John Donnelly Sweeney is an American entrepreneur, former professional sailor in the America’s Cup, and developer of Delta islands, including Spinner Island, Chipps Island, and Point Buckler Island.

Sweeney competed in three America’s Cup campaigns, serving as main trimmer for America True (2000) and Oracle BMW Racing (2003), and as Sporting Director for Shosholoza South Africa(2007).

In 2015, Sweeney sued the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) for fraudulently claiming private Delta islands as completed tidal restoration sites. After prevailing in court, the State of California retaliated by involving the DOJ and EPA in lawsuits that ultimately bankrupted Sweeney and shuttered his businesses.

Despite these challenges, Sweeney was instrumental in prompting a 2018 State Audit of the BCDC, exposing systemic issues within the agency.

Point Buckler Island is now slated for sale to the highest bidder on January 22, 2025, following the State’s and DOJ’s efforts to block a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan that could have restored the island. These actions, prioritizing retaliation over environmental stewardship, underscore Sweeney’s ongoing battle against governmental overreach.

**The Sweeney Family**

John Donnelly Sweeney was born on January 29, 1970, in St. Louis, Missouri, to John Thomas Sweeney and Mary Deibert Sweeney, who had married in 1968. His heritage is American-Irish and German.

His father, known as Jack, was an entrepreneur who co-founded a small radio station in St. Louis, KADY, with his partner Jack Fergeson. KADY was later bought by KXOK, where Jack became the sales manager. In 1973, Jack was recruited by headhunters to apply for the general sales manager position at KCBS in San Francisco. After securing the job, the family relocated to Tiburon, California, in 1974.

In 1975, John’s sister, Lynn Deibert Sweeney, was born, and the family purchased a home on top of Mount Tiburon at 1803 Lagoon View Drive. Around this time, Mary began her real estate career with Jack’s assistance. Together, they purchased and renovated as many as 20 fixer-uppers on Petaluma’s east side between 1976 and 1980. Jack specialized in no-money-down transactions, renting out the properties while Mary managed the remodeling and tenants. However, in 1980, interest rates soared to 20%, forcing the Sweeneys to sell most of their properties. The profits from these sales were used to purchase the old hospital of Tiburon at 2130-2133 Paradise Drive.

Mary oversaw the remodel of the Paradise Drive property, but the family soon encountered difficulties, leading to their separation. In 1985, they sold both their Lagoon View Drive home and the Paradise Drive property. The divorce resulted in significant financial strain, and both Jack and Mary purchased condominiums in Tiburon, on Lyford Drive and Marinero Circle, respectively. Mary then began working at Frank Howard Allen's Tiburon real estate office. John lived full-time with his father, while his sister, Lynn, split her time between both parents.

**Education**

John Sweeney attended Old St. Hilary’s Nursery School in Tiburon, then Belvedere School for kindergarten and first grade, followed by Reed School for second and third grade, Bel Aire School for fourth to sixth grade, and Del Mar School for seventh and eighth grade—all in Tiburon. In 1983, he entered Redwood High School in Corte Madera, whose notable alumni include Robin Williams, Johnny Moseley, and Gavin Newsom.

John Sweeney attended Orange Coast College and studied Architecture while working at Sheer Braden Architecture in Irvine.

**Early Sailing Career in Belvedere, California**

In 1978, John joined the San Francisco Yacht Club’s junior sailing program. By 1982, he became a member of the club and began competing in sailboat races. He won his first national sailing championship in 1984 in the single-handed El Toro class in Maryland. During high school, John worked at West Marine in Sausalito and later at Hood Sailmakers. His father Jack drove him to hundreds of regattas across the United States.

**Redwood Sailing Club**

In 1984, Jack Sweeney founded the Redwood Sailing Club, the first high school sailing club in Northern California. The club regularly competed in the high school nationals at the U.S. Naval Academy and continues to be active today, operating out of the San Francisco Yacht Club since its inception. John competed in the 420 class as a skipper and in 1988 in the Laser class, achieving a top finish of fourth place. His crew included future America's Cup sailor Melissa Purdy, who would later sail with Bill Koch's all-women's America's Cup team, America³.

