Santa Lucian • June 2008 Santa Lucian · Santa Lucian • June 2008 3 Save the Salinas Help deflect a sand & gravel sandbagging New Voices, New Stories: Sierra Club 2008 Convention,

Santa Lucian • June 2008 1

The official newsletter of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club • San Luis Obispo County, California

I n s i d eI n s i d eI n s i d eI n s i d eI n s i d eLobby Day 2

Tejon preserved 4

Smart v. dumb 5

Remember Mitchell Park! 6

Cambria’s bad plan 7

An uncommon woman 9

Classifieds 11

Outings 12

Please recycle

This newsletter printed on100% post-consumer recycled paper with

soy-based inks

June 2008Volume 45 No. 6

Santa LucianSanta Lucia Chapter of the Sierra ClubP. O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 84

SAN LUIS OBISPOCA 93401

Protecting andPreserving theCentral Coast

SantaLucian

General Meeting

Our General Meetings areon their annual summerhiatus. See you inSeptember!

- 40 Years on the SLO Coast -Santa Lucia Chapter

1968-2008

continued on page 8

Carrizo: Sun and Shadow

San Joaquin Settlement:PG&E Must Cool It on CCA

On April 11, the California EnergyCommission (CEC) held a meeting --one in a series -- dealing with theproposed thermal solar energy facilityproposed for Carrizo Plain.

The Carrizo Energy Solar Farm(CESF) is designed to generate 177megawatts. The electricity will begenerated with a stream generator.The plant would use curved mirrorsto focus the sun on a system of waterfilled pipes, creating steam to run thegenerators. The facility would have a115-foot cooling tower and 40-footobservation towers. The plant wouldcover one square mile and be en-closed by a 10-foot chain link fence.Ausra, the applicant, has an option tobuy an adjacent 2,000 acres for itsconstruction lay-down site and futureexpansion. Construction could takeup to three years, involve hundreds ofemployees on multiple shifts, andhave 50 permanent employees. ThePlain is remote and difficult to access.

What Price, Solar?by Sue HarveyConservation Committee

The DarklingPlain

By Cal FrenchExecutive Committee

I met a traveler from an antique landWho said: Two vast and trunkless legs ofstoneStand in the desert . . . Near them, on thesand,Half sunk, a shattered visage lies,whose frown,And wrinkled lip, and sneer of coldcommandTell that its sculptor well those pas-sions readWhich yet survive, stamped on theselifeless things,The hand that mocked them, andthe heart that fed.And on the pedestal these wordsappear:”My name is Ozymandias, king ofkings:Look on my works, ye Mighty, anddespair!”Nothing beside remains. Round thedecayOf that colossal wreck, boundlessand bareThe lone and level sands stretch faraway.

- Ozymandias

by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1818)

The Carrizo Plain, known tosome as the Carissa Plains,stretches for hundreds of thou-sands of acres between the CalienteRange and the Temblor Range insoutheastern San Luis ObispoCounty. It is a historic place wherethousands of years ago the firstamong us gathered and shared. Themysteries of their symbolic art par-

tially remain today at Painted Rock, asacred place for peoples from thePacific shore and the vast inland. Byforesight and chance, its southernhalf has been rescued into the Carrizo

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On April 10, the San Joaquin ValleyPower Authority (SJVPA) and PacificGas and Electric Company (PG&E)jointly filed a settlement agree-ment with the California PublicUtilities Commission (CPUC). Theagreement represents a proposedsettlement of the complaint filed bythe SJVPA in June 2007 regardingPG&E’s marketing conduct againstSJVPA’s community choice aggre-gation program. Community Choice Aggregation(CCA) allows California cities andcounties to supply electricity totheir citizens, increase the amount

Implications for SLO as we develop our own Community Choiceplan against opposition from giant utility

www krcd org | www communitychoice info

of non-polluting, renewable energythey use, and maintain local control

from Power Connections, Mar.-Apr. 2008, Kings River Conservation District

2 Santa Lucian • June 2008

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I’d Rather Not Know That

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EDITOR/LAYOUTKaren MerriamCleve NashJack McCurdyEDITORIAL BOARD

The Santa Lucian is published 10 times ayear. Articles, environmental informationand letters to the editor are welcome. Thedeadline for each issue is the 11th of theprior month.

send to:Editor, Santa Lucianc/o Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra ClubP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA [email protected]

Santa Lucia Chapter

2008 Executive CommitteeKaren Merriam CHAIRJack Morrow

Cal French MEMBERJohn Ashbaugh MEMBERSteven Marx TREASURER

Cleve Nash MEMBER [email protected]

Judith Bernstein MEMBER

Cal French COUNCIL OF CLUB LEADERS

Committee ChairsPolitical Chuck TribbeyConservation Sue Harvey [email protected] Cal FrenchActing Program Chair Letty French [email protected] Andy GreensfelderNuclear Power Task Force Rochelle BeckerWaterTask Force Jack Morrow

Other Leaders

Open SpaceGary Felsman 805-473-3694Calendar SalesBonnie Walters 805-543-7051Chapter HistoryJohn Ashbaugh 805-541-6430

ActivitiesOutingsGary Felsman 805-473-3694Canoe/Kayak open

Webmaster Monica Tarzier [email protected]

General InformationSanta Lucia ChapterP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406

Chapter DirectorAndrew [email protected]

Americorps StaffDevelopment CoordinatorKen [email protected]

The Executive Committee meetsthe fourth Tuesday of everymonth at 3:30 p.m. at the chapteroffice, located at 547-B Marsh St.,San Luis Obispo. All membersare welcome to attend.

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Office hours Monday-Friday,11 a.m.- 5 p.m., 547-B MarshStreet, San Luis Obispo

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Denial is not just a river in Egypt, butit does have several intriguingtributaries. When it comes to envi-ronmental issues, two or three ofthese have been running high in ourneck of the woods recently, so whatsay we hop in the kayak and shoot therapids of treacherous logic? Hang ontight!

1. I want to keep doing what I’m do-ing. It is hard to find an off-roadafficionado who will ever admit to thepossibility of significant environmen-tal impacts from his chosen sport. “Iwill give anyone a box of sand and ahammer -- and $100 if they can causeany damage!,” one local exponent ofthe hobby wrote recently, dismissingthe notion of the Oceano Dunes couldbe anything other than a sand-cov-ered automotive playpen. The find-ings of biologists that coastal duneecosystems are rare and fragile; thefact that vehicular destruction of veg-etation at the Oceano-Nipomo com-plex has resulted in accelerated sandencroachment on the stream andwetlands ecosystem there; the deci-sion by SLO County and the Califor-nia Coastal Commission to designateportions of the Oceano Dunes –- in-cluding the County land currentlyused as part of the riding area — asespecially sensitive natural areas thatmust be set aside as buffers for habi-tat protection… none of this makesan impact on the rationale “I want tokeep doing it, therefore what I’mdoing is not a problem.” 2. Pay no attention to that policybehind the curtain. The proponentsof Proposition 98, seeking to amendthe government’s eminent domainpowers, were especially aggrieved bythe ballot argument mounted againsttheir initiative by opponents (and bythe state Legislative Analysts Office insimply summarizing what the mea-sure said) which pointed out that, inaddition to being fake eminent do-main reform and gutting environ-mental laws protecting our air, water,coastline and wildlife, the propositionwould wipe out low-income housingby abolishing rent control. “Proposi-tion 98,” its authors wrote carefully,“will never cause renters who nowhave their rents limited to lose their

current rent control [emphasisadded]. Read Proposition 98, Section6…and you will see that…everyonenow covered by rent controls is fullyprotected.” But a perusal of Section 6revealed exactly how Prop 98 wascrafted to abolish all current and fu-ture rent control immediately, andabolish rent control measures in ef-fect prior to January 1, 2007, as cur-rent tenants move away or die. Why would anyone cite supportingevidence that directly contradictstheir position? Such is the power ofbelief – including the belief that noone will be able to see through yourclever argument. Which brings us to: 3. I like big, shiny, simple solutions.Paul Ehrlich, erstwhile PopulationBomb-er and developer of the sim-plistic equation I=PAT — environ-mental Impacts equal Populationtimes Affluence times Technology —was once a hero to the proponents oftaller fences and increased deporta-tion of undocumented workers as apopulation reduction measure, but hewas disowned by the simple-shiny-solution- to-illegal-immigration co-hort in 2004 because they are allergicto underlying causes and Ehrlich hasimpermissibly deepened his analysis:“What we want to do is develop a for-eign policy that reduces the need ofother people to come here,” he said;“change our agricultural policy sothat farmers in poor countries, in-stead of having to send their childrento the United States to get money,would be able to thrive on their own.But, right now, our trade policies,which are free trade for the rich andhigh tariffs for the poor, are just hurt-ing the poor people of the world andforcing them to try and come andmake a living in our country.” TheSierra Club agrees. The biggest benefactor of big sim-ple solution syndrome today is thenuclear power lobby. When the SantaLucian noted that it would requirethe improbable construction of atleast 1,000 new nuclear power plants– with attendant impossible nuclearwaste storage challenges — to makeany significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a reader wrote

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SavetheSalinasHelp deflect a sand &gravel sandbagging

New Voices, New Stories: SierraClub 2008 Convention, Jun. 21-22

San Luis Obispo County mustweigh and mitigate the impacts ofremoving massive amounts of sandand gravel fromthe bed of the SalinasRiver in the San Miguel area.

