The Newsletter of
the Conservation Committees,
Angeles Chapter, Sierra
Club
The Conservation Committees provide
forums for Club members to discuss impending conservation issues and to
coordinate efforts of conservation subcommittees with groups and sections.
They meet monthly every third Tuesday Orange County) and third Wednesday
(Angeles Chapter). Contact the Conservation Committee Chairs by the end
of the previous month for a place on the agenda. Deadline or newsletter
articles is 10 days before the first meeting. Email items or articles to
Robin Ives, Editor
Quote of Note
"When we contemplate the whole globe as
one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands,
flying through space with all other stars
all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears
as an infinite storm of beauty." John Muir, Sierra
Club Founder
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Huge
Development Approved
In a decision reminiscent of the Commission’s
disastrous attempts to help develop the Bolsa Chica wetlands in
the 1990s, the Coastal Commission has approved large-scale development
across the famous Dana Point Headlands. In rejecting their own staff
and thousands of coastal advocates throughout California, the Commission
was almost eager in their embrace of Edward Sanford (aka Headlands
Reserve LLC) and his plan to build houses, tourist commercial operations
and a resort on 121-acres at the Dana Point Headlands and Strand
Beach in Orange County. Sadly, Headlands Reserve is bankrolled by
the California State Employees Pension Fund (CALPERS), so if you
or someone you know is a teacher or California state employee it
is your pension fund that is recklessly destroying the last remnants
of coastal open space in Southern California in an attempt to make
a buck.
Development of the project means the loss of the last privately owned coastal open space in Orange County, and much more. Dana Headland itself is home to numerous endangered plants and animals, and the surrounding open space contains sensitive plants, habitat, and raptor foraging areas. It is not unusual to see numerous raptors overhead when visiting the site. Strand Beach, meanwhile is a famous surfing beach and notable as one of the most uncrowded, undeveloped beaches left in Orange County. For decades activists have worked to protect and/or acquire the property, and through lawsuits and referendums have stopped numerous bad development proposals. |
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Marine
Reserves on Hold Oppose
the Energy Bill
Environmental
Resolution Proposed:
Environmental
Resolutions Passed (1/25/2004) Orange
County Conservation Committee
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You can read the entire 200 page Coastal staff report
condemning the project at www.coastal.ca.gov Although it is in .pdf format,
the report is still too large for many computers to download. Among other
things, Coastal staff found that, the plan would continue to authorize direct
impacts upon the ESHA for the construction of the hotel, the residential
construction in the bowl, and the various community facilities on the site.
Furthermore, the plan continues to require the construction of a shoreline
protection device to protect the new development in the Strand. It is therefore
inconsistent with multiple Coastal Act policies. (Emphasis added)
The showdown at the Commission meeting had been
months in the making. Just last October, Sanford had asked for permission
to build 125 houses and a 90-room resort, along with a faux lighthouse and
tacky-tacky tourist outlets. At October’s six-hour hearing the Commission
narrowly averted embarrassment in front of hundreds of activists when they
resisted the effort to give away the environmentally sensitive habitat to
allow for, among other things, construction of a giant 2100-foot long seawall
to facilitate 75 new houses across Strand Bluff, on the north side of the
Headland. Instead of an approval, Edward was given explicit instructions
to improve the project, reduce the destruction of ESHA and redesign the
project to eliminate the seawall. Several Commissioners, however, used the
hearing to praise the project and luxury resorts in general, giving the
impression that with a bit more aggressive lobbying the Commission could
be overcome.
In the interim Edward did nothing. Well not exactly. Nothing meaningful. No substantive changes to the project to protect the environment. There was, however, lots of lobbying. Edward and his crew were severely critical of the Commission, coastal protection policies in general and Democratic Senate Leader John Burton in particular. Using an army of lobbyists and a scorched earth policy of angrily denouncing anyone suggesting that coastal resources be protected, Sanford and company refused any changes to the project. Instead Edward strolled back to the Commission last week with the very same project — not one less road, not one less house, or not one less shovel full of grading. The seawall wasn’t reduced or eliminated, nor was the resort reconfigured to protect sensitive habitat.
Unbelievably, the project still required 2 million cubic yards of grading — basically taking an entire coastal bluff and moving it to the back of the property in order to ready the beach bluff for new houses and raise the back bowl sufficient to provide ocean views for homes located inside the bowl. The Coastal Act explicitly prohibits such massive landform alteration.
In addition, the project still had a 2100-ft long seawall needed to build 75 luxury mansions on the landslided bluff above Strand Beach. If ever an idea deserved scrutiny it was this one. First the Coastal Act prohibits seawalls for new development. Second, the seawall could easily have been eliminated had the Commission just reduced the number of mansions Edward seeks to cram onto the bluff. Last, the bluff houses are to have private roads and lie within a gated community, something the Coastal Commission despises and hasn’t approved for decades.
So Edward brought the same lacking project back to the Commission. Yet instead of being angry or insulted the Commission embraced the project, and numerous Commissioners praised the development of the Headland and Strand. Basically the Commission blinked, their knees buckled, they fell down. They sacrificed their staff efforts, the desire of the public, the mandates of the Coastal Act and their own integrity by crumbling under pressure. Mostly though they just gave it away and then struggled to find words of praise to justify their failure to protect the coast from rapacious development.
The project consists of several parts, and will likely be built piecemeal. The first part is a 90-room resort hotel, or timeshare, which is proposed to be located entirely on environmentally sensitive habitat area (ESHA) overlooking Dana Point Harbor, Doheny State Park and the San Juan Capstrano coastline. On a clear day you can see miles down the coast—all the way to the new luxury Montage Resort in Laguna Beach. As coastal staff repeatedly told the Commission, development on top of ESHA is strictly prohibited by the Coastal Act. Coastal staff had worked for over a year with the developer to move the hotel, but the developer refused.
The second component of the project consists of 50 houses to replace a commercial garden nursery in the center of the property known as the bowl.