**Life in Southern California and Return to Marin**

In high school, John began surfing at Cronkite Beach, Ocean Beach, and Fort Point. In 1988, he moved to Newport Beach to attend Orange Coast College, where he studied architecture and sailed with the OCC sailing team for one season. He returned to Marin in 1990 to attend the College of Marin, then completed a semester at San Francisco City College in 1991, focusing on architectural courses. During this time, John and his roommate, professional sailor Hogan Beatie, shaped surfboards for big waves at Ocean Beach and Fort Point.


**976-BAIL: Northern California's First Paid Surfline Business**

In 1991, John Sweeney moved to Ocean Beach to surf more frequently. He started his first company, 976-BAIL, which provided daily surf reports and forecasts from Santa Cruz to Bolinas, charging $3.50 per recorded message. The business, funded by his mother, closed in 1993 after a competitor, 976-Surf, took his sole sponsor. John's surf reports began at 7 a.m., starting in Santa Cruz and ending north in Bolinas, which displeased some locals. However, 976-Surf soon expanded on John’s concept, exposing the entire California coast to surf reports.

**City Yachts and Citibank Cups and 11:Metre One Design Sailboat by Ron Holland and Nautor Swan**

In 1993, John took a position at City Yachts in San Francisco, selling 11-Metre One Design sailboats by Ron Holland, West Bay SonShip, and Nautor Swan. He introduced the idea of selling advertising on the 11-Metres to reduce costs for new owners. In 1994, he approached Pier 39 with a concept for a televised sailing league featuring the 11-Metres. This led to the bi-annual Citibank Cups, with regional SportsChannel coverage and Citibank’s marketing director, Herbert Myers, helping to promote the event.

Up to 25 boats raced on a short-course, stock-car-style format in front of thousands of spectators, with prize money of up to $5,000 for the winner. The Citibank Cups ran until 1997, when they became the Wells Fargo Cups, lasting until 2000. John sold 34 of the 11-Metres during this time, attracting top sailors such as Paul Cayard, Morgan Larson, and Jeff Madrigali. John won the inaugural 1994 Citibank Cup and was sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, SportsChannel, Sebastiani Vineyards, and Altoids throughout his racing career. The Citibank Cups remain the longest running televised sailing series in USA, soon to be eclipsed by Larry Ellison's SailGP series.

**Citibank Cups - Pier 39**
11:Metre One Design Sailboats

[Watch the video on Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/7978517)

**St. Francis Yacht Club**

In 1986, the St. Francis Yacht Club (StFYC) offered John Sweeney a racing membership to compete in Laser events across the U.S. He represented StFYC from 1986-1992, winning the local Smythe Trophy and competing in several Governors Cups. However, controversy arose when the 11-Metre fleet began incorporating sponsorship logos on the hulls and sails. While in Sweden for the 11-Metre Worlds in 1994, the StFYC board terminated John's membership for parking sponsored boats at the club's guest dock. Ironically, two years later, StFYC embraced sponsorships to save the club financially, including major regattas like the Big Boat Series, which was sold to Rolex.

**Sailing Billboards and Outdoor Media**

In 1993, John founded Sailing Billboards, initially to sell sailboat and regatta sponsorships. The company managed the Citibank Cups, and in 1994, John met Foote, Cone & Belding ad executive Tina Marie Kleinjan. The two began dating and collaborated on expanding Sailing Billboards. They purchased the rights to the famous Vallejo Race and sold sponsorships, but a chance meeting with Maggie Gross, a director at Gap, led to their breakthrough in wallscape advertising. John convinced Gross to fund three wallscape vinyls in exchange for two months of free advertising. Sailing Billboards expanded rapidly, managing 40 wallscapes in San Francisco at the height of the dot-com boom. Tina left Foote, Cone & Belding in 1998 to focus on the growing outdoor advertising side of the business.