There are six applications goingthrough the Planning Departmentthat could permit a total of 492,000cubic yards of material annually,including current permitted mines inthat area.

County Planning was seeking toapprove the applications individuallywith Negative Declarations — i.e.statements that the projects will haveno environmental impacts! The onlything that stopped this from steam-rolling straight through at the May 8meeting of the Planning Commissionwas a letter from the CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Game statingthat upon the agency’s review of thePankey Sand Mine application, theyhad concluded that the a full Envi-ronmental Impact Report should be

prepared. The applicants are nowlooking at a choice between separateEIR’s for each project, or one EIRanalyzing the cumulative impacts ofall the projects. The first permithearing has been continued to anOctober Planning Commissionmeeting.

The applicants and the Countydon’t like either of those choices, andthe pressure is on DFG to change itsmind and let the projects go throughas-is.

TAKE ACTION

Please write, call or send him an e-mail of support and thanks to WilliamE. Louderrmilk at Fish and Game. Asimple thank-you and support for theDepartment’s comments is sufficient.It is very important to thank theDepartment for requiring a fullEnvironmental Impact Report onSalinas River sand and gravel miningoperations in San Luis ObispoCounty. Encourage them to continueto stand by the science and not yield

to pressure from County officials orthe project applicants.

Send your message of thanks to:

William E. LoudermilkRegional Manager California Deptt of Fish and Game1234 East Shaw AvenueFresno, CA 93710559 243-4005Fax: (559) [email protected]

Tom Schweich

Sierra Club California turns a re-spectable 21 years old this year —and you’re invited to celebrate. The Sierra Club California Conven-tion takes place June 21-22 at RanchoEl Chorro in San Luis Obispo. WatchSierra Club California’s website,www.sierraclubcalifornia.org, for de-tails. Seasoned conventioneers will bepleasantly surprised by the deliciousmenu and drawn in by engaging pro-grams and entertainment. Did you think that you had every-thing figured out when you turned21? Sierra Club California sure

doesn’t. That’s why our 21st birthdayparty will include an effort to bring“new voices” to our membership. You’ll hear from Jon Schwedler,organizer for the “Sierra Sportsmen,”who’s trying to bring nontraditionalallies to the Club. We’re also pleasedto welcome Paul Okamoto, a SanFrancisco architect with Okamoto-Saijo Architecture. Since the buildingsector contributes to about 30 per-cent of the greenhouse gas emissionsvia the energy it uses, building de-signers have a real impact on ourcontribution to global warming. We’ll also focus on bringing new

leaders to the club, and on cultivatingthe next generation of young mem-bers. Were you just finding your ownvoice at 21? All across California,many voices make up the Sierra Club.While we speak as one club, everyonehas their own reason for joining. If you’d like to do so, you can shareyour own “Sierra Club Story,” thatwill become an asset to the club andan important reminder of why we’reall here. Come prepared to be inter-viewed by a Sierra Club Californiarepresentative who wants to hearabout your unique commitment toour natural resources. Our delegates rank among our mostcommitted environmentalists, and wewant to share their stories. Of course, we’ll have plenty of busi-ness to attend to as well. Sierra ClubCalifornia will give all of its membersan update on the important battleswe’re fighting at the state Capitol onyour behalf. California truly is birth-ing a new green age, and like mostbirths, it’s a painful process. Your Sacramento representativeswill do their best this year to protectthe Global Warming Solutions Act,AB 32, from attack. Republican law-makers and some California indus-tries want to delay this important law,which will reduce greenhouse gasemissions by billions of metric tons. Sierra Club California also will con-tinue to sponsor a measure that willbring more children into our naturalplaces. Do you remember the firsttime you heard an owl hoot in the

Sierra Club camping event, circa early 20th century.

woods, or watched a spiral of watershimmy past the paddle of yourkayak? Sadly, today’s kids are morelikely to be indoors, hearing elec-tronic noise or watching a digitalscreen. It’s what Richard Louv, in hislandmark Last Child in the Woods,calls “Nature Deficit Disorder.” You’ll learn more about these ef-forts – and how you can help – at theconvention. Keep trackingwww.sierraclubcalifornia.org forinformation.

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

By Colleen Flannery, Sierra Club California Outreach Coordinator

The Salinas in Monterey County -- which SLO County did not bother to inform of its massive river mining plans.

Susan McKee’s acrylic & collage “Visitors toShanghai” is the latest canvas to grace the walls ofChapter HQ in downtown SLO, courtesy of the SanLuis Artists’ Collective. All the paintings on loanfrom the Artists’ Collective can be viewed duringSierra Club office hours, M-F, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Painting of the Month


240,00 Acres of Tejon

On May 8, the Sierra Club and fourother leading environmental organi-zations announced a historic landconservation agreement with theTejon Ranch Company. “The Sierra Club’s Tejon-TehachapiPark Task Force has worked towardthe protection of the unique andcritically important ecologicaltreasures at Tejon,” said Task ForceChair Katherine Squires. “This his-toric agreement achieves that pro-tection. I just think this is extraordi-nary.” The agreement protects ninetypercent of the 270,000-acre ranch inperpetuity. Tejon Ranch is “thelargest contiguous private propertyremaining in California and thekeystone for southern California’snatural legacy,” says Sierra Clubleader Jim Dodson, who representedthe Sierra Club in the negotiations. Vast in size, Tejon Ranch is equallyvast in its biodiversity, as it marks the

Tejon Ranch Co.

Sierra Club Makes History

intersection of the Sierra Nevadas,the coastal range, the San JoaquinValley, and the Mojave Desert. TejonRanch offers a quintessentially Cali-fornian experience of nature. “In oneday, a visitor can see fields of poppiesin the Antelope Valley, travel througha Joshua tree forest, roam ridgetopsof white fir and cedar incense,descend through oak woodlands andcross a vast plain with views todistant peaks at the western edge ofthe Central Valley,” said Bill Corco-ran, who joined Dodson in thenegotiations as Sierra Club’s SeniorRegional Representative. The agreement safeguards theenjoyment of this unique combina-tion of Californian environmentsforever, and will also preserve habitatfor threatened and endangeredspecies on the Ranch, includingCalifornia condor, San Joaquin kitfox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, SanJoaquin antelope squirrel, striped

adobe lily, Bakersfield cactus, Valleyelderberry longhorn beetle andTehachapi slender salamander.Scientists who have worked oncondor recovery for decades havereviewed the development and foundit to be consistent with the bird’srecovery, particularly given the largescale of permanent habitat protectionwon through the agreement. The agreement marked the culmi-nation of twenty months of negotia-tions with the Tejon Ranch Company.“These were very difficult negotia-tions,” said Dodson. “An outstandingteam of some of the state’s best landuse, real estate and environmentallaw attorneys as well as locallyknowledgeable scientists worked withthe conservation organizations toachieve this agreement.” The crucial achievement of thenegotiations was Tejon RanchCompany’s agreement to maintainthe ecological integrity of ninety

percent of the Ranch almost entirelyas one contiguous habitat. Thepreserved lands will consist ofconservation easements in donatedand purchased areas totaling 240,000acres –seven times the size of SanFrancisco. These conservationeasements mean that we haveremoved forever the possibility ofdevelopment on those lands. There are two components to theeasements. First, the Ranch willdedicate without cost 178,000 acresfor conservation. In addition, throughthe state bond fund, and based on afair market price determined by stateappraisal, conservation easementswill be purchased for five potentialdevelopment areas on the ranchtotaling 62,000 acres. From thegovernor down, state officials haveassured the Sierra Club and itspartners that the purchase of ease-ments on Tejon Ranch will be a toppriority. Eventually, when the state budgetallows, approximately 50,000 acres ofthe conserved lands will be acquiredin fee by the state. The agreement establishes aconservancy with a board of 12directors (Four of the directors willbe members of the environmentalgroups party to the agreement; fourwill be from the Ranch. These eightwill choose the remaining four.) Theconservancy will own the easements,enabling it to manage, restore andenhance native diversity on the landprotected through the easements.Ongoing Ranch activities on theconserved lands will be subject to aRanch management plan developedby the Conservancy. In exchange, Sierra Club, theNatural Resources Defense Council,(NRDC), Audubon California, thePlanning and Conservation League,and the Endangered Habitats Leagueagreed not to oppose the proposeddevelopments on the remaining tenpercent of the Ranch. “Not opposingthe developments was a very difficultdecision for the Club, said Corcoran.“It was agreed to in this specificinstance because of the once-in-a-

by Elizabeth Saas, Editor, Southern Sierran - Angeles Chapter

By Letty French

We call them “service” trips, usuallybecause participants are serving theenvironment in some beneficial way.Our recent trip to the Owens Valley tobash tamarisk certainly provided anunusual service: Invasive tamariskremoval. Spring was breaking out all over thevalley; lots of flowers and lots of birds.Our group of nine met Mike Pratherat Diaz Lake near Lone Pine earlySaturday morning. After looking forwaterfowl on the lake and yellow-headed blackbirds among the rushes,we carpooled down to the NorthwestSeep area. We had worked there lastyear, but some of the bashed busheswere waving their feathery leaves atus. Drat, that tamarisk is tough. Cal and Tony got out their chain