The next part, and by far the least legal, most objectionable part of the entire project is the plan to paste 75 luxury mansions onto a sliding bluff directly above Strand Beach, a popular, undeveloped public beach north of the headland. In order to keep them in place the bluffside homes require a massive 2100-ft long seawall. Here the Commission could have easily saved Strand Beach by requiring the entire housing development be placed in the bowl and off Strand Beach. Just moving the houses would have eliminated 2 million yards of grading AND one of the longest seawalls in California history. Not one Commissioner even mentioned it.
There was, of course, no shortage of post hoc rationalizations by the Commissioners trying to justify the approval. Some Commissioners even began to justify their positions before the vote. Commissioner Mary Nichols, told the Associated Press before the vote: "This is something that is a benefit. Look at it in the light of what we are getting. Look at the land today. The habitat and species will be better off with it (the project)."
It took hours for the Commission to try to explain its way to approval.
During the hearing Commissioners Greg Hart, Cynthia McClain-Hill, Toni Iseman, William Burke and Patrick Kruer argued aggressively for the project. Regarding the illegal seawall, the Commissioners argued that the developer was only trying to save the beach from the collapsing bluff and that the seawall would be a public beach amenity. They also argued that the seawall was merely a repair job of an existing rock pile, and thus could be rebuilt to support 75 new mansions.
Commissioners Orr, Wan and Woolley, however, agreed with staff and said that building a new seawall for the sole reason of building 75 new houses goes directly to the heart of the Coastal Act’s prohibition against using shoreline protection devices for new development.
Commissioners Hart and Iseman first urged that the Commission adopt language drafted by the developer and the City of Dana Point that stated that not only was the seawall merely a repair, but that the Commission was usurping local authority over coastal development in their review of the project. That being clearly inappropriate, Hart and Iseman then struggled to pry from Coastal legal counsel some language, some legal justification that would allow seawall to be constructed. That not being possible, the Commission then needed a timeout. Calling for a closed session, the Commission huddled with their lawyers to demand that a seawall be allowed.
Upon return to open public hearing Commissioners Hart and Iseman proposed a motion and language to the effect that they wanted a seawall and it would be called a “repair” and not a seawall and that further legal justification would be found later by the Commissioners’ able lawyers.
When the Commission finally voted on the illegal seawall, nine Commissioners supported it (McClain-Hill, Hart, Iseman, Kruer, Burke, Potter, Peters, Nichols and Reilly) with only three Commissioners being offended (Woolley, Wan, Orr).
Then the Commission turned toward the proposed destruction of environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHA) on the property.
Here Commissioner Nichols attacked Commission biologist John Dixon for his analysis, accusing him of calling “anything with green on it” ESHA. Substituting her own judgment, Nichols found the area degraded and ripe for development. Commissioner McClain-Hill joined in, claiming that based on her analysis staff had incorrectly designated ESHA. Hart and Burke supported this substitution analysis.
Miraculously, these Commissioners found that there was no ESHA in the exact location where Edward proposed the hotel. How convenient. The developers’ biostitute was then invited to the podium to agree with the pro-hotel Commissioners.
Commissioner Orr expressed grave reservations about letting developers and their supporters define ESHA.
Commission Chair Mike Reilly took another approach, and argued that Commissioners shouldn’t substitute their own resource expertise over the Commission’s professional staff biologist but instead the Commission could “balance” away the resources by finding that old previous development plans were way worse than the present one so on that basis the hotel could be approved.
Then the Commission voted 8-4 to use “balancing” as an excuse to destroy EHSA habitat for a hotel. Commissioners McClain-Hill, Nichols, Kruer, Reilly, Hart, Burke, Peters and Iseman for the hotel and Commissioners Wan, Orr, Woolley and Potter for the ESHA.
Once the Commissioners had insured the developer had all he wanted they became somewhat more protective of ESHA. When Commissioners Hart and Iseman argued that the planned lighthouse and other community projects, also proposed for ESHA, also be allowed the Commission objected. On a vote of 2-10 (only Commissioners Hart and Iseman in support) the Commission rejected the idea of destroying yet more habitat for the so-called community amenities.
Yet the Commission still wasn’t done. Reminded that the developer still wanted to destroy 3 more acres of ESHA for houses in the bowl, the Commission went back into “balance” mode and decided that was fine too. Nine Commissioners — Iseman, McClain-Hill, Nichols, Burke, Potter, Peters, Reilly, Hart and Kruer — liked that idea. Only three Commissioners felt destroying ESHA for houses was inappropriate- Wan, Orr and Woolley.
All the tough decisions having been already made, the Commission at last voted 7-5 to approve the entire project and Local Coastal Plan Amendment (LCP). That vote was Hart, McClain-Hill, Burke, Reilly, Iseman, Nichols and Kruer in favor and Wan, Orr, Woolley, Peters and Potter against.
With so many legal errors you probably haven't heard the last of the story regarding Dana Point Headland and Strand Beach.
Mark Massara, California Coastwatcher, January 2002
With Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminals proposed for Long Beach Harbor, Oxnard Shores and Humboldt Bay, the timing of the massive explosion, fire and mounting death toll (27 and counting) associated with meltdown of the LNG plant last week in the Mediterranean port city of Skikda, Algeria, couldn’t be worse. The plant was neither old nor operating recklessly. The Algerian plant was entirely overhauled and updated by Haliburton Co. of Texas in 1999. Haliburton claims to have invested in excess of 9 million man-hours creating a state of the art LNG operation. The fire, which started in one of six gas boilers, destroyed the entire 227-acre LNG facility.
California Coastwatcher, January 2002
Ever wonder about those thousands of cargo ships coming and going from California’s various ports and harbors, about whether they pollute the air? Turns out they do, with one ship churning out as much air pollution as up to 12,500 cars per day! And ocean going ships remain the one air pollution point source in the US today that is totally unregulated.