In 2001, as the dot-com bubble began to burst, John decided to sell Sailing Billboards. Although the first offer of $24 million fell through due to concerns about permits and San Francisco’s efforts to ban large wallscapes, NextMedia stepped in and purchased the company for $12.6 million in December 2001. The sale excluded sailing ads and regattas but included a clause allowing the deal to be canceled if NextMedia was sued by San Francisco within 12 months.

**The America’s Cup and Sailing Billboards**

In 1999, John and Tina purchased their first International America’s Cup Class (IACC) yacht, New Zealand Challenge NZL 14 and NZL 20, from Sir Michael Fay’s failed 1992 challenge. Over the next two years, they acquired Il Moro di Venezia ITA 1 and Stars and Stripes USA 11. The restorations were overseen by New Zealand Olympian and America’s Cup sailor, the late David Barnes. Sweeney convinced then-Mayor Willie Brown to rent him an entire pier on Treasure Island for $5,000 per month from 2000-2007 to dry-sail the IACC yachts.

From 2000-2004, advertisers paid $125,000 per month to wrap the towering IACC yachts in their logos. The yachts, used as floating billboards, sailed daily along San Francisco’s Embarcadero and Giants’ Pac Bell Park. Major advertisers included PeopleSoft, Banana Republic, and The Daily Deal financial news.

**The IACCSF Challenge Series**

In 2003, John Sweeney and Tina Kleinjan launched the IACCSF Challenge Series, inviting all 2003 America’s Cup teams to participate in vintage America’s Cup races in San Francisco Bay. Only Larry Ellison Oracle Racing joined, contributing two boats—USA 61 (formerly America One) and Oracle BMW USA 71. Six events were held over two seasons with six teams, sponsored by Wells Fargo and Oracle. The series ended when Ellison challenged Ernesto Bertarelli to a match race in modern AC yachts, the Moet Cup. John and Tina won the IACCSF Challenge series, skippering Stars and Stripes USA 11. Sweeney and Kleinjan purchase and restored four IACC yachts :

USA 11 Stars and Stripes 1992 - Il Moro Di Venezia ITA 1 1992 - New Zealand Challenge NZL 14 and NZL 20 1992 yachts

**IACCSF Challenge Series Video**

- [Watch the IACCSF Challenge Series](https://youtu.be/TfF5tbKz2Sg?si=2FlJbIX1aPtseGVe)

**International America’s Cup Class San Francisco Vintage Races Press - Sweeney / Kleinjan**

- [San Francisco Series Launched - World Sailing](https://www.sailing.org/2003/06/04/san-francisco-series-launched/)  
- [San Francisco IACC Circuit - The Daily Sail](https://thedailysail.com/general/02/28841/a-san-francisco-based-organisation-has-conjured-up-a-circuit-for-old-iacc-yachts)  
- [Vintage America’s Cup Class Racing in San Francisco - Boats.com](https://www.boats.com/on-the-water/vintage-americas-cup-class-racing-in-san-francisco/)  
- [Ellison Goes with the Wind - Wired](https://www.wired.com/2002/07/ellison-goes-with-the-wind/)  
- [Regatta Shows Off America’s Cup Veterans - SF Gate](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/sailing-regatta-shows-off-america-s-cup-veterans-2833349.php)  
- [Lectronic Latitude - June 6, 2003 - Latitude 38](https://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2003/0603/June06/June6.html)  
- [Archived Scuttlebutt Newsletter](https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/newsletter-archive/archived_Detail796a.html?key=2622)

Protector Boats USA Into 1999

In 1999 John Sweeney purchased several Rayglass protector Ribs at the end of the 2000 America’s Cup. He shipped them to San Francisco Bay and sold two and kept a 40 Protector that was custom made for Aloha Racing at Salthouse Marine. His good friend Howard Shiebler saw them and asked for an intro to the Protector guys and later he became the USA importer of Protector Boats. Sweeney chartered his 40 Protector chase boat back to Larry Ellison for the 2003 BMW Oracle Campaign and later sold it to a StFYC member in 2005.