Mike took us up in the AlabamaHills, where the wildflowers bloomedprofusely. Scarlet locoweed and In-dian paintbrush competed with yel-low desert dandelions and phaceliafor most colorful. Little brown-eyedevening primrose hid among thesagebrush. A newly made trail led totwo nice natural arches overlooking alot of the Movie Flat area. Mike en-couraged us to visit the Movie Mu-seum which records many of the mo-tion pictures filmed here. Then wereturned to Diaz Lake campgroundfor dinner and early to bed. Sunday was again warm and beauti-ful. We drove around to Keeler andentered the lakebed where LA Dept ofWater and Power is doing their hugerewatering project. The shallow water

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saws and attacked the tree-sizedplants, while others took loppers andhandsaws to use upon the smallerplants. Jackie and Jackie did most ofthe pulling of the cut brush off to-wards the grassy areas. Evidence ofcattle (cow pies) was everywhere, butthe plan was that the cattle dislikedthe loose brush and would avoid thebrush-covered grass. Mike furnishedmost of the tools and he also broughtthe Garlon to spray on the cut stubs.This herbicide is specific for tamarisk,but must be applied within 15 min-utes after a plant is cut. He and I bothfollowed the others, using spraybottles to apply the Garlon very spe-cifically. We took a lunch break andhad demolished the last of the patchbefore 2 o’clock. Hooray!

was filled with birds: thousands ofavocets, a few stilts, scoters, wimbrils,curlews, yellowlegs, and other water-fowl. Small brown birds hung outamong the saltgrass; savannah spar-rows and others. Gulls swarmed insome areas, including a Franklin gull.The morning passed rapidly, and atlunch time we headed back to camp. One last service was in order. Two ofour co-workers and friends had allthe paperwork done to get married,but needed someone to do the hon-ors. . Mike is an amazingly versatileperson: he could do it. So, on a beau-tiful spring day, there at a picnic tableat the base of the snowy Sierra Ne-vada range, he pronounced themhusband and wife. Really a “full ser-vice” trip.

A “Full Service” Weekend


Smart Growth or Dumb Development?

to let us know that he considerednuclear power essential to counteractglobal warming and stated his opin-ion that the “1,000 new reactors”statistic was “fallacious.” The statisticcomes from a 2003 MIT study. It wasa stat our correspondent disliked. Nuclear power emits less carbonthan burning coal and oil – the min-ing-to-decommissioning fuel chainputs it about on a par with naturalgas. Therefore, per the nuclearlobby’s p.r. efforts, we should embracenukes as the solution to global warm-ing. But new nukes cost too much,take too long, and reduce emissionstoo little to be the answer to globalwarming. And they drain funds awayfrom conservation, energy efficiencytechnology, distributed, renewablesources of electricity and combinedheat & power, which beat nukes onall the above counts and thereforereally are the solution, but they don’tlook like one big, shiny, simple solu-tion, and they do not make as muchmoney for investor-owned utilitiesinvested in nuclear power plants. That’s why the nuclear snake-oilsalesmen have been able to makesome headway with their multi-mil-lion dollar p.r. blitz. But in California,they are up against a study by theCalifornia Energy Commission, nowunderway, on the costs, benefits andrisks of continuing to rely on nuclearpower for a portion of our state’s elec-tricity generation. The Alliance forNuclear Responsibility, home-grownhere in SLO, can take a lot of thecredit for bringing that study into

being. The ANR and the Santa LuciaChapter have brought to the CEC’sattention existing studies that theyneed to take into account in weighingthe full cost of nukes versus alterna-tives. Those studies include “EnergyInnovations: A Prosperous Path to aClean Environment” by the Union ofConcerned Scientists, and “Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmapfor U.S. Energy Policy,” published in2007 by the Nuclear Policy ResearchInstitute and the Institute for Energyand Environmental Research. Grover Beach resident RochelleBecker, ANR co-founder and vice-chair of the Sierra Club’s NuclearPower Task Force, has little doubt asto the outcome of the CEC study,provided that it is A) fair and B) com-prehensive. “The future of nuclearpower as an economically viable en-ergy source just isn’t there,” she says.“All the costs of nuclear are going up,and the costs of clean, renewable en-ergy are coming down.” The wealth of data in these studiesmake the conclusion unavoidable. Itmay be unwanted information forthose who don’t want to know whatthey don’t know, but if they do somereading outside their “we neednukes” comfort zone, they mightlearn that you can’t have too muchinformation. And then they might turn someuseful outrage against those whohave been fibbing to us in so manyways for so long for the benefit oftheir industry, and at the expense ofthe public welfare and the planet.

I’d Rather Notcontinued from page 2

by Eric Greening

In the January Santa Lucian, I wrotean article that left the readers to helpdetermine if smart growth in thiscounty would actually mean some-thing or only be a matter of lip ser-vice (www.santalucia.sierraclub.org/lucian/2008/Jan08.pdf). Now, we canno longer take even lip service forgranted; we must struggle first forthe bare survival of the policies, andthen for the implementation that willactually move forward. When the Board of Supervisorsreceived the Planning Commission’srecommended implementing lan-guage for Smart Growth policies,they also faced a seething crowd,many of whose members claimed tohave been given inadequate noticethat the Board was about to cramthese policies down their throats.Given that the Board had adopted thepolicies two years ago at a fully no-ticed public hearing, and that thePlanning Commission had held nofewer than six well-noticed publichearings as they created the imple-mentations they were recommendingto the Board, it is hard to see howsmart growth opponents could per-ceive an element of surprise (many ofthe smart growth opponents werefamiliar POPR faces from the Cayucosviewshed debacle), but at that Boardhearing not only the implementa-tions but the policies themselves wereattacked. Although there were alsosmart growth supporters in thecrowd, the overall tone of the meet-ing led the Board to postpone actionuntil July 15. It is not clear how the choices willbe framed on July 15, but it is abun-dantly clear that if there is a “greatsilent majority” that believes that thesmart growth principles need to beretained in letter and implemented inpractice, such a majority needs toattend this hearing in great numbersand change the tone of the discus-sion. Most of these principles are simplyabout facing reality. As an economybased on cheap oil must eithercrumble or be reinvented, we can nolonger afford to fragment rural landsfor sprawling development. If sprawl-ing development and long commutesrequire the construction or wideningof many miles of road, a huge bill willfall to someone to pay. Although thepresent administration in Sacra-mento has managed to partially shel-ter drivers from the cost of roads bychopping the vehicle license fees and

raising the replacementroad money frombonded indebtedness(Proposition 1B, to bepaid, with compoundinterest, over the next30 years, by today’syoung people), therapid escalation ofthose costs will soonoverwhelm even thathuge effort at denial.According to a recentreport by the Councilof Governments, thecost of the major high-way projects in thiscounty has inflated by131% over barely threeyears, driven by surgesin the cost of energy,asphalt, and steel. An additional cost ofsprawl is now receiving considerableattention. Both state legislation (SB865) and our Central Coast RegionalWater Quality Control Board (revi-sions to Basin Plan Criteria for onsitewastewater systems) are forcing usersof septic tanks to confront the truelong-term costs of depending on suchsystems. It behooves jurisdictionswith land use authority (cities andcounties) throughout the CentralCoast region to halt, or at leastgreatly slow, the creation of new de-velopment that would depend onseptic systems. Even if owners of septic tankscould handle the considerable coststhat come with the new require-ments, the increased rates of septictank pumping contained in these newrequirements will create an overflowof septage beyond the capacity ofwastewater plants to deal with, unlessnew ones are built (do you want onein your neighborhood?) or newsolutions are applied to the problem.And this is true even if further septic-tank-dependent development ishalted—even moreso if such develop-ment continues or accelerates. For those who can’t attend a day-time hearing on July 15 (we won’tknow what time of day until aboutJuly 9), be sure to contact yourSupervisor in advance and make yourwishes known. If you can attend,let’s be the change we want to see inthe world, and arrive on foot, bybicycle, by carpool and by bus! Butmost important, let’s be there innumbers to show our support forreality-based decision making!