California Coastwatcher, January 2002
Unfortunately, all the hard work last year to establish a series of marine reserves in California coastal waters appears to have been wasted. While the Governor and Sacramento politicos are claiming that it is the budget and not their desire to destroy California fisheries that is the motivating factor, nonetheless the Governor has eliminated the entire program from the Dept. of Fish & Games 2004 budget. The program now consists of a policy without protection.
California Coastwatcher, January 2002
710 Freeway Extension
Suspended
by David Czamanske
In an unexpected development just before Christmas, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) suspended its support of the controversial 710 Freeway Extension through Pasadena, South Pasadena, and the El Sereno community of the City of Los Angeles. In a December 17 letter to the Director of the California Department of Transportation, FHWA’s California Division Administrator Gary Hamby stated that, due to numerous changed conditions since the project had been approved in April 1998, a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), and a new Record of Decision, would be required before it could proceed as a Federal aid highway project.
Hamby cited several key concerns in his letter, including: identification of additional historical buildings requiring impact analysis; changes in applicable air quality regulations; opening of the Gold Line, which has diverted some commuters from the freeway corridor, and the Alameda Corridor freight train route, which has diverted trucks from the corridor; and failure of the state to make interim traffic improvements in the corridor required by the 1998 federal approval.
This action, taken as a result of re-evaluation of the project by FHWA and CALTRANS, was in response to complex environmental litigation involving the proponents, namely the City of Alhambra, and opponents of the project.
The proposed freeway extension, first planned in 1949, has been held up by extensive litigation initially filed by the City of South Pasadena in 1973. The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club has consistently opposed the project and, along with numerous other environmental and historic preservation organizations, has been a co-plaintiff throughout the long course of the litigation.
The Sierra Club’s opposition is based on the proposal’s numerous and significant adverse environmental impacts, specifically: the destruction of over 1000 residences, including numerous historic houses, and 7000 mature trees that are an integral part of thriving moderate and low-income neighborhoods; traffic gridlock that would, according to documents prepared by CALTRANS itself, materialize from the day the proposed freeway extension opened; and air pollution in the vicinity of the freeway corridor that would, according to the Federal EPA, increase because of this freeway gridlock.
Current Federal and state legislators, including Congressman Adam Schiff, State Senator Jack Scott, and State Assemblywoman Carol Liu, continue to be strongly opposed to this $2 billion project (one of the most expensive projects per-mile in the entire United States), and oppose state and/or federal funding for it.
Because of the project’s major adverse environmental impacts, its questionable benefits, high cost, lack of political support, and continuing legal obstacles, the prospects of state and federal funding to construct the project are remote.
Although the proposal could be revived by CALTRANS’s preparation
of a SEIS, it would take an estimated 3 to 5 years to complete such a
study after its initiation. At the moment the state has no funds to conduct
such a study, and prospects for such funding are bleak, given the state’s
ongoing financial crisis.
David Czamanske is a member of the Pasadena Group’s Executive Committee and has been an active opponent of the 710 Freeway Extension since moving to South Pasadena in 1990. He can be reached at (626) 458-8646 or dczamanske@hotmail.com.
Eagle Mountain, Calif – A coalition of conservation organizations has announced the launch of a new campaign to return nearly 30,000 acres of land in the Eagle Mountain range to Joshua Tree National Park. The campaign, "Give it Back!" is spearheaded by the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice and the Citizens for the Chuckwalla Valley, and is also working to designate the old Kaiser iron ore mine and town a National Historic Landmark in order to attract visitation to the region. More than 25 local and national organizations and numerous individuals support the campaign.
"This campaign is the answer to the economic blight the local community of Eagle Mountain and Desert Center have lived with since Kaiser Steel went bankrupt in 1983," said Donna Charpied, a long time dump foe. "The vision we have for our community is far different than the vision of our elected officials and developers. We look at the old mine and see a historical site. We look at the boarded up houses and see wilderness huts."
The campaign is petitioning members of Congress, and local and state legislators to authorize the 29,775 acres of land, once part of the park but set aside by Congress in the 1950s for mineral exploration, to be returned to the National Park Service. Activists are concerned that the development of the world’s largest garbage dump, proposed on these lands would be detrimental to the health of the community and the national park. The campaign proposes instead that the land be managed by the Park Service to attract tourism to the area.
Returning the land is not only important for protecting the park, it is called for by law. The first law, a Congressional Act of 1950, Public Law 837 ("PL 837"), omitted 265,340 acres from Joshua Tree National Monument for mineral extraction. Prior to omitting the land, the President of the United States ordered the land surveyed to "determine to what extent said area is more valuable for minerals than for National Monument purposes…". An explicit provision in PL 837 states if the land is not used for mineral purposes it should be returned to Joshua Tree.
A second law, passed in 1952, also supports returning this land to Joshua Tree. Through Public Law 790 ("PL 790"), Congress granted the Kaiser Steel Corporation rights-of-way and land in the Eagle Mountains for campsite and millsite purposes to "promote the development of steel in the West by facilitating the mining operations of the Kaiser Steel Corporation" (House Report 1853). When PL 790 was enacted, Congress explicitly stated "…said property shall revert in fee to the United States in the event that said property is not used for a continuous period of seven years as a camp site or mill site or for other incidental purposes in connection with mining operations of said corporation or its successors in interest" (emphasis added). Kaiser has not mined this property since 1983, and has leased the property to Mine Reclamation Corporation to develop the world’s largest garbage dump, which is not related to mining. Thus, the "Give It Back" campaign seeks for the federal government to enforce PL 790 and alleviate Joshua Tree National Park from the threat of the Eagle Mountain dump.
"I certainly support the Eagle Mountain and Desert Center communities for wanting to develop a tourism industry as opposed to destructive polluting industries that are inappropriate when located in the shadow of a national park," said National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) desert representative Howard Gross. NPCA placed Joshua Tree National Park on its 2004 list of its Ten Most Endangered National Parks for proposed development around the park, including the world’s largest garbage dump, Eagle Mountain. "It is a win-win situation," Gross added. "The local community benefits from tourist dollars, and the resources of the park are not lost to Los Angeles’ garbage."