1D35 Reichel Pugh One Design West Coast Rep 1997

John Sweeney was appointed West coast dealer of for John Bertrands 1D35 project. The 1D35 came right after the success f the Mumm 30 and Farr 40. It became a solid one design class in San Francisco Bay.

Treasure Island Boat Yard 2000-2006

In 2000 John Sweeney approached Sf Mayor Willie Brown and leased the only navy pier at Treasure Island for $7,000 per month. Sweeney set up his IACCSF Challenge Series America’s Cup Boats dry stored on the pier along with Farr 40s and Protectors. The pier had a 200 ton crane and was run by Will Benedict and Rodney Hagebols. Four IACC yachts were stored there until 2006. A container stack doubled as sail loft, machine shop and offices.

**2007 Sausalito Challenge -: America’s Cup Team**

In 2005, John Sweeney and Tina Kleinjan formed an America’s Cup challenger with Sausalito Yacht Club for the 2007 cup in Valencia. John partnered with eBay to auction a $30 million title sponsorship, which garnered media attention but no final buyer. AMD expressed interest in sponsoring the campaign with $15 million and PeopleSoft, but both withdrew at the last moment. With no sponsor, the Sausalito Challenge joined South Africa’s Shosholoza, where John and Tina served as sporting directors, signing key sailors and sponsors. Ironically PeopleSoft was purchased by Larry Ellison.

**Sausalito Challenge 2007 eBay Auction Press and Entry - Sweeney / Kleinjan**

- [Sponsorship Auction on eBay - World Sailing](https://www.sailing.org/2004/03/02/sponsorship-auction-on-ebay/)  
- [America’s Cup Team Sells Marketing Rights on eBay - Chief Marketer](https://chiefmarketer.com/americas-cup-team-sells-marketing-rights-on-ebay/)  
- [Sweeney Interview - Cup Info](https://cupinfo.com/en/sweeneyinterview1.php)  
- [Have Team, Will Sail: Need $35 Million - SF Gate](https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Have-team-will-sail-need-35-million-2767289.php)  
- [First eBay Bids for Sausalito AC Challenge - Sailing Anarchy](https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/first-ebay-bids-are-in-for-sausalito-ac-challenge.3356/)  
- [America’s Cup: No Sponsor via eBay - Yacht.de](https://www.yacht.de/en/regatta/americas-cup/america-s-cup-no-sponsor-via-ebay/)  
- [Ellison in, Sausalito Out as Challengers - SF Chronicle](https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/ellison-in-sausalito-out-as-challengers-2637220.php)  
- [John Sweeney’s America’s Cup Plans - Sail World](https://www.sail-world.com/Australia/John-Sweeneys-Americas-Cup-plans/-12721?source=google)  
- [America’s Cup: First Comes a Furious Duel - SF Gate](https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/america-s-cup-first-comes-a-furious-duel-for-2697484.php)  
- [Sweeney to Launch New Cup Challenge - SF Gate](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/sailing-sweeney-to-launch-new-cup-challenge-2826296.php)  
- [Oracle vs PeopleSoft - Sail World](https://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Oracle-vs-PeopleSoft/-14975?source=google)  
- [Sausalito YC in the 2007 America's Cup - Sail World](https://www.sail-world.com/Australia/-Sausalito-YC-in-the-2007-Americas-Cup/-12024?source=google)  

**Sausalito Challenge - Challenger of Record 2007**

As the 2007 America’s Cup unfolded, John Sweeney and Tina Kleinjan, owners of the Sausalito Challenge, approached Team New Zealand to discuss a potential challenger of record if they were victorious. Sweeney's vision, supported by Team New Zealand's attorney Jim Farmer and Sausalito Challenge attorney Ashley Tobin, was to propose a new class of monohull yachts to replace the IACC yachts, focusing on a faster 100-foot class designed for downwind planning and skiff-like sailing.