You can help make the choice on July 15


Taking IssueSummary: It’s full speed ahead for lots more nuclear power plants everywhere, with onlyminor issuses to be resolved. Everyone at this Congressional hearing, including a senior scientistat the Natural Resources Defense Council, is on board...unless you take a closer look.

problematic environmental coverage & commentary in our local media

This quote is so far out of context, itis questionable whether the reporterattended the hearings or read thestatements of those he quoted. Dr.Cochran said far more than just thatnuclear plants are not economic, andthe missing pieces are revealing both

of industry and media bias. When told of this article, Dr. Cochran said of the reporter,“He did not read my written statement.” In his Summary of Recommendations, Dr. Cochran wrote: “Stop subsidizing theconstruction of new nuclear power plants, and reject further subsidies for new nuclearplants in climate mitigation legislation. The economically inefficient way to mitigateclimate change is to continue to subsidize new nuclear power plants. This will penalizeand slow investment in improved energy efficiency and energy supply technologies thatcan mitigate climate change in less time, with less cost and risk.” Under the heading“Why Congress should cease subsidizing the construction of new nuclear power plants,”Dr. Cochran wrote: “Given their high capital costs, and all the other non-carbonenvironmental liabilities and risks that attend reliance on the nuclear fuel cycle, newnuclear plants are obviously not the first, second, or even third option this body shouldturn to stem the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Put bluntly, anyone orany organization pushing for more taxpayer-funded largesse for nuclear power plants ina climate bill is either seeking inappropriate windfalls for their clients, or is pursuing apoison pill strategy to protect carbon polluters by trying to kill the bill.”

There were lots of other ways proposed, by staff and citizens alike, that would also “help” the issue - but these seemed tofall on stubbornly deaf ears. Real solutions require leadership: a cooperative and responsive Mayor, and council mem-bers that will do some critical thinking instead of just bemoaning this “difficult” decision in an election year. ... I trustmany voters will see through this charade in November. The council’s individual comments were so illustrative and Iurge everyone to review the transcripts or videos of the meeting. These are our elected officials: we should expect a little more than “honorthy elders” as a reason to reject the recommendations of three advisory boards and overturn the Master Plan of a beloved park. -Ellyn

“Lawmakers portray nuclear as the key part of future U.S. energy,” by David Whitney, The Tribune, April 24, 2008

“Nuclear power is in the mix,” said ThomasCochran, a senior nuclear scientist at theNatural Resources Defense Council. “It’s amature industry. When it can compete, weshould let it. The problem is that newnuclear plants are not economic.”

James Asseltine, a formermanaging director of LehmanBros. concentrating on theelectricity business, predictedthat the cost of new nuclearplants “will be in line with coalgeneration.”

Upshot:The nuclear industry has plenty of our ratepayer and taxpayer dollars with which to influencethe public without reporters going out of their way to misrepresent the words of those whoquestion the wisdom of continuing down a radioactive path.

Dr. Cochran was not the only personquoted out of context in the article.Aside from the fact that this state-ment is unsubstantiated, it is alsomisleading. Mr. Asselstine in his tes-timony stated over and over thatsubsidies totaling tens of billions ofdollars today and more in the futurewould be needed to ensure thenuclear industry’s success. Those

wishing to seek out the facts on their own can read his full testimony at:http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/Commdocs/hearings/2008/Full/23apr/Asselstine_Testimony.pdf

Summary: SLO Mayor Dave Romero and councilmen Paul Brown and Andrew Carter disregarded three advisorybodies and the overwhelming majority of public testimony in order to junk a planned community garden and put in tenparking spaces for the Senior Center @ $19,500 per space. The Tribune’s take: Get over it, and don’t make a politicalissue out of the Council’s vote. We can’t improve on the public responses, as posted tothe Tribune’s website:

“Let bygones be bygones in Mitchell Park,” editorial opinion of the Tribune, May 9, 2008

Upshot:At a moment when food security is becoming one of the world’s most critical issues and “buy/consume locally” the watchword of the day, the City Council optedfor more pavement over a community garden. The Tribune and the majority of the SLO City Council failed to grasp what was at stake in the Mitchell Park issue,and the necessity of having a vision for the future of one’s city beyond “pave it all and let God sort it out.” They also don’t seem to grasp the meaning of thephrase “the will of the people.” Come November, voters have every right to remind those who ignored it just what that principle means.

Wrong, wrong, wrong decision. Carter, Romero and Brown made a serious error injudgement. An overwhelming majority spoke against this decision to ignore the MasterPlan and put in a parking lot instead of a garden. Three advisory bodies voted against it(Architectural Revew, Cultural Heritage, and Parks & Recreation Commissions), ObispoBeautiful voted against it. Most of us who were there are permanent residents - not CalPoly students as one of the posters here continues to insist, despite the facts (though I for one am glad to have theirinvolvement). No one at all spoke against seniors. Many of those speaking against the parking lot were seniorsthemselves. - chickadee

Let me understand this. More than 5-1 in the audience were against the parking spaces. 3 Advisory Bodies voted againstthe parking spaces. There is a probability that a new Senior Center at another location is in the master plan. And yet, a3-2 majority voted to support paving a parking lot. Hmmm....what is wrong with this picture? Well, I hope the votingcitizens of San Luis Obispo show how they truly feel during the elections - where their voice will matter. -caringcitizen

Do not, we repeat, donot inflate parking into amajor issue in theupcoming councilelection.


Cambria’s Water Plan is All WetIt should come as no surprise to any-one who’s been following the desalfollies of the Cambria CommunityServices District that the recentlyissued Environmental Impact Reportfor the Cambria Water Master Plan isvirtually all about the District’s deter-mination to build a desal plant and isfilled with confidence in its ability todo so, despite the evidence. In January 2007, the Cambria Com-munity Services District tried to getapproval from the California CoastalCommission to construct testwells for a desalination plant. As itbecame obvious in the course of thehearing that the Commission wasgoing to deny the permit due to itsfailure to conform with the CaliforniaCoastal Act, the CCSD managed tosnatch it off the table with a promiseto come back with a new, improvedproject in a few months. They cameback, the project was still found to bein violation of the Coastal Act, andthe Coastal Commission denied thepermit. Going down for the thirdtime, the CCSD asked for a reconsid-eration of the Coastal Commission’sdenial on grounds of insufficient in-formation: The District had chosennot to mention the nature of the con-nection between the test wells andthe desalination plant that would bebuilt if the well data showed that adesal plant would be feasible. (“Frag-menting” a proposed project masksits impacts or makes them appear lesssignificant.) They failed again. When reading the Master Plan EIR,three things quickly become clear: 1)As with the ill-fated beach wellsproject, the CCSD is once again at-tempting to gain project approvalwithout submitting the details of theproject for review, 2) the CambriaCSD has done a great job of convinc-ing everyone that it needs to build adesalination plant, and 3) Cambriadoesn’t really need to build a desali-nation plant. Here’s why: The state and nationalaverage for water consumption is 95-100 gallons per capita per day;Cambria’s is 90 gpcd. The Master Planproposes that this be increased to amassively unsustainable 135 gpcd,based on a concept, never defined,that the draft EIR refers to as a “qual-ity of life” bonus. This apparentlyentitles one to 50 percent more waterper year than what would be calcu-lated otherwise from the baseline setin 2000 by the Coastal Commissionfor limiting diversions from SantaRosa and San Simeon Creeks. With-

space – The Cambria Land Trust,Surfrider Foundation, the Desal Re-sponse Group of Environment NOWand the Sierra Club have submittedcomments on the Water Master Planthat pointed out the foregoing, aswell as the following imminent viola-tions of the California EnvironmentalQuality Act contained in the MasterPlan’s Draft EIR: No evaluation of the cumulative

impacts of the project’s contributionto increased traffic, population, urban

footprint, air pollution, demands onpublic services, etc. Impacts are con-sidered only within separate catego-ries — Land Use, Biological Re-sources, Water Resources, etc. –minus the legally required evaluationof the impacts of, say, a change inland use on biological and/or waterresources.

for landscaping and irrigation would,conservatively, reduce by 15 percentthe water drawn from the aquifer. No semblance of objectivity in

scoring possible long-term watersupply strategies, with desal jiggeredto come out on top despite the factthat local, smaller scale, less expen-sive, easier-to-permit projects couldprovide additional water for both resi-dents and groundwater supply if de-signed appropriately. We pointed out the numerous pub-

lic sources for funding of water recy-cling and conservation programs thatthe draft EIR omitted, thereby mak-ing it appear that public funding of adesal plant is virtually a sure thing bycomparison. We have little confidence thatCambria’s growth will stop at 4,650connections given that the desalina-

derstated.” In trying to make the case for desalwithout fully assessing itsenvironmental impacts, the CCSDrepeatedly runs afoul of the legal re-quirements of the California Environ-mental Quality Act throughout theWater Plan’s Draft EnvironmentalImpact Report. The Final EIR needsto address and correct all of the seri-ous deficiencies noted above, and takea very close look at the “quality oflife” bonus.