NPCA released a report in 2003, which showed that California’s national parks are a financial boon to local communities. Based on a conservative economic model developed by Michigan State University, the NPCA report showed that the 1.3 million visitors to Joshua Tree in 2001 contributed $46.3 million to local economies, supporting 1,115 jobs and $21.9 million in income and employee benefits in the region.
"The acres of land omitted from Joshua Tree in 1950, including land slated for the dump, must be returned to the park or the results will be the death of one of our nation’s premier parks and intolerable pollution to community residents," said Larry Charpied who owns and operates a certified organic jojoba farm on the outskirts of Eagle Mountain.
Glen Avon resident Penny Newman, executive director of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, knows first hand the consequences of poor decision-making. The Glen Avon community has been negatively impacted from having the Stringfellow Acid Pits nearby. "If a project has the potential to cause harm to communities and the environment, vote it down," Newman said. "We are talking about a clean pristine aquifer and skies so clear the area has been designated a Class I air shed. We developed the 'Give It Back!' campaign to preclude the development of a superfund site outside one of our nation’s most beloved national parks—and our communities."
For more info regarding "Give It Back!" campaign
see: http://www.ccaej.org/projects/desert_protection/action_alerts2.html
For more information about the Eagle Mountain garbage dump see: http://www.ccaej.org/projects/desert_protection/desertprot.html
For information on NPCA’s Ten Most Endangered National Parks see: www.npca.org/endangeredparks
Donna and Larry Charpied, Citizens for the Chuckwalla Valley, 760-392-4722, 760-574-1887
Statement of Larry Fahn, Sierra Club President
on Federal Election Commission Advisory Opinion
Washington DC, February 4, 2004: The Sierra Club today
joined hundreds of national, state and local public interest groups in filing
an unprecedented challenge to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) General Counsel
draft advisory opinion that could effectively restrict free speech and the right
to engage in advocacy on behalf of the public. As a non-profit 501c4 organization,
the Sierra Club has been long involved on a non-partisan basis in public advocacy.
Issued under the guise of campaign finance reform, this proposed FEC advisory opinion would effectively prohibit public interest groups from engaging in advocacy involving elected officials and issues in the 2004 federal elections, potential legislation, executive orders or rule changes. Public communication via electronic and paper advertising, mailings, phone calls and emails would all be restricted. Alarmingly, the proposal would make it unlawful to criticize the policies and actions of a sitting President or members of Congress except through federal political action committees (PACs) that are closely monitored by the FEC.
The Sierra Club was a strong and visible proponent of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002, but this FEC proposal is not campaign finance reform. It goes far beyond the intent of BCRA and is a blatant attack on constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech and assembly.
If approved by the FEC when it convenes this Thursday, this ruling would effect every public policy, public advocacy and membership organization in the United States. An unprecedented collection of 324 environmental, civil rights, civil liberties, women's rights, public health, social welfare, senior, religious and social justice organizations today filed public comments with the FEC challenging the proposal.
Ironically, we've heard nothing but deafening silence from conservative organizations that would be equally affected — where are the National Rifle Association, National Right to Life Committee, Christian Coalition and American Center for Law and Justice, all of which ordinarily are vociferous regarding issues of freedom of speech and association? Could they be part of a partisan effort to silence progressive groups in 2004? If not, we hope they will find their voices before it's too late. If they don't, we'll have our answer -- it's election-year politics, pure and simple.
FOIA Fees Surprise Sierra Club Chapter
The federal Bureau of Land Management answers about 100 Freedom of Information Act requests a year in California, usually without charging fees for services rendered. So it came as a shock to Sierra Club representative Edie Harmon of San Diego to learn recently that it would cost her group $25,280 for the bureau to provide the information she sought about off-road vehicle activity in California deserts managed by the agency.
That was more than 10 percent of the annual budget of her Sierra Club chapter and, according to conservation groups, the latest evidence of a Bush administration policy to avoid answering questions from environmental groups about the way it manages public lands.
Continue to Oppose The Energy Bill
Congress is back and so is the disastrous energy bill. In his State of the Union, President Bush urged the House and Senate to pass an energy bill that protects against future blackouts, promotes conservation, and makes America less dependent on sources of foreign energy. Too bad his energy bill doesn't do any of that — but it does put our communities and the environment at risk. Congress should pass legislation that cuts our country's dependence on oil, increases our use of clean, renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power, protects our public lands, and modernizes the electricity grid to prevent future blackouts.
Contact your Senators today and tell them to continue opposing the energy bill.
Chapter To Offer Volunteer Training Workshop
Saturday, March 27, 2004
The original Volunteer Training Workshops were designed to offer information to new officers of Chapter entities about how to perform their new jobs better. Soon the idea grew to encompass many other topics of interest to a wider segment of the Chapter membership. The coming workshop will follow this approach and offer sessions on a broad spectrum of topics.
The Training Workshop will begin at 9 am at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N Altadena Drive in NE Altadena, organized as a four ring circus. Two groups of sessions have been scheduled for the morning and two more for the afternoon, each with four simultaneous sessions. A Mystery Keynote Speaker will inspire us.
The first morning grouping will offer sessions on Navigating the Sierra Club, Speaking to our Members, Hot Conservation Topics, and Setting Up Outstanding Outings. The second morning grouping will present sessions for Membership Chairs, for Publicity Chairs, for Conservation Chairs, and for Outings Chairs.
The first afternoon grouping will include sessions on the Handling of Money for Treasurers, the Production of Newsletters that Grab Your Attention, Electing the Right Candidates, and Raising Money for your Programs. The second grouping will feature Group Meetings that Sizzle, How You Can Put Up an Outstanding Web Page, National Forest Issues, and Brilliant Bus Trips.
Send an RSVP to the Workshop Registrar, Mary Morales, 21134 Jasmines Way, Lake Forest
CA 92630; 949-586-9528; feb1246@pacbell.net. We need to know who plans to attend.
