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Santa Lucian • May 20121
Don’t Miss
The Tramp & theRoughrider
- see page 3
The official newsletter of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club • San Luis Obispo County, California
Protecting and
Preserving the
Central Coast
SantaLucian
IIIII n s i d en s i d en s i d en s i d en s i d eMocking the monster 2
June 5 election endorsements 4
Kids v. global warming 6
Morro Bay v. sanctuary 9
Big dog throws down 10
Classifieds 11
Outings 12
Please recycle
This newsletter printed on
100% post-consumer recycled paper with
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May 2012Volume 49 No. 5
Santa LucianSanta Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club
P. O. Box 15755
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
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PAIDPERMIT NO. 84
SAN LUIS OBISPOCA 93401
Peter Douglas remembered > page 4
BetweenDiablo
You Want How Much to Do What?
Blue Sea
and theDeep
No Seismic Testing in theNational Marine Sanctuary
By the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility
“The Commission will be in order.” With those words uttered by CPUCAdministrative Law Judge Barnett onApril 18, so began the latest round ofaction by the Alliance for NuclearResponsibility (A4NR) in the hearingroom of the California Public UtilitiesCommission. The need for updated seismicstudies to assess the long-term pros-pects of relying on Diablo Canyon forthe remainder of its current—orpossibly extended—license had begunwith the passage of then-assemblymember Sam Blakeslee’s AB 1632back in 2006. In 2010, the CPUCgranted PG&E $16.7 million toupdate the seismology. The utilitycame back the following year request-ing $47 million more for a total of$64 million—nearly quadruple theoriginal request.
HOW MUCH? continued on page 8 DIABLO continued on page 4
May 11:
Talk about tough calls. Would you rather have a projectthat promises to do significantdamage to marine wildlife, playinghavoc with the coastal environment,or hand a nuclear power plant alicense for another twenty years ofoperation while flying blind as to thefull magnitude of the potentialseismic danger that lurks beneath it? Sophie’s choice comes to mindwhen contemplating the options forPG&E’s offshore seismic survey,proposed to determine the magnitudeof an earthquake that could begenerated by the faults around DiabloCanyon. If the survey’s impacts aredeemed too great to permit, thenPG&E will simply renew its license onthe basis of its existing incompleteseismic data, via the Nuclear Regula-tory Commission’s ever ready rubberstamp, and down the road an earth-quake larger than what the plant wasdesigned to withstand could render alarge part of California unlivable andturn that marine environment --spared the ordeal of a seismic survey-- radioactive for centuries. In short, this project drips withirony. Let us count the ways: 1. Once-through cooling. Aside
from the catastrophe of anearthquake cutting off Diablo’s
power or cracking the contain-ment dome — or compromis-ing the cement casks andspent fuel pools that constitutethe plant’s on-site nuclearwaste dump, with no way ofknowing whether the groundbelow them is likely to remain
sufficiently stable for 250 years —there’s the matter of the dailycatastrophe that has been ongoing
PG&E’s original seismic surveyplan extended north of Cambria,beyond the southern boundary ofthe Monterey Bay National MarineSanctuary. It has now been revisedand reduced, with no testing pro-posed inside the Sanctuary’sborders. Plausible reasons have beenadvanced for this change (enoughis known about the seismicprofiles of faults north of Cambria,etc.), but we have to wonder: whatwould this project look like if wehad won Sanctuary designationhere years ago?
from the day the plant began opera-tion. Its cooling system, per the stateand federal EPA, is the cause of areduction in sea life in the area of upto 90 percent, including the decima-tion of the black and red abalone. Thesurrounding waters have lost 97percent of their kelp due to Diablo’shot-water discharge into the cove.This triggered a cease & desist orderfrom the Department of Fish andGame and the Water Quality ControlBoard twelve years ago. PG&E’slawyers beat it down with threats toout-spend and tie up state regulatorsin court indefinitely. 2. PG&E’s history of deception onmarine impacts. In 1982, PG&Eclaimed its cooling system had littleor no effect on the marine environ-ment. That lie, and the suppression ofdata by PG&E that enabled the lie,was exposed by the Department ofFish and Game and cost the utility a$14 million settlement with the stateof California.
