Environmental concerns could cause a delay in plans by Golden Gate Fields to install an all-weather racing surface this summer, the planning manager for the City of Albany, Calif., acknowledged May 16.

“It’s hard to say at this point,” said Jeff Bond, the planning official for the Bay Area community. “The application is being reviewed. Because the track is in such an environmentally sensitive area, we’re taking a very careful look.”

Two environmental groups, a local chapter of the Sierra Club and the Citizens for East Shore Park, have expressed misgivings about the project. Bond said he is preparing a report to the Albany City Council, which plans to discuss issues surrounding the plan May 21. Bond said even with the planning department’s approval, appeals or potential legal action could set the project back.

The track is hoping to comply with a California Horse Racing Board mandate requiring that major Thoroughbred tracks in the state have synthetic racing surfaces in place by 2008. The board implemented the requirement to improve safety for horses and jockeys