Chapter Will Honor its Activists and Volunteers
March 28, 2004
The Angeles Chapter has a busy program of environmental activism and outings of all descriptions. The program succeeds because many, many volunteers give generously of their time, organizational skills and dedicated effort. Each year the Chapter sets aside an evening to recognize and honor some of their contributions.
This year, the Chapter’s top award for Conservation, the Wealdon Heald Award will go to Marcia Hanscom for her part in the Chapter’s victorious conclusion of its campaign to save the Ballona Wetlands. A related Extraordinary Achievement Award will be given to the members of the Chapter’s Ballona Task Force for their efforts that led to this victory.
The highest award for Outings Leadership, the Chester Versteeg Award, will be given to Stag Brown, who has led, week after week, over one thousand hikes in Griffith Park.
Jim Ulmer will receive the Irene Charnock Award for his service to the Chapter in the Chapter Office.
Conservation Service Awards will be given to Don Bremner, for his contributions to the Pasadena Group and the Chapter’s Forest Task Force; Penny Elia, for her efforts to save the Hobo-Aliso Ridge, near Laguna Beach; Celia Kutcher, for leading the fight to preserve Dana Point; Michelle Stone, for fighting developments in the Verdugo Mountains; and Jeff Yann, for his efforts to preserve the Whittier to Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor and to restore the San Gabriel River to a natural condition.
Outings Service Awards will go to Phil Dorner and Ed Lubin, for leading the Friday night conditioning hikes in Pacific Palisades; Pita Landesman, for coordinating the Wednesday Hikes in Orange County; Tom Marsh, for leadership in ski mountaineering trips; and Phil Wheeler, for reorganizing and restoring the Palos Verdes/South Bay bus trip program.
Special Service awards will go to Larry Hanson, for setting up and maintaining the Chapter’s development database; Russ Hansen, for leading efforts to remodel Harwood Lodge; Diana Mann, for an environmental TV show and an environmental newsletter in Long Beach; Don May, for leading efforts to save the Los Cerritos Wetlands; Elizabeth Neat, for distinguished service to the Inner City Outings Committee; Markey Neighbors, for serving as registrar of the Wilderness First Aid Course and taking over the kitchen for first aid training sessions; Carla Swift, for serving as newsletter editor and graphics design editor for the Santa Clarita Group since 1992; Joyce White, for many contributions to the Palos Verdes/South Bay Group; and Ann Zumwinkle for leading the effort to design the new Chapter website.
Citations of Merit will be awarded to the Central Group, the Local Hikes Committee, the Santa Monica Mountains Task Force, and the Endangered Species Task Force. Ilsa Setziol will receive a media award for environmental commentaries on radio station KPPC-FM. Mary Nichols will receive the Chapter’s Public Policy Award for her service to the environment as Resources Secretary for California.
The Chapter Awards Banquet will be held in Pasadena on March 28 at the Brookside Country Club, next to the Rose Bowl. A no-host reception will begin at 5 pm, followed by dinner at 6 pm. Tickets are $30, available from Cathy Kissenger, 10541 Oro Vista Ave, Sunland, CA 91040. Send a SASE and your check, made out to Sierra Club, Angeles Chapter.
The following are current standing
rules for the Conservation Committee(s) and their Subcommittees..
We will review them and reconfirm them.
Conservation
Committee Standing Rules
Tenure
Chairs or co-chairs of Conservation Committee subcommittees shall serve at the pleasure of the Chapter Conservation Chair for terms of up to one year, beginning each calendar year. Subcommittee chairs or co-chairs may be chosen by the Chapter Conservation Chair or by vote of the subcommittee, subject to the approval of the Chapter Conservation Chair.
Each subcommittee shall make a yearly written report to the Conservation Committee Management Committee.
The Chapter Conservation Chair shall contact each subcommittee chair at the end of the calendar year to determine the leadership of the subcommittee for the following year. At that time, the sub-committee chair will be asked to serve another year or be replaced.
Subcommittee Membership
A subcommittee chair or its co-chairs shall appoint the remaining members of the subcommittee.
Disputes among subcommittee members that can not be resolved by the subcommittee will be referred to the Chapter Conservation Chair.
Subcommittee Actions
Issues that affect two or more subcommittees, or issues that involve subcommittee(s) and Chapter group(s), shall be referred to the appropriate subcommittees and groups. These subcommittees and groups are not required to reach a unanimous recommendation but the Conservation Committee will not act on such an item unless each affected entity has been consulted.
A proposed action item must come from a group or sub-committee that has jurisdiction or from the Conservation Committee Management Committee.
Expenditures in excess of $50 must be submitted for the prior approval of the Conservation Chair. Bills may not be reimbursed if this procedure is not followed.
Proposed action items for the agenda of the Conservation Committee should be submitted in writing to the Conservation Committee Management Committee and the Conservation Committee Newsletter Editor prior to the meeting of the Conservation Committee Management Committee. They shall include the wording (without whereases) of the motion to be considered, accompanied by an objective background statement and arguments supporting and opposing the motion.
All resolutions shall begin with the words "The Conservation Committee of the Angeles Chapter recommends that...".
Late additions to the agenda must be submitted in writing to the Conservation Chair at least 24 hours before the meeting of the Conservation Committee along with the standard background material and arguments pro and con. The Conservation Committee will decide, by a 2/3 vote, whether to consider a late addition to the agenda.
Expectations for Conservation Subcommittees
The Sierra Club seeks to be an organization that welcomes all members who want to help protect and preserve our environment. This is particularly important to remember in issues subcommittees of the Conservation Committee, because this is where the majority of the preservation work is carried out.
It is also important that the various entities of the Club stay informed about the activities of others, and that our staff are on top of things.
All Sierra Club members are welcomed, and respected, and given a chance to participate in subcommittee meetings.
Meetings are scheduled in advance and occur on a regular schedule, with locations and times announced to all subcommittee members, as well as the Conservation Coordinator(s)—meetings should be included in the Chapter Schedule and Conservation Newsletter so new people can participate in the issue subcommittee's activities.
