As part of the agreement, a Cal Poly representative will be continuously on-site to monitor construction and will have the authority to stop work if trees are threatened. There is no indication as to who the monitor will be, or whether the individual will be paid for watching the grove.

Cal Poly will also compensate the contractor, up to $2,500, to spare the remaining six trees. The release also states that eight 19 oaks on Southern Pacific property will be saved. DWR estimates the costs of pipeline construction that will cross university property $500,000. Cal Poly was originally paid $147,000 for pipeline rightofway. Now the university, as part of the agreement, will give that money back to DWR.

At press time, President Baker was not available for comment.

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