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Santa Lucian • May 2012
Change of Address?
Mail changes to:
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San Francisco, CA 94105-3441
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Santa Lucian
EDITOR
Greg McMillanLindi DoudLinda SeeleyThomas A. CyrEDITORIAL COMMITTEE
The Santa Lucian is published 10 times ayear. Articles, environmental information andletters to the editor are welcome. Thedeadline for each issue is the 13th of theprior month.
send to:
Editor, Santa Lucianc/o Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra ClubP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406.
Santa Lucia Chapter
2012 Executive Committee Greg McMillan
CHAIR
Pat Veesart VICE CHAIRLinda Seeley
SECRETARY
Patrick McGibney
MEMBER
Lindi Doud
MEMBER
Jono Kinkade
MEMBER
Vacant
MEMBER
Cal French COUNCIL OF CLUB LEADERSSteven Marx, Lindi Doud, Patrick McGibney TREASURERS
Committee ChairsPolitical Chuck TribbeyConservation Sue HarveyMembership Cal FrenchLitigation Andy Greensfelder
Nuclear Power Task Force Rochelle Becker
Other Leaders
Calendar Sales Bonnie Walters 805-543-7051Outings Joe Morris [email protected]/Kayak openWebmaster Monica Tarzier [email protected] Guide Gary Felsman
Chapter Director Andrew Christie 805-543-8717 [email protected]
Andrew [email protected]
Printed by University Graphic Systems
Office hours Monday-Friday,12 p.m.- 6 p.m., 974 Santa RosaStreet, San Luis Obispo
The Executive Committee meetsthe third Monday of every monthat 5:30 p.m. at the chapter office,located at 974 Santa Rosa St.,San Luis Obispo. All membersare welcome to attend.
Coordinator Kim Ramos, Admin and Development [email protected] Assistant Coordinator Yvonne Yip - events & social networking
Santa Lucia ChapterP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
Denny MynattPRINT MEDIA COORDINATOR
Sierra Club, PO Box 421041, Palm Coast, FL 32142-1041
Agenda 21MeetsGodzilla There’s a new brew intown. Imported from exoticGlenn Beckistan, filteredthrough several millioncopies of Atlas Shrugged,fermented in casks ofancient conspiracytheory, it has recentlybecome available aroundthese parts for thediscriminating politicalparanoid palate. Decantedat several local venues, ithas been attracting noticefrom connoisseurs ofcrazy. It’s the Agenda 21/ICLEIplot for world domina-tion. Here’s the deal: Agenda 21 is an action plan en-dorsed at the 1992 UN Conference onEnvironment and Development heldin Rio de Janeiro. Primarily a blue-print for curbing ocean pollution andenergy inefficiency, it is widelyconsidered inadequate to the chal-lenges it purported to face. It pro-posed no limits on greenhouse gasemissions, deforestation or the loss ofspecies, and did not achieve sufficientfinancial commitments from membernations to advance its menu of niceideas for sustainable development. Here’s a sample from its accompa-nying document, the Rio Declaration:
and wreck our economy, and thefoundational document of that plot isAgenda 21. On March 13, when the AtascaderoCity Council was deliberating onwhether to accept funds from the AirPollution Control District to assist inthe creation of their own ClimateAction Plan, the Agenda 21/ICLEIconspiracy folks came forth again, ingreater numbers. And on April 22 at the Earth Dayevent at Rancho El Chorro, a youngman and woman, video camera andmicrophone in hand, roamed theexhibitor tables interrogating thetree-huggers, demanding to know ifthey knew about Agenda 21 andICLEI and the imminent collapse ofthe global economy should areduction in carbon emissions beattempted by industrial societies. Also, note the similarity of thename “Agenda 21” to “Area 51,” thatsecret base in Nevada where thegovernment is hiding the UFOs. Seehow it’s all coming together? The astute reader will perceive thatwe are according disrespectful treat-ment to these beliefs. And this isgrist to the Agenda 21 conspiracymill, as mockery and ridicule comingfrom the precincts of eco-socialistbunny-huggers — who are, ofcourse, part of the conspiracy –constitutes persecution, which bindsthe true believers more tightly intheir resolve to guard the flame oftheir faith. But that’s okay. In another time, acollective rolling of the eyes andsilent dismissal instead might havebeen an appropriate response in thissituation. But this is not anothertime. It is a dangerous assumption inincreasingly dangerous times tobelieve that all men and women ofgood will and a K-12 education willbehold the fumes from the smolder-ing fringe and simply turn away.Millions of people in their twentiesand younger are looking for asimpler, less scary world than theone in which they find themselves.When offered a world view thatprovides them with a flaming swordwith which to banish environmentaland labor laws, the social safety net,income tax, the concept of thecommon good, the public interest,and the vast, all-consuming, all-explaining conspiracy whence theyall spring, well… that can look prettyattractive. That’s why we should all take a cuefrom the remarkable kids of the