All officers of any Sierra Club entity must be Sierra Club members.
Reports on any actions (resolutions, activities initiated, etc) are made to subcommittee members and are communicated to the Conservation Coordinator(s).
Conservation Committee Voting Criteria for Chapter Entities
The Executive Committee of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club establishes the following criteria regarding the status of various Chapter entities to be able to vote at meetings of the Chapter Conservation Committee:
Groups and sections which have a Conservation Chair will be considered to be adequately informed on conservation issues to be allowed to vote at any meeting.
Issue Committees and Task Forces, to be considered active, must have more than four members and must meet at least one time per calendar quarter. In addition, they must have a mission statement that clearly states their purpose, and must publish an annual report describing their meetings, activities, and accomplishments.
To be able to vote at Conservation Committee meetings, active committees and task forces must have had a member in attendance at Conservation Committee meetings either in Los Angeles or Orange County at least once in the previous four months. Attendance will be tracked by the Secretary of the Conservation Committee.
New Management Committee/Grants Committee
Bonnie Sharpe (Chair), Judy Anderson (at large), Roy van de
Hoek (at large), Robin Ives (Newsletter Editor),
Gordon LaBedz (Conservation Chair), Jay Matchett (Treasurer), John Ulloth (at
large), Rudy Vietmeier (at large),
Jeff Yann (Secretary)
Environmental Resolutions
Passed by ExComm
1/25/2004
The Sierra Club will request a grant from the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy to do a gap analysis of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor.
Donation to Sierra Nevada AllianceThe Angeles Chapter made a donation to the Sierra Nevada Alliance.
Dana Point Headlands LawsuitThe Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club joins with the Surfrider Foundation in an administrative appeal of the Coastal Commission’s January 15,2004 approval of the Dana Point Local Plan Amendment (LCPA 1-03).
Ballona Wetlands Task Force Voting RulesThe Conservation Committee requests the Chapter Executive Committee affirm the voting eligibility rules used for election of the Management Committee and other decisions by the Ballona Wetlands Task Force as they have been applied over the past six years.: “To be eligible to vote, one must be a Sierra Club member and must have attended 3 Task Force meetings in the last 365 days. Starting at the beginning of the third meeting a Sierra Club member who has attended in a 365 day period can vote.” Further, it is resolved that an election for management committee of this task force shall immediately be scheduled and be held in the month of March 2004.
Argument For and Against deleted from online version.
Resolution submitted by Rex Frankel, member of Sierra Club Ballona Wetlands Task Force
Proposed Resolution
No Hunting or Firearms in the Angeles National Forest
The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club recommends that the California Regional Conservation Committee recommend to the Club Board of Directors that the Sierra Club ask the Supervisor of the Angeles National Forest to place a notice in the Federal Register that the Angeles National Forest is closed to the hunting of wildlife and the discharge of firearms.
Arguments For and Against deleted from online version.
Submitted by Roy van de Hoek
Action Directory
Sierra Club Legislative Hotline: (202) 675-2394
Sierra Club National: (415) 977-5500
Sierra Club Sacramento Legislative Office: (916) 557-1100; fax (916)
227-9669
Sierra Club World Wide Web: http://www.sierraclub.org
Sierra Club Vote Watch Website: http://www.sierraclub.org/votewatch/
White House Comment Line: (202) 456-1111
White House Fax Line: (202) 456-2461
President George W Bush president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Dick Cheney: vice-president@whitehouse.gov
White House Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20500
US Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
To contact your senators: Senate Office Bldg, Washington DC 20510 http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
To contact your representative: House Office Bldg, Washington DC 20515 http://www.house.gov/writerep
California Capitol Switchboard: (916) 322-9900
This
Electronic Conservation Committee Newsletter is sent free,
automatically, on email to all activists who hold any
of the following positions in the Angeles Chapter or its entities: Executive
Committee Member; Entity Chair or Conservation Chair, Political, and Newsletter
Editor, Conservation Subcommittee or Task Force Chair. In addition, many activists
throughout the Chapter and state receive it free by email, either by request
or by position. Distribution is approximately 350 by email, and 45 by
postal hard copy. If you no longer hold the Club office with the automatic pull
and wish to continue to receive it, email ivesico@earthlink.net If we do
not have your email address - please let us know. If you wish (and tell us),
it will be tagged "private" and not printed or given out.
The Newsletter (without upcoming resolutions)
is available on the Chapter website at http://angeles.sierraclub.org/
Paper postal copy is available ($20/year payable Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club) for those who are technically challenged or simply don't want to be bothered. To receive The Newsletter by first class mail, send a donation to (almost) cover printing/mailing costs to Conservation Newsletter, 112 Harvard Ave PMB 297, Claremont CA 91711.
National's
GoldBook provides information to chapters and
groups on the differences between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) funds; how to utilize
and access charitable 501(c)(3) funds; how to get a project approved; fundraising
plus much, much, more material on the Sierra Club. It is now available at the
Clubhouse website. Go to http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org;
follow the instructions for obtaining the password. The GoldBook can
be found by clicking on A - Z List of Materials box, then on "G" under A-Z List
of Documents, then on GoldBook, Educational Project Guidelines.
California/Nevada Regional
Activist Directory (RedBook)
will soon be available online. It now includes the
Handbook of SC
California Bylaws and Standing Rrules (GreenBook).
Contact Lori Ives for
the online address and password. Send your membership number, your position
in the Club, your reason for needing the information. The
paper edition ($20) is available on special order.
Chapter
Office Parking
Weeknights: You may park free inside the building after 5:30 pm.
Be prepared to show your membership card or one of our parking passes, available
at the front desk in the Chapter office. Take a ticket when you enter through
the gate; present it at the parking office near the elevators, and sign it.
The ticket machine at the front gate may be turned off after 6 pm. If so,
buzz the attendant and say you are going to a Sierra Club meeting. There is
no entry after 8 pm.