And ThenThere’s theMercury...Nine years ago, the Central CoastRegional Water Quality Control Boardreleased the report “Inactive MetalMines in Four San Luis ObispoCounty Watersheds: Surface WaterQuality Impacts and Remedial Op-tions.” Several of the operations listedwere mercury mines that dischargedinto Santa Rosa and San Simeoncreeks for decades. David Schwartzbart of the regionalboard agrees that “common senseand natural processes” would indicatethat there may be legacy mercury-tainted deposits of sediment at themouth of San Simeon Creek andwhere the creek mouth has changedover the years of active mining, aswell as down-current. Might the establishment of desalpumping or test well sites disturbburied deposits of mercury contami-nant at the nearshore base of the foodchain? Might source water obtainedfrom any such site in a desalinationoperation that pulls water throughsand into beach wells disturb and/orcarry legacy mercury? The Water Board is not listed as aconsulting agency for the CambriaWater Master Plan EIR, which refersto this subject exactly once, in thesection on Geology and Soils, whereit simply notes that “there are a num-ber of abandoned mines nearCambria,” and that the mines thatproduced mercury were abandoned in1992. On the implications of this for hu-man health and the marine environ-ment, the Cambria Community Ser-vice District’s plan to build a desalplant near the mouth of San SimeonCreek is silent.

Deficient analysis spells unfettered growth and serious harm to marine environment

When the average Californian uses 95 gallonsper capita per day, is it appropriate to sacrificeany public resource or endure any impact sothat the people of Cambria can have 135 gpcd?out this “bonus,” Cambria’s futurewater needs can be met by water rec-lamation and recycling, conservationand local storage. (This conclusionrequires updating the CCSD’sbaseline water supply figures fromthe ones used in the EIR to reflect thefact that, after the baseline was estab-lished, Cambria gained access to wa-ter from retired ag irrigation rights inboth its water basins.) The Otter Project, ECOSLO, Green-

No description or analysis ofchanges the project will bring (i.e.864 new water connections andhomes built). No numeric targets for easily

achievable reductions in indoor wateruse or requirement for natural land-scaping, which would require no fer-tilizer and no additional water. No acknowledgment that replac-

ing potable water with recycled water

tion plant would be operating atapproximately 50 percent capacity(about half the year) and will bebuilt in a modular fashion so thatit can be easily enlarged. We concluded: “The project de-scription overrates desalinationand underrates living within localmeans through local solutions,water recycling and conservation.The growth-inducing aspects ofthe desalination proposal are un-


PG&E vs. CCAcontinued from page 1

Plain National Monument. Its north-ern half is an admixture of two and ahalf acre ranchettes, productive farm-land, and large ranches and range-land. On this plain, loneliness anddeath mix with opportunity and hope. In the southern, Monument-half ofthe plain a new but all-too-familiarOzymandias has come again. VintagePetroleum, a subsidiary of Occidental,wants to see if it can find oil and gasin the 30,000 acres of sub-surfacemineral rights it retained during thepurchases of old ranches by the Na-ture Conservancy, lands that nowform part of the national monument.Vintage has notified the Bureau ofLand Management (BLM) that itwants to test, to thump and poundwith mechanical rabbits and to ex-plode underground charges. Thefeedback, recorded on sophisticated,state-of the-art screens and strips ofpaper, could trigger the growth of aniron forest of drilling rigs and pumpswithin a few miles of those ancientsymbols hand painted long ago onrock. The Vintage proposal, based on cer-tain concepts of law, clashes with themonument-creating presidentialproclamation, which was based onother concepts of law. Within thislegal thicket, a fight to protect themonument might be fought. TheBLM has an obligation to protectwhat are called the “objects” on themonument: the threatened andendangered animals and plants, theNative American sites, the vistas,and other “objects.” The WildernessSociety (TWS), which has been theleading national environmentalorganization speaking on behalf ofprotecting the basic values of themonument, is challenging this pro-posed exploration. Joined by theSierra Club, the Natural ResourcesDefense Council and the local LosPadres Forest Watch, TWS says that,according to the National Environ-mental Protection Act, an Environ-mental Impact Statement (EIS) needsto be prepared for the oil testing pro-gram because of “context” (society asa whole), “intensity” (severity of theimpact), and “unique characteristics”(cultural resources, ecological criticalareas). The project could be highlycontroversial—who wants to see“thumper trucks” or feel test explo-sions or see the associated equipmenton a national monument? Also, if the testing is allowed on themonument, how would that set aprecedent for testing on other federalland? Other controversies are likelyregarding the “loss or destruction ofsignificant scientific, cultural, or his-torical resources.” The threatenedand endangered species—especiallythe giant kangaroo rat—on themonument could be adversely af-fected by vibrator trucks, pads, explo-sives, and associated activities. Imagine now that the legal chal-lenges and protests about the testingfor oil fail to stop the thumps andexplosions, which could begin in thesummer of 2009. Imagine that oil isfound. Imagine that Soda Lake Road,which runs for 40 some milesthrough the monument, looks likethe roads from Maricopa toMcKittrick western Kern County, aplain of jarring, occasionally nodding,occasionally rusted and abandonedpumping rigs, webs of roads, gates,fences, and weed patches. in somedistant future when the heavy crudeoil is sucked out of the earth. Thiswill be what a national monument

Carrizocontinued from page 1

was created for. This will be part ofthe National Landscape ConservationSystem. The trunkless legs of ironwill remain. The well-heads will beempty. Across this landscape lie aban-doned and dented grain storagetanks, empty barns and farmhouses,and wrecks of combines, all testa-ments to the harshness of the climateand the remoteness from markets.More hopeful are the increasingherds of elk and prong-horns and thespread of native bunch grasses andforbs from seed banks in the nearbymountains. The Carrizo Plain National Monu-ment could become another monu-ment of failure and to death: thedeath of a culture that preserved itselffor millennia without destroying itsnatural roots and the more recentdeath of something that lasted but afew years in the plans of environmen-tal preservers and restorers and in thedreams of Marlene Braun, themonument’s first manager. It couldjust as well become a monument toour capacity to treasure and preserveour heritage of wild places. North of the national monument,the traveler in this “antique land” willfind the scattered community calledCalifornia Valley, which extends sev-eral miles in all directions. It is acommunity service district of SanLuis Obispo County. Fueled by specu-lation in the 1960s and squared off bymainly untraveled roads, its occa-sional neat bungalows contrast withrusty house trailers or campers usedas residences, horse corrals, and ac-cumulated debris. Community life,from many reports, is rife with dis-

of electric rates, taking rate-settingout of the hands of investor-ownedutilities. Public utilities nationwidehave been able to offer rates up to 20percent lower than investor-ownedutilities. All CCA decisions are ac-countable to local customers. “The settlement agreement is in thebest interest for the customers thatwe seek to serve and the communitiesthat we represent,” stated SJVPAChair Tom Haglund. “It acknowledgesthat PG&E has changed its positionfrom neutrality to one of oppositionand therefore establishes rules ofconduct that must be followed as wemove forward.” Key features of the settlement:

· PG&E agrees that it will providefunctional separation between itsmarketing activities and its utilityactivities. Separation of activitiesaddresses a key concern raised bySJVPA, that PG&E’s use of its statusas the incumbent, monopoly utilityhas caused customer confusion andunfairly thwarted competition. PG&Ewill provide an explicit disclaimerstating, among other things, thatPG&E’s shareholders are paying forits marketing activities and that suchactivities reflect the views of PG&E’s

shareholders, not PG&E’s customers.SJVPA also agreed to provide a dis-claimer noting that the services pro-vided by SJVPA are provided bySJVPA, not its participating cities andcounties.· PG&E acknowledges that partici-pating cities and counties have trans-ferred to SJVPA their respectiverights to serve customers, and thatSJVPA’s board of directors is respon-sible for governing the CommunityChoice program. PG&E agrees tomake good faith efforts to addressconcerns regarding the CommunityChoice program directly with SJVPA’sboard of directors, instead of indi-

rectly with the councils and boards ofparticipating cities and counties. “Without the interim code of con-duct that the settlement provides,PG&E would be able to use its inher-ent advantages as a monopoly utilityto unfairly market against the SJVPAwithout properly identifying that itsstrategy is one of serving its share-holders,” said Haglund. “Without theagreement, PG&E’s activities wouldcontinue to disrupt the implementa-tion of the SJVPA program. It givesthe SJVPA the ability to move forwardwith bringing the benefits of Commu-nity Choice to customers and othercities and counties.” The agreement between SJVPA andPG&E will likely have carryover effectto other cities and counties that areworking on implementing commu-nity choice aggregation. The SJVPA isaware of efforts by PG&E to marketagainst other programs in MarinCounty and the City and County ofSan Francisco. This is an interim settlement. TheCPUC may develop overall marketingstandards for community choice ag-gregation at a later rulemaking pro-cedure, and neither SJVPA nor PG&Eis precluded from participating in thedevelopment of those marketing stan-dards.