GODZILLA continued on page 6
“States have, in accordance withthe Charter of the United Nationsand the principles of internationallaw, the sovereign right to exploittheir own resources pursuant totheir own environmental anddevelopmental policies, and theresponsibility to ensure thatactivities within their jurisdictionor control do not cause damage tothe environment of other Statesor of areas beyond the limits ofnational jurisdiction.”
The International Council for LocalEnvironmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is atechnical consulting organization formunicipalities. ICLEI’s foundingpremise is “that locally designed anddriven initiatives can provide aneffective and cost-efficient way toachieve local, national, and globalsustainability objectives.” And thiscan be done (smoking gun comingup) by advocating “participatory,long-term, strategic planning pro-cesses that address local sustainabilitywhile protecting global commongoods. This approach links localaction and solutions to the globalchallenges we are facing, and there-fore links local action to global goalsand targets such as…Agenda 21.” SLO County contracted with ICLEIto help develop an inventory of localgreenhouse gas emissions, thenecessary first step in creating aClimate Action Plan. Last November, as the battle toprevent the County from creating ameaningful Climate Action Planunfolded at the Board of Supervisors,a number of folks popped up to warnof a dire conspiracy. The San LuisObispo branch of the Coalition forLabor, Agriculture and Business(COLAB), testifying before the boardand writing in their newsletter,maintained that ICLEI is part of a plotto implement one-world government
Santa Lucian • May 20123
Two-man show coming to SLO May 11
In May of 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt, planning atour of the western forests, invited the naturalist John Muiron a four-day camping trip in the Yosemite wilderness. “TheTramp & the Roughrider” illuminates this extraordinaryencounter, with the action unfolding at sunset on GlacierPoint, overlooking the magnificent Yosemite Valley. At the time of this historic meeting, many millions of acresof our western forest, with little or no governmental supervi-sion, were being exploited and abused by hunting, lumber,livestock and mining interests. The federal government hadestablished only five national parks (and had no Park Service).The Yosemite Valley, though surrounded by a national park,was controlled by the state of California, and was in a state ofneglect. Both Muir and Roosevelt were feisty, opinionated characters,with sharp disagreements on issues like hunting, animalrights, and forest management. Muir’s poetic and evangelistictemperament, clashing with Roosevelt’s political enthusiasms,spawned both tension and humor. Both skillful storytellers, itseems natural that both would seek to top one another byrelating some of their many adventures in the wilderness ofearly America — Roosevelt bringing a ruffian to justice on thefrontier; Muir telling of his hair-raising “interview” with aYosemite bear. But around the campfire, in sifting throughtheir histories and their hopes, each of these very differentmen surely discovered how the other had been shaped byunique experiences in the wilderness they loved, opening upsome rich possibilities of “doing some forest good.” By the end of Roosevelt’s presidency, America could boast anadditional 200 million acres of forest wilderness, five morenational parks, several new monuments (including the GrandCanyon) and 65 wildlife preserves. Bully! The Sierra Club is sponsoring one performance of “TheTramp & the Roughrider” in San Luis Obispo at the SLO CityLibrary, 965 Palm Street, at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 11. Ticketsare $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Seats can be reserved bygoing to santalucia.sierraclub.org, clicking the “donate”button and selecting the desired number of tickets, ore-mailing [email protected]; or calling 543-8717.