Visitor parking on Saturday
is limited to 8 am to 4 pm inside the building with attendant on duty.
Arrangement for Sunday parking
inside for Sierra Club meetings is pending at press time. Linda Hoyer
E-Mail
Lists:
There are four important discussion lists for Angeles environmental
activists:
Angeles Chapter Cons Listserve angeles-conservation@lists.sierraclub.org
Angeles-Alerts Listserve angeles-alerts@lists.sierraclub.org
California/Nevada Listserve calif-activists@lists.sierraclub.org (moderated list for announcements)
California/Nevada Listserve calif-activists-forum@lists.sierraclub.org (unmoderated discussion list)
Subscribe
to California Activists: calif-activists-request@lists.sierraclub.org
Subscribe to California Activists Forum:
calif-activists-forum-request@lists.sierraclub.org
For both lists, send
your name, email address, Sierra Club membership
number, your position in Club (how are you active?)
Subscription is processed by one of the list owners, usually the same day.
Subscribe to Angeles-Alerts: email
listserv@lists.sierraclub.org
with the message "subscribe angeles-conservation"
or "subscribe calif-activists" or "subscribe angeles-alerts" Note:
it's "listserv," not "listserve."
To leave a list, send an e-mail
to listserv@lists.sierraclub.org
In the text of your message (not the subject line), write: "signoff
calif-activists" or "signoff angeles-conservation" or "signoff angeles-alerts"
The Angeles Chapter's website is www.angeles.sierraclub.org
Extraordinary Orange County Events
Feb 11 Wed 7:00 pm Cultural Heritage Program
A free program on "The Disappearing Landscape of Our Cultural
and Historical Legacy" featuring distinguished keynote speaker Dr.
Paul Apodaca, an artist and expert in Native American culture, will be held
at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino Del Avion, in
historic San Juan Capistrano. The program will include live music on traditional
instruments by the Native American music group, The Tushmal Singers, and
a special exhibit of Native American crafts and basketry. Refreshments will
be provided. For info call Rebecca Robles, Chair, OC Native American Sacred
Sites Task Force at (949)369-0361 or visit the Sacred Sites link at http://angeles.sierraclub.org/ocosc/.
Volunteers Welcome: Lower Santiago Creek Restoration Project and the Santiago Park Woodlands Restoration Project. Saturdays, 9:00 am to noon -- February 21; March 20; April 17; May 15; June 19, 2004, at 900 East Memory Lane in Santa Ana (2 blks east of Main Street and MainPlace Mall) follow signs to the native plant nursery. Help out at the Native Plant Nursery or get involved in the Stream Team Volunteer Monitoring Group. For more information, contact Patrick Mitchell, Park Naturalist: 714-571-4288
February 24, 7:30 pm, Meeting sponsored by the Southern California Forests Campaign with a program on wild fires and the Forest Management Plan. At San Juan Capistrano Recreation Center at 25925 Camino Del Avion in SJC. Off I-5 go right on Ortega, left on Del Obispo, and about two miles to Del Avion, take a left and Center is on left.
Motions should be submitted in advance, together with objective background material and supporting and opposing arguments, both to the Committee Chair and Newsletter Editor, for distribution with the agenda. Other motions will be postponed for action at a later meeting unless the motion is submitted in writing and unless the Committee votes an exception to ordinary procedure. Motions needing further action by the Angeles Chapter ExComm or some higher level of the Sierra Club should start out: "The Angeles Chapter Conservation committee recommends that the Sierra Club... To find out more about voting requirements and representatives, consult the Angeles Chapter website Conservation Committee
Angeles Chapter Conservation Committee
Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 7:30 pm
AGENDA
7:30 Introductions
7:35 Review of Agenda
7:40 Resolution: Ballona Task Force Voting Criteria
8:00 Conservation Staff Work plan/priorities discussion — conservation
staff
8:20 Harbor Vision Task Force Report — Politeo/Marquez
8:35 Grants Approval
9:05 Standing Rules
9:20 Resolution: Hunting in Angeles National Forest
9:30 Cadiz Video
10:10 Adjourn Next Meeting is March 17
Orange County Conservation Committee
AGENDA
Tuesday, February 17, 2004, 7:00 pm
Inn at the Park in Irvine
From the north, come down 405 to 73 and off at University. Turn left
and pass Campus and turn right on Harvard. Follow Harvard as it bends; look
for Marquette. The Inn is at 10 Marquette, on the corner of Harvard and Marquette
behind a steel fence.
From the south, get off 405 at Culver and go left. Follow Culver past
Michelson and University and turn right on Harvard. Take Harvard to Marquette.
It's on your right.
7:00 Welcome, Introductions, Approval of Agenda
Great
Earth Walk - May 1, 2004
7:20 Dana Point Headlands Task Force - Celia Kutcher
7:40 Saddleback Canyons Task Force - Rich Gomez
8:00 Santa Ana Mountains Task Force
Friends of the Foothills - Paul Carlton
8:20 Save Hobo and Aliso Ridge Task Force - Penny Elia
8:40 Orange Hills Task Force - Alex Mintzer
9:00 Standing Rules
9:15 Adjourn
Next
OCCC Meeting is Tuesday, March 16, 2004.