Sweeney and Tobin were aboard Team New Zealand’s VIP boat during the final races, hopeful for the future of their vision. Unfortunately, Alinghi won the Cup, and the proposed challenger of record with the Sausalito Yacht Club never came to fruition.

**Professional Sailing Career**

In the early 1990s, John’s professional sailing career took off. He won the 1994 Citibank Cup, then crewed with top teams in various sailing classes. He finished second in the J/22 Worlds, won the 1D35 Nationals in 1997, and claimed victory in the 1999 Transpacific Yacht Race aboard the Santa Cruz 70 *Grand Illusion*. John also sailed on the Samba Pa Ti Farr 40 team with John Kilroy. In 1998, he was invited to try out for Young America, the New York Yacht Club’s America’s Cup challenger for 2000, and trained in Newport for three months.

Sweeney sailed on America True in the 2000 America’s Cup as a mainsheet trimmer, BMW Oracle Racing in 2003 as a mainsheet trimmer, and Shosholoza in 2007 as Sporting Director. He retired from professional sailing in 2007.

**Sailing Mentors**

Throughout his career, John was mentored by several influential figures, including the late Hank Easom, Olympians John Cutler and David Barnes, and America True skipper Dawn Riley. He also credits his America's Cup coach Dave Ullman and Dee Smith as key mentors.

**SuperCarDirect**

In 2005, John Sweeney sought to improve upon Craigslist, which at the time only allowed four vehicle pictures. He created SuperCarDirect, a free car classifieds website featuring unlimited photos and one video per listing, which was unique for the time. The platform quickly gained traction, securing daily feeds from major automotive groups and focusing heavily on vintage Ferraris. At its peak, SuperCarDirect hosted the most used cars of any site and became the go-to marketplace for Ferrari enthusiasts. However, the 2008 economic crash forced Sweeney to pull back, eventually selling the software package he designed. By 2010, he dissolved his car dealership based in Sausalito.

**Supercardirect Free Car Classifieds Press**

- [The Auto Channel - July 31, 2007](https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/07/31/056828.html)  
- [The Auto Channel - April 9, 2008](https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/04/09/083782.html)  
- [Sailing Anarchy - February 20, 2008](https://sailinganarchy.com/2008/02/20/11396/)

**Bitcoin Home Sale**

In 2014, John Sweeney partnered with Coinbase to list his waterfront home in Tiburon, California, for $3.5 million. This marked the first time a large item, such as a high-value property, was offered exclusively for sale in Bitcoin, showcasing Sweeney’s early embrace of cryptocurrency in real estate transactions.

[Source 1](https://cointelegraph.com/news/tech_entrepreneur_selling_california_property_for_3_6_million_bitcoin_accepted)
[Source 2](https://www.newsbtc.com/news/tech-entrepreneur-lists-home-3-6-million-accepts-bitcoin/amp/)


**California Delta Islands**

After the 2007 America’s Cup, Sweeney returned to Tiburon, California, and shifted focus to a new venture: kiteboarding clubs in the California Delta, about 50 miles inland from Marin County. In 2007, he and eight friends bought the 50-acre Spinner Island in the Suisun Marsh, part of San Francisco Bay. In 2011, he and his partner, Tina Kleinjan Setzer, purchased Chipps Island, a 1,000-acre island near Spinner, and later that year, Sweeney bought the 50-acre Point Buckler Island from his father-in-law's fiancée, who was terminally ill. All three islands were used for duck hunting in the winter and sailing/kiteboarding clubs during the windy summer months.