June 5 is Election Day
The Central Coast needs to retain itstireless coastal champion in D.C. Sheis responsible for land protectioninitiatives at Morro Bay Dunes andPiedras Blancas, and we need hervoice of reason in this wild and woolyCongress, reminding all that we can’tdrill our way out of shrinking oilreserves, and that National MarineSanctuaries and sustainable fishingpractices are good things. Go [email protected]/.
The Tramp and the RoughriderDramatizes Muir/RooseveltEncounter
U.S. Congress, 24th District:Lois Capps
State Senate, 17th District:Bill Monning
State Assemby, 35th DistrictGerald Manata
Morro Bay City Council:Noah Smukler
The Sierra Club is pleased to endorse:
If his stint with the state CoastalConservancy and four years as Execu-tive Director of the Nobel Peace Prizewinning International Physicians forthe Prevention of Nuclear War don’ttell you enough, AssemblymemberMonning authored legislation forsustainable seafood and spearheadedthe strategy for development of theCoastal Trail in Big Sur while he wasrepresenting the people of Monterey,Santa Cruz and Santa Clara. We needthe kind of thing he’s been doing upthere down here. Go tobillmonning.org/.
Here’s your chance to send a genuinecitizen politician to the statehouse.Paso Robles resident Gerry Manatalooked around, saw “what a mess thisstate is in,” and made his case toDemocrats that “we should run
somebody this year.” He soon foundmyself in the role of the somebody. Asthe candidate tells it: “The Republi-can leadership has become blatantabout its party being about moneyand power and concentrating it in asfew hands as possible (the 1%). Mr.Achadjian’s voting record on the
environment, consumers’ rights andlabor — like that of his comrades inCongress — is atrocious. He also hassigned the Grover Norquist no-taxpledge, a fiscal solution that can onlybenefit the rich.” Manata put his degree in PoliticalScience to good use staffing TomHayden’s state senate and congres-sional campaigns in the 70s. He isnow semi-retired. Let’s un-retire him.Go to manataforassembly.org/.
The initiative to label genetically engineered foodwill be on the state ballot in November! A smallarmy of SLO County volunteers were an integral
part of the push to gather more that 800,000signatures statewide, ensuring ballot qualification. The Santa Lucia Chapter was pleased to coordi-nate distribution and submission of petitions in thecounty. Now let’s get this passed and let Monsantoknow we are not guinea pigs for their scienceexperiment. Go to labelgmos.org/.
The (only) bright light on the CityCouncil, Smukler has been a cham-pion of green building, bike lanes,and transparency in government, andcontinues to advocate for a MorroBay/Cayucos sewer upgrade thatmakes sense and conforms with theCalifornia Coastal Act while his coun-cil colleagues continue to push a fa-tally flawed plan. Needless to say, heneeds another term. Go towww.Vote4Noah.com/.
You Did It!
4
Santa Lucian • May 2012
Peter Douglas 1942-2012
Our favorite guest Peter Douglas at the old Marsh Street offices of the Santa Lucia Chapter indowntown SLO.