putes and unhappiness with neigh-bors and with the county. To the north of this communityand Highway 58 (the Carissa High-way) are large holdings that extendfor miles north, east and west. Theseranches all have a long history. Fol-lowing the end of the Spanish mis-sion system with its scattered cattleherding, the acquisition of Californiaby the United States, and then theCivil War, Americans—including re-cent European immigrants—movedinto California. On and around theCarrizo Plain, descendants of originalfamilies from the 1870s still farm andranch. They have bought old home-steads, raised cattle, farmed wheatand barley, and lived lives few peoplethese days comprehend or appreciate.Their neighbors and relatives to thedrier south sold their ranches andfarms as hard times set in. Low rain-fall, low grain prices, and high fuelcosts made farming a losing battle forsome. The Nature Conservancy (TNC)and California Fish and Game ac-quired ranch after ranch and TNCdonated land to the BLM that becameCarrizo Plain Natural Area and, in2000, a national monument. In this northern part of the plainthe Ausra Corporation, based in PaloAlto, has purchased more than asquare mile of land and plans to builda solar power plant using mirrors,tubes, towers, and turbines to gener-ate 177 megawatts of electricity. Twomore companies have followed suit(see “What Price, Solar?” in this is-sue). A set of two 230-kilovolt linesruns through this part of the plain;whether or not the lines can contain

all the electricity from the projects isdebatable. Meanwhile, desert activistsand others are questioning this entirepush for solar in remote areas, won-dering if projects such as SouthernCalifornia Edison’s solar roofing ofwarehouses in San Bernardino andRiverside counties could generate theneeded power during late afternoonand early evening hours that wouldoffset the need for additional powerplants fueled by natural gas, nuclearfission, and other non-renewables.Certainly, solar plants are needed aswell. Yet environmentalists continueto ask, Why can’t solar electricity begenerated close to where it will beused? And so the lands of the CarrizoPlain National Monument, partiallyrestored to natural life by a presiden-tial proclamation in 2000, are threat-ened from within by the prospect ofoil exploration and drilling and fromwithout by the changes that will ac-company industrialized solar genera-tion. One of Barry Commoner’s “lawsof ecology” is that there is no freelunch. We cannot reduce our con-sumption of carbon and nuclear fuelwithout conservation and withoutsubstitution of renewable energy. Onthis “lone and level” plain we will seein whose favor notes of promise writ-ten in the presidential proclamationof 2000 and the accumulated deficitsto the stewardship of our naturalheritage will balance out. We will seeif a few more drops of heavy crudecan be sucked from the earth. We willsee if in our urgency to save theplanet, we have buried our heads inthe sand and neglected its beauty.


Ausra estimates that the plant willuse 22 AFY of water and infrequentlya peak daily usage of 700,000 gallonsper day. CEC staff is concerned thatCarrizo Plain may currently be in anoverdraft situation. According toCEC documents, the safe yield of theaquifer is 600 AFY. The existing wa-ter demand is 930 afy and projectedto rise in the future. The Carrizo has been the ancestralhome of the Chumash Indians for aslong as 15,000 years. The environmental impacts will beassessed by the CEC under a processcalled Preliminary Assessment whichclosely parallels a CEQA review. The environmentalimpacts are extensive.The Carrizo Plain andthe Carrizo NationalMonument are hometo several federallyendangered, threat-ened and rare speciesincluding the SanJoaquin Kit Fox,blunt-nose leopardlizard, San Joaquinantelope squirrel, andthe giant kangaroorat. It provides habi-tat for many listedspecies including theCalifornia jewelflower,Hoover’s wool-starand San Joaquinwoolythreads. Other state and fed-erally listed endan-gered species or spe-cies of concern thatcould be affected bythe project includethe Tulare grasshoppermouse, Tipton kangaroorat, and Pallid bat. The Carrizo is critical habitat forthe condor, and has thriving herds ofreintroduced pronghorn antelope andTule elk. The location proposed forthe plant and the lay-down area arefavorite pasturing and calving sitesfor the antelope. Fencing will impedethe movement of these and otheranimals. A variety of raptors use thearea for roosting, nesting, foragingand wintering.

The site and construction lay-downarea are bisected by an environmen-tally significant water carrying swale.If it is determined that this drainageis under the jurisdiction of the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service through theEndangered Species Act Section 10process, the preparation of a HabitatConservation Plan will be required. Incidental Take Permits andStreambed Alteration Permits may berequired and would be under the ju-risdiction of California Fish andGame. Fish and Game has deter-mined that this project would likelyresult in a “take” of the Californialisted and Federally endangered San

gate habitat loss. Habitat of equal orhigher biological value would be re-quired for off-site mitigation California Department of Fish andGame has determined that “Theproject would create a substantial,permanent, impermeable barrier forpronghorn at the highway (58) andwithin the core of one group’s homerange. It would further degrade con-nectivity between all of the prong-horn groups in San Luis Obispocounty.” (Document submitted toCEC by DFG, March 26, 2008.) In addition to this proposal, Opti-solar has initialized discussions withthe county for the permitting of a 550

We Do PayPal!

Hero of the HourBill Denneen em-braces thoroughlysurprised CountyPlanning Commis-sioner SarahChristie at theMay 18 EcoSummitafter naming herthe recipient of the2008 EnvironmentalHero award. Billgives out the awardevery year at theannual forum,hosted by the Envi-ronmental Center ofSan Luis Obispo,designed to connectindividuals and or-ganizations workingon environmentalissues facing theCentral Coast.

David Kirk, ESOSLO

On May 18, Anne McMahon (left) moderated an EcoSummit panel discussion on the solar power proposals for Carrizo Plainwith Ken Haggard, Pat Veesart and Cal Poly physics professor Peter Schwartz.

lifetime opportunity to protect 90%of the Ranch.” The Conservancy will ensure thepublic’s enjoyment of the Ranch.Plans for public access include a new49,000-acre state park and realign-ment of the Pacific Crest Trailthrough the heart of the Ranch. Thenew conservancy will offer managedpublic access throughout the con-served areas of the Ranch. According to Graham Chisolm ofAudubon California, the agreement“included some pullbacks in develop-ment on some important foragingridges” for condors. At the pressconference announcing the agree-ment. Chisolm also noted that“during the course of negotiations,we had the opportunities to engagewith and work closely with a numberof condor experts [which] reallyallayed our concerns about theimpact that the projects on the Ranchwould have for the California condor.” There are several reasons whySierra Club activists pursued anegotiated settlement. Tejon Ranch isalready divided into over one thou-sand legal parcels, and there wasnothing to stop the publicly tradedcorporation from selling off parts ofthe Ranch to developers. Had thathappened, it would have beenvirtually impossible to arrive at theconservation outcome of this agree-ment. The limited availability of stateand federal funding for a full acquisi-tion of the Ranch, coupled with anunwilling seller, would have made itvery difficult to acquire the entireranch outright. Tens of thousands ofacres of the ranch that are protectedunder the agreement are readilydevelopable, and fighting develop-ments one at a time likely would haveresulted in more development acrossthe Ranch. Kate Allen, Chair of the AntelopeValley Group, said “I voted in favor ofit. [Those involved in the negotia-tion] worked very hard, and theAntelope Valley Group supports theagreement. It’s a great achievement.”Kent Schwitkis, Chair of the OutingsManagement Committee, said of thepublic access the agreement calls for,“I heartily support this agreement,which will one day enable our mem-bership to visit and explore this toolittle-known place.” Gordon Nipp, Vice Chair of theKern-Kaweah Chapter, added “Acouple of years ago, I wouldn’t havethought anything like this waspossible. We’re talking about pre-serving 240,000 acres of incrediblyimportant land, incredibly beautifulland, and that’s where the focusshould be.”

Jennifer Robinson contributed to thereporting of this story.

Tejoncontinued from page 4

The Santa Lucia Chapter has plungedheadlong into the 21st century andmade it possible for you to donate tous electronically, 24 hours a day,without our asking you to (but wewill keep asking you to). Go towww.santalucia.sierraclub.org andlook for thefriendlyorangebutton.