**Legal Issues with Delta Islands - Chipps Island and Point Buckler Island**

In 2011, shortly after closing escrow, a levee broke at Chipps Island. Sweeney applied for an RGP3 Army Corps permit to repair the levee, using a design from the New Orleans floods that involved placing shipping containers in breaches and filling them with dirt. He hired his wife’s father, Frost Construction, to complete the repairs, which succeeded. However, Steve Chappell, director of Solano’s Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD), objected, claiming the shipping container wasn’t authorized. Public records later revealed that Chappell harbored animosity toward Sweeney over his prominent acquisitions in the Suisun Marsh.

Despite SRCD’s claim that Point Buckler was no longer under their jurisdiction, Chappell launched a campaign from 2012 to 2014, attempting to involve environmental agencies in penalizing Sweeney’s actions at Chipps Island. At one point, Chappell even admitted in a deposition that he tried to prevent Sweeney from owning any other property in the Suisun Marsh, with support from his then-girlfriend, county lawyer Bernadette Curry.

Point Buckler, originally built as a duck hunting island in 1925, had a one-mile levee about three feet high, with small breaches that Sweeney sought to repair. He complied with his club management plan and installed various improvements, including docks and helipads. However, in 2014, upon returning from his honeymoon, Sweeney received a violation notice from the Bay Conservation Development Commission (BCDC), claiming his levee work was illegal. Though a site visit confirmed that his work complied with his club plan, BCDC shifted its stance, asserting he had lost the right to repair the levee because previous owners had let it fall into disrepair.

In 2015, the State Water Board and BCDC initiated hearings, proposing $40 million in fines—an unprecedented amount in either agency's history. Sweeney counter-sued, and after multiple bench trials, Solano Superior Court Judge Harry Kinnicutt ruled in Sweeney’s favor, calling the state’s actions vindictive and noting that all work complied with the club plan.

**Stuart Siegel and Science Fraud San Francisco Estuary Institute**

Unbeknownst to Sweeney, another issue was brewing. In 2002-2003, the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) had received a multi-million dollar grant to survey tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Bay and Suisun Marsh. SFEI, funded by BCDC, the EPA, and the Regional Water Board, hired wetland specialist Stuart Siegel to oversee the project. Siegel partnered with Steve Chappell to survey the Suisun Marsh, but the project devolved into a sloppy use of aerial imagery rather than proper ground surveys.

Siegel’s initial data misrepresented both Chipps Island and Point Buckler as completed tidal restoration sites, which was false. The survey database, known as CRAM, incorrectly classified these private lands, despite Siegel admitting in a deposition that he never set foot on either property. The false data created a massive problem once Sweeney acquired the islands, as the agencies involved were unaware of the survey’s inaccuracies and assumed restoration had been completed.

In 2014, as Sweeney faced multiple lawsuits, Siegel approached him, offering to be the scientist who could help navigate the agencies' concerns. However, Sweeney declined and instead hired former Army Corps scientist Terry Huffman. Siegel then switched sides and became the primary scientist defending the EPA, BCDC, and the Regional Water Board in their case against Sweeney.

Public records revealed that Siegel and Chappell had concealed the fact that they had falsely classified the islands in the CRAM database. Rather than admit their mistakes, the two worked to frame Sweeney as the bad actor, tricking the agencies into believing he had acted illegally. Sweeney’s legal battles against these agencies exposed the fraud, and although Siegel played a pivotal role in the agencies' cases, Sweeney ultimately prevailed in court in round 1.

**2017 Solano Superior Court Wins for Sweeney v Regional Water Quality Control Board and BCDC**

In 2017, John Sweeney scored a significant legal victory when he defeated both the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and the Regional Water Board in Solano Superior Court. All proposed fines against him were dismissed, with the court ruling in Sweeney’s favor due to the agencies’ vindictive prosecution in the Point Buckler case. This prompted a California State Auditor investigation into BCDC, which was conducted with input from Sweeney.

**USA v. Point Buckler Island (2019)**

In 2018, after losing the case at the state level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stepped in, teaming up with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file a federal lawsuit against Sweeney and Point Buckler Island. They cited his failure to obtain an RGP3 Army Corps permit. However, Sweeney had actually secured an after-the-fact permit from the Army Corps, a fact the EPA withheld until the trial in 2019.