We recommend to all this interview with Peter Douglas, con-ducted a few months ago in his office with a documentary filmmaker working on a ”Heroes of the Coast” movie. Enjoy:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbCa82Jy9hA
Peter Douglas, long-timeExecutive Director of theCalifornia Coastal Commission,passed away on April 1, at hissister’s home in La Quinta. Hewas surrounded by his familyand friends and at peace after aseven-year battle with cancer. Peter’s name will forever besynonymous with coastalprotection in California. Thearc of his commitment is longand like no other. Although hecould be a master of principledcompromise when necessary,for more than forty years, hewas Tolkien’s Gandalf to theBalrog of rapacious developers,standing resolute on tenuousfooting while declaring Youshall not pass! (Peter dearlyloved Lord of the Rings andmade it a point to watch all themovies once a year.) Peter dedicated his life tocoastal protection throughactivism, education, litigation,political advocacy and publicservice. He advanced the ideaof a citizen initiative to create acoastal protection law after severalunsuccessful attempts to pass a billthrough the Legislature in the early1970s. He co-wrote the CoastalInitiative (Prop. 20) that created theCoastal Commission in 1972, helpedorganize the winning campaign for itsoverwhelming passage, then wroteand staffed the Coastal Act whichGovernor Brown signed into law in1976. He was the Commission’sExecutive Director for 26 years. The Coastal Commission’s accom-plishments under Peter’s leadershipare too numerous to count. Theyrange from high-profile battles, likethe epic struggles to save the HearstRanch, the Del Monte Forest andTrestles Beach, to obscure legalvictories over Coastal Act policies thathave saved countless thousands ofacres. He advanced the cause of publicaccess by taking on the likes ofSouthern Pacific Railroad and theDisney Company, and fought to endprivate beach clubs’ racial and genderdiscrimination policies all the way tothe U.S. Supreme Court. In 2003, the Santa Lucia Chapternominated Peter for the Sierra Club’sDistinguished Service Award, whichhe received at the Sierra Club’sannual awards banquet in SanFrancisco that September. Later thatyear, he came to San Luis Obispo andaddressed attendees at the ECOSLOEcoSummit, saying “There is nosubstitute for getting involved andmaking a difference. There is noexcuse not to. Activism is simplysomething you cannot not do, as
trying and demanding as it might be.Nothing is more important to ourenvironmental and social future. TheCoastal Act is the people’s law, andevery time it’s threatened, it can beweakened. We can’t do our workwithout your support and input.” His passion for coastal protectionwas fueled and nurtured by a deep andunique spiritual philosophy thatcentered on compassion, integrity,and respect for all life. His love for theland, his knowledge of the law, andhis aptitude for political battle, forfights that needed to be fought, wasthe rarest of combinations. He notonly loved the land, he understoodwhat needed to be done to save it; andhe not only understood it, he foughtfor it. Every citizen of Californiashould be grateful for that love, thatknowledge, and that passion for thefight, with each of those qualitiesalways at flood tide, all existing in thesame person. The next time you drive up highway1 or pull off at a scenic overlook toget a better look at the things thattake your breath away, lighten yourspirit and make you happy to be alive,you should give a thought to the factthat what you are seeing is there, to alarge and literal degree, due to theefforts of Peter Douglas. He made
sure that it would still be there foryou to see. In keeping with his wishes, afellowship fund to help train the nextgeneration of coastal defenders hasbeen established in Peter’s honor.Contributions to the Peter DouglasCoastal Intern Fellowship can bemade to:
Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation299 Foam Street, Suite DMonterey, CA 93940-1499On line at: www.mbnmsf.orgor call: 831-647-4209.
The Wildlands Conservancy hascreated the Peter Douglas CoastalProject Fund, to honor Peter’scommitment to protecting coastallandscapes and enhancing publicaccess. These funds will be usedtoward the purchase of a criticalcoastal property and/or a publicaccess improvement that will bededicated in his memory and open toall. Contributions to the WildlandsCoastal Project can be sent to:
The Wildlands ConservancyCoastal Project Fund 39611 Oak Glen Rd. #12Oak Glen, CA 92399or call: 909-797-8507.