Conservation Committees Calendar
| FEBRUARY 2004 | |
| Tue Feb 17, 7:00 pm | OC
Conservation Comm, Inn at the
Park, 10 Marquette. Irvine (Marquette & Harvard). |
| Wed Feb18, 7:30 pm | Chapter Conservation Committee, 3rd Wed, Gordon LaBedz, GLaBedzMD@aol.com |
| Wed Feb 18, 7:15 pm | The Banning Ranch Park and Preserve Task Force, 3rd Wed, Terry Welsh (949) 548-563 |
| Wed Feb 18 7:00 pm | Friends of Foothills Steering Committee. Contact Bill Holmes (949) 496-5323 |
| Sat Feb 28, 9:00 am | Orange Hills Task Force at the Carlab in Orange |
| Sun Feb 29, 1:00 pm | Chapter ExComm, Chapter office. Contact Virgil Shields, virgil.shields@angeles.sierraclub.org |
| MARCH 2004 | |
| Mon Mar 1, 7:00 pm | Saddleback Canyons TF meeting, 1st Mon at the Silverado Community Ctr, Silverado Cyn Rd (on left, about 2-miles from turnoff from Santiago Cyn Rd), Silverado Cyn. Rich Gomez |
| Mon Mar 1, 7:30 pm | Chapter Conservation Management Committee, Chapter office (date may change, call chair) |
| Thu Mar 4, 7:15 pm |
Sierra Club Orange County Political Committee,
contact Alex Mintzer (714) 288-2829 amintzer@socal.rr.com for meeting
location, directions and agenda |
| Sun Mar 7 | Deadline for articles/calendar in the April
Southern Sierran about our conservation efforts. Write up what you're doing, attach a digital photo, e-mail to Dominique at /td> |
| Mon Mar 8 | OC Native American Sacred Sites TF, 2nd Mon, Rebecca Robles (949) 369-0361 |
| Mon Mar 8, 7:15 pm | Orange Hills TF, 2nd Mon, 217 E Chapman Ave, Orange, Chris (714) 606-0453, ckoontz@usc.edu |
| Mon Mar 8, 7:30 pm | Transportation Subcommittee, 2nd Mon, Chapter Office |
| Mon Mar 8, 7:30 pm | Santa Monica Mountains TF, 2nd Mon, Chair Mary Ann Webster (310) 559-3126 |
| Tue, Mar 9, 7:30 pm | Air Quality/Global Warming/Energy SubCommittee, Chapter Office, Jan Kidwell (818) 506-8731 |
| Sat, Mar 13, 9:00 am | Orange Hills Task Force - Breakfast at Santiago Oaks Regional Park |
| Sat-Sun Mar 13-14 | Cal/Nevada Conservation Comm, San Luis Obispo. Info Lori Ives, lori.ives@angeles.sierraclub.org |
| Sun Mar 14, 2:45 pm | Harbor Vision Task Force, 2nd Sun, San Pedro Public Library, 9th and Gaff |
| Tue Mar 16, 7:00 pm | OC
Conservation Comm, Inn at the Park, 10 Marquette. Irvine
(Marquette & Harvard). |
| Wed Mar 17, 7:30 pm | Chapter Conservation Committee, 3rd Wed, Gordon LaBedz, GLaBedzMD@aol.com |
| Wed Mar 17, 7:30 pm | The Banning Ranch Park and Preserve Task Force, 3rd Wed, Terry Welsh (949) 548-563 |
| Wed Mar 17 7:00 pm | Friends of Foothills Steering Committee. Contact Bill Holmes (949) 496-5323 |
| Wed, Mar 24, 7:30 pm | Forest Task Force, Chapter office. Don Bremner, donbremner@earthlink.net |
| Sat Mar 27, 9 am-4 pm | Volunteer Training Workshop, Eaton Cyn, Reserve with Mary Morales, feb1246@pacbell.net |
| Sun Mar 28, 1:00 pm | Chapter ExComm, Chapter office (?). Contact Virgil Shields, virgil.shields@angeles.sierraclub.org |
| Sun Mar 28, 5:00 pm | Chapter Awards Banquet,
Brookside Country Club, Pasadena. Reservations: Cathy Kissinger, ckissinger@chla.usc.edu |
| APRIL 2004 | |
| Thu Apr 1, 7:10 pm | OC Political Comm, 1st Thu, Unitarian-Universalist
Ch, 25801 Obrero, Mission Viejo, Alex Mintzer (714) 288-2829 |
| Sun Apr 4 | Deadline for articles/calendar in the March Southern Sierran about our conservation efforts. Write up what you're doing, attach a digital photo, e-mail to Dominique at |
| Mon Apr 5, 7:00 pm | Saddleback Cyns Task Force and Conservancy Mtg, Silverado Community Ctr. Rich Gomez. |
| Mon Apr 5, 7:30 pm | Chapter Conservation Management Committee, Chapter office (date may change, call chair) |
| Sun Apr 11, 2:45 pm | Harbor Vision Task Force, 2nd Sun, San Pedro Public Library, 9th and Gaff |
| Mon Apr 12 | OC Native American Sacred Sites TF, 2nd Mon, Rebecca Robles (949) 369-0361 |
| Mon Apr 12, 7:15 pm | Orange Hills TF, 2nd Mon, 217 E Chapman Ave, Orange, Chris (714) 606-0453, ckoontz@usc.edu) |
| Mon Apr 12, 7:30 pm | Transportation Subcommittee, 2nd Mon, Chapter Office |
| Mon Apr 12, 7:30 pm | Santa Monica Mountains TF, 2nd Mon, Chair Mary Ann Webster (310) 559-3126 |
| Tue, Apr 13, 7:30 pm | Air Quality/Global Warming/Energy SubCommittee, Chapter Office, Jan Kidwell (818) 506-8731 |
| Tue Apr 20, 7:00 pm | OC
Conservation Comm, Inn at the
Park, 10 Marquette. Irvine (Marquette & Harvard). |
| Wed Apr 21, 7:30 pm | Chapter Conservation Committee, 3rd Wed, Gordon LaBedz, GLaBedzMD@aol.com |
| Wed Apr 21, 7:15 pm | The Banning Ranch Park and Preserve Task Force, 3rd Wed, Terry Welsh (949) 548-563 |
| Wed Apr 21, 7:00 pm | Friends of Foothills Steering Committee. Contact Bill Holmes (949) 496-5323 |
| Sat Apr 24, 9:30 am | Friends of Foothills Planning meeting. Contact Brittany McKee (949)361-7534 |
| Sun Apr 25, 1:00 pm | Chapter ExComm, Chapter office. Contact Virgil Shields, virgil.shields@angeles.sierraclub.org |