Solarcontinued from page 1

Joaquin Kit Fox and may affect otherlisted species. Impacts to State listedspecies under the California Endan-gered Species Act (CESA) must befully mitigated, a standard muchmore stringent than CEQA’s require-ment to mitigate to less than signifi-cant level. The site impacts Wildlifeand Habitat Corridors and wouldlikely require habitat mitigation at aration higher than 4:1 to fully miti-

MW photovoltaic facility adjacent tothe CESF site. The Opti-solar plantwould cover eight square miles. Thisfacility would be likely to generatesimilar environmental impacts. Thecumulative impacts of the two facili-ties on the Carrizo Plain would beconsiderable. The approval process will take up toa year.


Pismo Beach: Carbon Bigfoot

What You Can Do to Stop Global Warming

By Terry Lilley, Save Our Seas

In the rainforest of South Americathe Nature Conservancy is planningon planting over one billion trees tohelp save the planet while at the sametime in Pismo Beach hundreds oftrees have been cut down with Cityapproval. In its role as gateway to atourist mecca for off-roaders whopollute the air with their four-wheeldrive vehicles, Pismo can claim one ofthe largest carbon footprints in thestate of California. In the USA, the average “carbonfootprint” per person is over ten tonsper year. In China it is about 2 tonsper person per year. The rest of theworld is much less. In Pismo Beach,the average carbon footprint per per-son is one hundred tons, thanks inlarge part to the individuals who helptear up the beaches with their ve-hicles. Robert Swan, skipper of theVoyager For Cleaner Energy, whichdocked recently in Morro Bay, has acarbon footprint formula he uses inhis talks around the globe. Pluggingin emissions figures for off-road ve-hicles and Swan’s figures on the totalnumber of vehicles that visit thePismo dunes produces this stagger-ing stat. The City is very happy to take in taxmonies from off-road tourism, butthey spend next to nothing to purgethe carbon left behind that is pollut-ing our once beautiful environment.The 4-wheel-drive tourist spends$300 on his stay leaves behind a messthat us citizens will need to clean up. Truly, Pismo needs to clean up itsact. I am a biologist and graduate ofCal Poly. I have studied the environ-

Global warming got you down? Wor-ried about ice caps and glaciers melt-ing, species disappearing, hurricanes,floods, and tornadoes? (Not to men-tion possible water shortages insouthern California.) If you’re like me, you often use thevery human mechanism of denial tocope with this fear. Sometimes I sim-ply skip over newspaper articles aboutthe latest bird species annihilation orprediction of coral death. There’s alimit to the bad news I can take inone day! At the same time, however, as hu-mans we all have a “fight or flight”impulse when faced with danger.Since we can’t flee the Earth–in factwe love it and don’t want to — mostof us southern Sierrans also fightagainst global warming. You buy yourcompact fluorescents, use cloth shop-ping bags, maybe walk or ride yourbike more or even get a Prius.Do you ever wish you could do more? The Global Warming, Energy & AirQuality Committee of the SierraClub’s Angeles Chapter is offering anew way to fight global warming—one that utilizes our collective cloutto oppose special interest lobbyistswho don’t seem to take seriously theheating up of the earth. Here’s what you can do: two years

ago the California legislature enacteda global warming bill, AB 32, whichcreated a model for the nation. Whatyou may not know is that while pass-ing the bill is a huge victory, the de-tails of implementing it are not yetspecified. As you read this, the Cali-fornia Air Resources Board (CARB) ismaking implementation decisionsthat will make or break this law. If oiland auto industry and other specialinterest lobbyists have their way,they’ll gut the bill. The Club has a great lobbying staffin Sacramento, but you and I and thethousands of others Club members inour state also have a great deal ofpotential power. To make that powerreality, we are asking you to partici-pate in a series of email campaignstelling CARB the specific, strong mea-sures that we want them to include inthe implementation of AB 32. If you email us at:[email protected], I’llsend you the suggested text of ourfirst email to send to CARB. It’s amessage to insist that, if the state setsup a cap and trade system for carbonemissions – as is very likely – that theright to emit greenhouse gases besold at auction, rather than givenaway to polluters in a “cap and trade”scheme. Revenue from these permits

could then go for the public benefit,such as for promoting clean energyand helping low income people payhigh utility bills. If you don’t useemail, please see the “For Snail MailUsers” box below for the suggestedtext of a snailmail letter youcan send. You can learnmore about thisissue by watch-ing Sierra ClubExecutive Direc-tor Carl Popeexplain “cap-and-auction” in 45seconds atwww.sierraclubcalifornia.org orby reading ourCap and AuctionDesign PositionPaper atwww.sierraclubcalifornia.org/globalwarming.html The future of lifeon this planet de-pends on control-ling greenhouse gasemissions. You canplay a crucial role inmaking sure Califor-

nia lives up to the promise to controlthose emissions. Please email us to-day [email protected].

For Snail Mail Users:

If you’d like to send a snail mail letter, please personalize

this text:

Mary Nichols, Chair

California Air Resources Board

1001 “I” Street

P.O. Box 2815

Sacramento, CA 95812

Dear CARB Chair Nichols,

If California, as seems likely, sets up a system requiring

large polluters to hold permits for their emissions, it is

essential that polluters pay for permits to emit green-

house gases. Permits to pollute should not be given away

free. A good way to set prices of these permits would be

through an auction to provide a real incentive for pollut-

ers to reduce carbon emissions. An auction will also raise

needed revenue for promoting clean energy and for pro-

gram administration.

Thank you for your work on this important issue.

Your name and address

Please send copies to Global Warming E & AQ Commit-

tee, Angeles Chapter, 3435 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 320, Los

Angeles, CA 90010.

ment along our coastline above andbelow the sea for 25 years, almostevery day. I have published many ar-ticles, give lectures worldwide, own aprivate zoo, am doing a TV series onour undersea environment and have aDVD series about our local wildlife. Ialso help run a non profit organiza-tion that studies the ocean and edu-cate children at www.saveourseas.org.In the last twenty years, this is what Ihave seen and documented in thePismo Beach area:- 80% of the trees cut down- 90% of the black crowned night

herons killed.- 90% of the best wetland and bluffhabitat built on.- Millions of gallons of polluted runoffwashed into the tide pools from de-velopment projects.- More than 50 illegal seawall addi-tions built on our coastal bluffs.- The sensitive dune ecosystem basi-cally destroyed.- The creeks filled with silt, bacteriaand plastics. Illegal fireworks have scared off allof the nesting peregrine falcons andmany of the night herons, despite

By Kathy Seal, Angeles Chapter, Global Warming, Energy & Air Quality Committee

more than 100 complaints filed withthe police department and the City. The City of Pismo Beach needs tocatch up with the rest of the state andthe coastal communities that arebecoming keenly aware of the threatof green house gas emissions andtaking serious steps to curb this di-sastrous form of pollution. Pismo needs to plug its black holeof carbon emissions and carbon-sinkdestruction. It is time for citizens todemand a change.

Train Day Rocks!

Amtrak volunteer station docent David Weisman(above, center) with assistants at the San LuisObispo Amtrak station, one of a dozen across thestate that marked the first national celebrationof Train Day on May 10. Hundreds of train fanspacked the station and toured the trains. As allgood Sierra Clubbers know, rail travel is the mostenergy-efficient transportation option going,taking 20 percent less juice than airlines and 27percent less than cars per passernger mile, andemitting up to 12 times less pollution per milethan trucks. Railroads reduce the amount of paved roadsand parking lots. The U.S. desparately needsmore modern rail corridors and less airportexpansion for short-haul air traffic. Get on board!


ClassifiedsNext issue deadline is June 11. Toget a rate sheet or submit your adand payment, contact:Sierra Club - Santa Lucia ChapterP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA [email protected]

Local Government Meetings

City of SLO--1st & 3rd Tues., 7:00 p.m.;781-7103

Arroyo Grande--2nd and 4th Tues., 7:00p.m.; 473-5404

Atascadero--2nd & 4th Tues.;466-8099

Cambria CSD -- 4th Thurs.;927-6223

Grover Beach--1st & 3rd Mon., 6:30p.m.; 473-4567

Grover Beach Planning Commission--2nd Tues.

Morro Bay--2nd & 4th Mon.

Paso Robles--1st & 3rd Tues., 7:00p.m.; 237-3888

Pismo Beach--1st Tues., 5:30 p.m.; 773-4657

Los Osos CSD board-- 1st Tues. & 2ndMon., varies

California Coastal Commission-- 3rdTues., varies

SLO County Board of Supervisors--every Tues.; 781-5450

SLO Council of Governments;781-4219

SLOCOG Citizens Advisory Committee--1st Wed. every other month, 6:00 p.m.