I will soon once againbe at one with greengrowing things, withcoyote, raven, snake,spider, ocean, stream,mountain, desert,rock, clouds, stars inthe night sky. Lookfor me there. I will begone but not gone, asis the way of theWheel. One thing forsure, when I return tosing on moonlit nightsas coyote, I will neverknow it. I am com-forted knowing I liveda purposeful, mean-ingful, empathetic lifewith compassion,kindness and love inmy heart. I lived mybliss realizing manydreams, guided by amoral/ethical com-pass I tried always tokeep well calibrated. Ihave been a resolute,even ornery survivorand Earth warrior. Inrecognition of giftsgiven, I happily dedi-cated my life to publicservice. I labored inlove to make a differ-ence and am humbledknowing I did somegood for MotherEarth and the life Shesupports.
- Peter DouglasAugust 2011
3. PG&E’s history of deception onseismic impacts. In 1967, when theHosgri fault was discovered 500 feetfrom the site of the proposed nuclearpower plant, PG&E told the AtomicEnergy Commission it would notstudy the fault further because doingso could “possibly delay the project”and “would only complicate a con-tested hearing.” The story stayedburied for 14 years. 4. The Sierra Club’s karmic debt.In the late 60’s, the Sierra Club signed
off on a deal with PG&E agreeing thatDiablo Canyon was a swell spot to puta nuclear power plant – an agreemententered into, we stress, over theemphatic protest of the local SierraClub group in SLO (see “Forty YearsAfter,” Feb. 2008). Sierra Clubexecutive director and environmentallegend David Brower resigned overthe decision by the Club’s board ofdirectors not to challenge the nuclearplant. The Sierra Club has a debt topay at Diablo Canyon. This project’s proposed mitigationand monitoring are inadequate. TheEIR needs to back up its assertion
that the effects of seismic testing onspecies of prey fish is temporary and aless than significant impact. The EIR mentions squid multipletimes, but only as prey for multiplespecies within the survey area. Thereappears to be no evaluation of thesurvey’s impacts on squid, a particu-larly glaring omission for a species onwhich so many others depend. A post by Chris Zaker on themessage board “Fish Reports for PortSan Luis /Morro Bay” is telling: “In the latest meeting I’ve had withPG&E to try and hammer out fairmitigation for commercial fishermen,
PG&E took the position that there willbe ‘no long term damage to marinelife.’ As such they said they have nointention of monitoring the effects ofthe high energy survey after theyleave.” That’s not acceptable. Not forfishermen, not for environmentalists,and not for the waters of the CentralCoast. PG&E, put your money whereyour mouth is: If you claim there willbe no long term damage, put the long-term monitoring program in place toprove it, and guarantee funding forspecies and habitat restoration if itturns out you’re wrong.
Diablocontinued from page 1
Santa Lucian • May 20125
Environmental Politics on Uncommon Ground
For Peter A bouquet and a bumper sticker for the 1972 ballot proposition Peter Douglaswrote that created the California Coastal Commission appeared in the Santa Cruz offices ofthe Coastal Commission on April 2, 2012.
By Peter Douglasaddress to the Planning and Conservation League, Sacramento, CA, February 2, 2002
After more than three decades ofengagement in environmentalactivism and advocacy I havediscovered a priceless treasure:perspective – a perspective temperedby listening mindfully to plaintivevoices in the silence of the land andthe cry of life everywhere; a perspec-tive inspired by an incurableand enduring sense of optimism andhope, and the conviction that each ofus can make a difference. Looking at the dynamics of environ-mental politics today, the forcesshaping outcomes have changeddramatically since 1971 and not,unfortunately, for the better. On thecontrary. Some realities that have notchanged in California, and elsewherein the country I suspect, include thefollowing:
• Species, habitat and naturallandscapes are still being lost at anappalling rate;• Pollution of water, land and aircontinues to attack life around theglobe;• Population growth and economicdevelopment pressures continue toescalate inexorably;• Profit and greed remain as primarydrivers of environmental destruction;• Mindless materialism and consum-erism, secular religions of ourculture, override reverence forlife and Nature;• Self-interest, as a motivator ofindividual action, still trumpscommitment to community and thecommon good;• Money is still the mother’s milk ofpolitics;• And environmental advocates inSacramento are still getting out-gunned by amoral corporateand private business interests.