In January 2015, Sweeney had shown the Army Corps his levee repair, which they approved as being consistent with his club management plan. To formalize it, he applied for an after-the-fact permit, which was misplaced by the EPA for four years. EPA lawyers Andy Doyle and Brett Moffett later claimed it had been lost in a former Army Corps employee's office. The EPA only revealed the permit’s existence during settlement talks in late 2018, after years of litigation in which Sweeney had been repeatedly accused of lying about his permit.

Settlement discussions dragged on until December 2018. Sweeney offered to build a boardwalk across the island, elevate all his containers off the marsh plain, invest in a multimillion-dollar tidal restoration project, and donate 50 acres for mitigation. While the federal judge overseeing the talks, Judge Newman, supported this proposal, the State Water Board rejected it at the last minute, leading to a three-week bench trial in May 2019.

During the trial, Sweeney faced a large legal team representing the EPA and DOJ, while he had just one lawyer, with his wife assisting as a paralegal. Despite the imbalance, Judge Kimberly Mueller found Sweeney liable but noted the EPA had failed to propose any reasonable remedy. The judge set Sweeney’s maximum financial obligation at $840,000, a fraction of the multimillion-dollar restoration the EPA had demanded. However, the cost of the restoration far exceeded this amount, leading the judge to reopen the case six months later for a “remedy phase,” which neither party had requested.

Sweeney has since appealed the case, citing the Supreme Court's Sackett decision, which places Point Buckler Island outside of federal jurisdiction, potentially voiding the entire lawsuit.

**State Appeals Point Buckler Loses**

In February 2018, BCDC and the Regional Water Quality Control Board filed appeals against Sweeney in three cases he had won. However, in March 2021, a judge Siggins appointed by former Governor Schwarzenegger overturned all previous rulings in these cases, an outcome many legal experts attribute to political maneuvering. The cases were remanded to Solano Superior Court, where Judge Christine Carringer, who had a controversial record including DUIs and a restraining order from her ex-husband, was assigned to oversee them. Carringer had been demoted from family court to civil court due to her history of bias in child custody cases.

**Steve Chappell Solano County and SRCD the land takings of Point Buckler Island**

Steve Chappell, director of the Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD), had a long history with the organization, replacing Lee Lehman, who was taken down by the FBI for illegal dredging and embezzlement. Chappell’s role was to represent Suisun Marsh landowners and assist with permitting and club management. However, in Sweeney's case, Chappell turned against the landowner and worked behind the scenes to aid the EPA, BCDC, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board in building cases against him.

Starting in 2011, Chappell devised a strategy to rid Sweeney of his properties, working for four years to find violations the agencies could use. Despite knowing about the fraudulent data Stuart Siegel and he had contributed, Chappell testified against Sweeney, betraying his role as a representative of landowners.

**Point Buckler Case Files Depositions**

- [USA v. Point Buckler Club - Bay Stewards](https://baystewards.com/usa-v-point-buckler-club/?amp)  
- [Stuart Siegel Fraud Deposition](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pfrexlTQ5J51-_qgegK3nUAglgNP40-Y/view?pli=1)  
- [Steve Chappell SRCD Land Taking Fraud Deposition](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W_JhCRWafjt5e4Y4MvFpJBHJeChJ91Xn/view)  
- [US Army Corps Lost Permit Deposition](https://drive.google.com/file/d/16UknaYq93fo21jleImxqjpGu8DJ14S1v/view)  
- [BCDC Deposition - Adrienne Klein Fraud](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iL5GWjdmsiFiQJtcDaKInAboNmMNHcJh/view)  
- [EPA Bill Lee Suing to Force Sweeney to Settle Deposition](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l8wbakQFHoegI7QVTLPdjkr5JPjmK68r/view)