SLOCOG Board--1st Wed. every othermonth, 8:30 a.m.

7 11

Building an awakenedcommunity.

For schedule, trailers, info, andreviews of films at SLO Library,go to www.hopedance.org

CFLs contain 1/100 less mercury than a thermometer. It’sillegal to throw CFLs in the trash. Return UNBROKEN usedCFLs to a local participating “take back” store. BROKENfluorescent bulbs, or any mercury containing products,should be disposed of with hazardous waste. If a CFL bulbbreaks, treat it like any toxic product; be careful not to inhalethe mercury. Use a wet rag for clean up; put all pieces, andthe rag, into a plastic bag to take to a hazardous wastedisposal site listed in the back of your phone book.

Recycle mercury containing Fluorescent Tubes and CFLs atcounty “Take Back” locations. See complete listing of loca-tions at Integrated Waste Management (IWMA) links belowhttp://www.iwma.com/ http://www.iwma.com/directory-aj/ fluorescent%20tubes% 20and%20bulbs.html

[email protected]

541-2716 [email protected]

Law Offices of Jan Howell MarxA Client Centered Practice

BusinessMediation

Environmental LawElder LawReal Estate

Wills and Trusts


Photo by Joaquin Palting

Outings and Activities Calendar

Hiking Classifications:

Distance: 1 = 0-2 mi., 2 = 3-5 mi.,3 = 6-9 mi., 4 =10-12 mi.,5 = 12 mi. or more.

Elevation Gain: A = 500',B = 1000', C = 1500', D = 2000',E = 2500', F = 3000' or more.

All of our hikes andactivities are open to all Clubmembers and the generalpublic. If you have anysuggestions for hikes oroutdoor activities, questionsabout the Chapter’s outingpolicies or would like to be anoutings leader, call OutingsLeader Gary Felsman (473-3694). For information on aspecific outing, please contactthe outing leader. OutingsLeaders please get youroutings or events in by the 1stfor the next month’s outings.

This is a partial listing ofOutings offered by our chapter.

Please check the web pagewww.santalucia.sierraclub.orgfor the most up-to-date listing

of activities.

July 18-21;4 islands ($775)August 23-27; September 13-17;5 islands ($925)

Explore the wild, windsweptislands of Channel Island Na-tional Park. In spring the islandsare ablaze with wildflowers. Insummer, the pristine waters ofthe Marine Sanctuary enticeswimmers, snorkelers andkayakers. All year long, enjoyunusual plants and flowers, sealsand frolicking sea lions, sea andland birds. All cruises depart from SantaBarbara aboard the 68’ twindiesel Turth. Fee includes anassigned bunk, all meals, snacks,beverages, plus the services of aranger/naturalist who will travelwith us to lead hikes on eachisland and point out interestingfeatures. To make a reservation mail a $100check, payable to Sierra Club, to leader:Joan Jones Holtz, 11826 The Wye St.,

Island Hopping in Channel Islands National ParkSierra Club California Fundraising Cruises Scheduled for 2008

El Monte, CA 91732. Contact leader formore information (626-443-0706;[email protected])Corral Creek

JUNE 1, Sunday, POTLUCKBBQ. NIPOMO NATIVE GAR-DEN I provide the meat (my pig) with other folks doing the fire, bringing the rest plus own plates/silverware/drinks. Nature walkinto back area & trails at 10 AMwith non-participants setting upthe BBQ & organizing. Gatheringat noon for awards etc with actualeating to follow probably at oneo’clock. Call 929-3647 or<[email protected]> a few daysbefore to confirm and for details.

Wed., June 4, 11, 18, 25, 5:30p.m. Informal Hikes. Approx. 2hours around SLO. See website, ore-mail Gary Felsman for details.E-mail is located on the Website.

Sat., June 7th, 9 a.m. InformalOats Peak Trail Hike. This is aleaderless hike for those that likeMontana de Oro. If you decide togo down to Coon Creek, that willbe up to the group. How fast yougo will be up to the group. Bringlunch, water and dress for theweather. Look for lost soles at theVisitor Center, MDO State Park.

June 14th, 10 a.m. Pole Cats isdedicated to leading local SierraClub day hikes and modeling ef-fective techniques for using trek-king poles. Join us on June 14, 10AM for an easy hike on the Maino

Open Space trail. The Maino OpenSpace trailhead is located off theMarsh Street onramp of south-bound Highway 101. From down-town SLO take Higuera Street tothe intersection with Marsh Streetand proceed as if to take 101South. Immediately after the free-way underpass, bear right into theparking lot. Contact David Georgiat [email protected] forupcoming activities. Bipeds wel-come.

JUNE 15, 0930, SUN., 0930OSO FLACO LAKE Head to Pa-cific. Bring Binos & Ref.Bks.Learn about the history of thearea. Call 929-3647 or<[email protected]> a few daysbefore to confirm and for details.

Sat., June 21. 9:00 a.m. Hike: Islay Road-Barranca-Ridge TrailLoop.Join the leader on this summersolstice hike on the coast. Thehike is 7 miles with about 1500 ftof elevation gain. This is a pleas-ant summer hike that takes usthrough chaparral and grass-lands. There is an incredible viewof the coastline from HazardPeak. There is a possibility ofticks and poison oak. Bring water,snacks, and dress for the weather. There will be a refueling stop afterthe hike. Meet at the Ridge Trailparking area across from theRidge Trail trailhead. The parkingarea is 2.3 miles from the park en-trance. For info contact Chuck at441-7597.

JUNE 22, 1000 , Sun. BIKE GUADALUPE Meet at DuneCenter.parking lot. Tour Guad. tosee wetland, murals, ag. land &slurbanization. If group wants wemight bike to Dunes. Call 929-3647 or <[email protected]> afew days before to confirm and fordetails.

June 28th, 10 a.m. Pole Cats isdedicated to leading local SierraClub day hikes and modeling ef-fective techniques for using trek-king poles. Join us on June 28, 10AM for an easy hike on the EagleRock Nature Trail. The trailheadis located across from Cuesta Col-lege at El Chorro Regional Park.From SLO, take Highway 1 Northand turn east (right) at the first oftwo turn signals to El Chorro Re-gional Park. Follow the signs tothe Day Use area, passing the ballfields and Botanical Garden. Park

in the Day Use area at the end ofthe park, just before the lockedgate. Contact David Georgi [email protected] for up-coming activities. Bipeds wel-come.

Fri..-Sun., July 4-6, Schell CreekBackpack – Nevada: The 121,497-acre High Schells Wilderness wasadded to the National WildernessSystem in December 2006. TheSchell Creeks are one of the long-est and highest ranges in thestate. On this overnight backpackwe’ll cruise the crest line, includ-ing the two high points, NorthSchell Peak and South SchellPeak. Fairly strenuous, but thereshould be enough snow on thecrest to replenish our waterbottles. Possible day hike of CleveCreek Baldy. To sign up, contactJohn Wilkinson, (408) 947-0858or [email protected]. CNRCCWilderness Committee & DesertCommittee.

JULY 6th, 10:00 DANA ADOBEWe’ll meet to tour the grounds &creek followed at noon with theregular tour of the facility itself byArron. Call 929-3647 or<[email protected]> a few daysbefore to confirm and for details.

Sat. – Mon., August 2-4, Back-pack the High Toiyabe Range (S):This trip in central Nevada will ex-plore the east side of the ToiyabeRange, crossing a 10,000-foot passbetween the South Twin Creekand Jett Creek farther south. Thecanyons have water; temperaturesshould be comfortable; views eastand west across the Great Basinare guaranteed to be spectacular.Using a car shuttle our trip will beone-way, starting at 6100 feet andwith a total distance of 19 miles,some on trail and some cross-country. For more info contactleader: Craig Deutsche,[email protected], (310-

477-6670). CNRCC Desert Com-mittee.

Wed.-Sun., August 6-10, Mt.Moriah (12,067’) - Central Ne-vada Backpack: Moderate, 24miles rt, about 18 with backpacks.This little visited area on thenorth end of the Snake Range isabout 5 hours north of Las Vegas.We will start at Hendry’s Creektrailhead (6000’), and hike for twodays along the creek through pine,aspen and fir to 10,000’. Day hikeon third day to the Table and thepeak. Next two days going out,distance on the last day is short, toallow for travel time home. Ifthere is an active thunderstormpattern at Mt. Moriah, an alterna-tive trip to the Toiyabe Range isplanned. Group limited to 15.David Hardy (e-mail preferred)[email protected] or(702-875-4549).

Jim

Wils

on

Documents

Santa Lucian • June 2008 Santa Lucian · Santa Lucian • June 2008 3 Save the Salinas Help deflect a sand & gravel sandbagging New Voices, New Stories: Sierra Club 2008 Convention,