What has changed during the pastthree decades include other starkrealities - many depressing, othersbearing the markings of hope:• There are now nearly 35 millionpeople in California and counting;• There have been major demo-graphic shifts in the state;• There is greater public awareness ofthe threats from pollution andsupport for environmentalprotection;• We have witnessed a slowing of therate of change and environmentaldegradation in a fewspecial places like the coast, SanFrancisco Bay, and Lake Tahoe;• The deleterious effects of term-limits on public policy;• The obscene costs of elections;• The never-ending scramble formoney by candidates driving theminto the arms of developmentinterests and to the right on environ-mental issues;• The absence of meaningful cam-paign finance controls;• More subtle, sophisticated andeffective manipulation of publicopinion and attitudes by p.r. special-ists and advertisers;• The emergence of an organized andwell-financed opposition to the envi-ronmental movement of the ‘60s and70’s;• The diminished capacity of govern-ment to protect the environmentresulting from a premeditated schemehatched during the Reagan presi-dency to expand private propertyrights at the expense of public rightsand community interests;• The increased sophistication of
developers and other anti-regulationforces;• The brilliance of corporate strate-gists who have outmaneuvered andoften co-opted mainstream enviroswho mistakenly think they areshaping the environmental debate;• The increasing reliance on convoca-tions of “stakeholders” for consensusdecision-making and the tyranny ofthe minority;• The absence of vision in the publicpolicy and governance arena;• The dearth of progressive, inspira-tional public leadership;• Governance by reaction to crises.
Of particular interest and concernto me are the changes I have seenaffecting the practice of politics bynon-governmental environmentalorganizations. These include:• The graying of the movement;• The cost and source of fundingneeded to sustain environmentalorganizations;• The corporate and business charac-ter of many mainstream environmen-tal NGOs;• Manifestations of a political mindsetseeking to minimize or avoid conflict;• The politics of accommodation and“making nice;”• Preoccupation with deal-makingand “the deal” (some see this as the• institutionalization of compromise -see Mark Dowie, Losing Ground);• The fear of losing, of being left outor of being “marginalized;”• Unholy alliances with naturalantagonists;• Conflicts on issues and positionstaken by mainstream NGOs andnewer, lean and hungry activistmovements;• The gap between mainstream andcommunity based groups;• The role of land trusts in regulatorypolicy-making; and• The damping of passion andidealism.