**Point Buckler Island Press**

- [Suisun Marsh Island Owner Sues State Agencies in Wetlands Dispute - East Bay Times](https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/01/07/suisun-marsh-island-owner-sues-state-agencies-in-wetlands-dispute/amp/)  
- [Point Buckler Wins Vindictive Prosecution by Regional Water Quality Control Board and BCDC - Court Ruling](https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Sweeney-Buckler-Levee-RULING.pdf)  
- [Point Buckler Island For Sale - $75 Million - Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-point-buckler-island-solano-county-silicon-valley-2023-9)  
- [Point Club Bankruptcy - BKData](https://bkdata.com/business-bankruptcies/modesto-california/03-10-2023/point-club-20755)  
- [Owner Faces $2.8 Million Fine for Illegal Levee Repair - SF Bay](https://sfbayca.com/2021/03/08/point-buckler-island-owner-faces-2-8-million-fine-for-illegal-levee-repair/amp/)  
- [U.S. Supreme Court Decision Against Sweeney - Daily Republic](https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/fairfield/us-supreme-court-decides-against-sweeney-point-buckler/article_ed292cd2-24a6-5f03-88d9-6d4cd25a0c61.html)  
- [For $75 Million, You Can Buy a Bay Area Private Island - Mercury News](https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/10/02/for-75-million-you-can-buy-a-bay-area-private-island/amp/)  
- [Court Orders Remedy in Clean Water Act Case - Justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/court-orders-remedy-clean-water-act-case-directs-individual-and-company-restore-sensitive)  
- [When the Levee Breaks in Solano - The Reporter](https://www.thereporter.com/2023/11/04/when-the-levee-breaks-in-solano/amp/)  
- [San Francisco Bay Private Island For Sale - SF Gate](https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-bay-private-island-for-sale-18378643.php)  
- [California Court of Appeal Case - Point Buckler - Justia](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2021/a153583.html)  
- [Point Buckler Island Video](https://youtu.be/l1hxBHMcIGg?si=m9j7Ni8kQXNv2WGb)  
- [Delta Fight: State Agencies & Island Owner Battle Over Wetland Status - Mercury News](https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/04/05/delta-fight-state-agencies-island-owner-battle-over-wetland-status/amp/)  
- [Point Buckler Kiteboarding Club & Wetlands Fine - The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/18/point-buckler-kiteboarding-club-wetlands-fine-silicon-valley)  

**BCDC Audit News after Point Buckler Wins 2017**

- [Marsh Landowner Hopes Federal Investigation Ends EPA Enforcement - Daily Republic](https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/fairfield/marsh-landowner-hopes-federal-investigation-ends-epa-enforcement/article_f810aa62-7003-5798-ae79-d4b08a00bd18.html)


**Point Buckler Island and Sweeney’s Current Status**

Point Buckler Club LLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy which AG Rob Bonta and Eilleen White RWQCB fought to dismiss. He’s navigating through ongoing legal battles while continuing his efforts to expose agency corruption. His legal victories and ongoing challenges have drawn attention to the misuse of government power and agency overreach. John Sweeney put Point Buckler Island up for sale in September 2023 for $75million. No final ruling has been made by Judge Mueller who retires on Sept 17, 2024. The State agencies said they were taking the Island through a Sherrif’s sale but so far have failed to do so. The island contains 50 acres of habitat credits valued at $300k per acre or $15million. The Regional Water Quality Control Board, EPA and BCDC cut off Sweeneys use of the island in 2019. The California State Auditor has opened an audit of the use of funds to sue Point Buckler estimated at over $20 million with AG Rob Bonta and former AG Kamala Harris.

On January 22, 2025 the State will levy sale Point Buckler Island. The sale will be at 10am on Solano Courthouse steps at 10am with pre approvals required by January 7th 2025. Contact Solano Sheriff for details. Minimum bid $100

The island has 50 acres of fish mitigation bank credits valued at $300,000 per acre if harvested.

Media Inquiries : captainjohnsweeney@gmail.com

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