Before I focus on environmentaladvocacy in Sacramento, I want tooffer a context for my observations.The meaning of life to me is quitesimple. I don’t ask what life brings tome, but what I bring to life. Meaningis found in how we as individuals treateach other and the Earth. It is derivedfrom our love for family and friends,our reverence for all life, our life’swork, and our understanding andappreciation of joy, suffering andsorrow. It resides in the good will andpassion we carry into the sunlightevery day. The meaning of life, in my mind, isinextricably linked to good works indefense of Gaia and the life shesupports. In our work of environmentalstewardship, it is vital every now andagain to step back and take stock ofour roots, where we stand today andwhere we are going — to remindourselves why and how we dowhat we do and to make sure ourmoral and ethical compass is intactand in good working order. We dothe work we do not because it is asource of livelihood but because webelieve in it. We are not hiredguns ready to sell out to the highestbidder. We will not be bought. Every environmental advocate heretoday harbors a profound environ-mental ethic in his or her being.Remaining true to this ethic requiresperiodic verification that our conductis aligned with our philosophicalvalues that stoke the fire at the core
of our commitment. It is important toremember our work is at oncevocation and avocation, noble andennobling. It is meaningful and alabor of love that is never finished.For us there is always work to do.That is why we can never give up. When I think about how we, asenvironmental stewards, do our workprotecting Mother Earth I see theessential value of vision, hope,optimism, dedication, integrity,Honor, moral courage, resoluteness,persistence and passion. As environ-mental guardians we have a responsi-bility to honor the trust placed in ourcare by standing steadfast and tallagainst the forces of exploitation andmaterial consumption eroding qualityof life everywhere. It is also incum-bent on us to guard against cynicismand complacency, corruption anddespair that lead to resignation,compromise, accommodation andcapitulation at the expense of wildNature, human health, environmentalquality, and environmental justice. My roots are grounded in grassrootsorganizing and activism. I try never toforget where I came from. I know it isnot easy on the spirit or psyche to beconstantly pummeled by controversyand ground down in the crucible ofconflict. But controversy and conflictcome with the territory. If we cannotembrace and engage them effectivelyin pursuit of our mission, it is time toget out and move on. We betray ourtrust if the avoidance of conflict,whether done consciously or not,becomes a goal in our work. Conciliation has value, but not ifachieved at the expense of ethical andenvironmental integrity. Pragmatism, consensus decision-making and the politics of accommo-dation must not trump effectivelyexpressed idealism and progressivepositions on important environmentalprotection issues. We do not serve ourmission well by buying into the cultof making-nice or being seduced by“feel-good” politics. As defenders of environmentalvalues, our challenge is to make acompelling case for stronger protec-
tions. It is our task to explain clearlyand accurately the causes and threatsto human and environmental healthand quality. We must do the home-work required to understand theissues in order to come at them froma position of strength armed withknowledge. We must mobilizeresources and develop and implementeffective strategies. And we must beresolute and relentless in our advo-cacy for or against policies that affectthe well-being of the natural andhuman environment even if thatmeans defeat. There will be anothertomorrow. Effective environmental advocacyrequires vision and a clear sense ofpurpose. Vision in my view is ahorizon of hope of a better environ-mental future for all life on Earth — ahorizon just beyond grasp but one weare always striving to reach. Thisvision is refined and defined by ourown particular focus - mine encom-passes primarily coasts and oceans.Achievement of our vision requires aclear, strong and abiding sense ofmission and purpose joined with anunshakeable resolve to maintain thecourse. And we should remember torespect the environmental vision ofothers though different from our own. I have the distinct impression thatenvironmental advocacy in Sacra-mento is losing ground, individualand collective fire-in-the-belly, andimportant perspective. Indeed, I seethis advocacy as often not evensharing common ground. I say thisnot as a critic of any individual ororganization, but as a concernedobserver of a continuing trend Istrongly believe must be reversed. Isee an increasing gulf in terms ofperspective and resolve betweencapitol advocates representingmainstream NGOs and grassrootsactivists embattled on the ground inlocal communities. I see an increasingpropensity to compromise by organi-zations that have forged private sectoralliances or that depend on fundingfrom business and large donors. It is
DOUGLAS continued next page 8
Linda L
ock
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6
Santa Lucian • May 2012
by Elizabeth Johnson
“This approximately 180-acre areaof prime farm land bounded byMadonna Road, Highway 101,Central Coast Plaza, and PrefumoCreek is in three ownerships. TheCity intends to preserve at leastone-half of this signature workingagricultural landscape at thesouthern gateway to San LuisObispo as it existed in 1994.”
- City of San Luis Obispo GeneralPlan, Land Use Element, Policy 8.8
The Calle Joaquin AgriculturalReserve, nestled in the southwestcorner of the City of San LuisObispo, continues to move forwardas a city-owned organic farm. Thisis an appropriate moment to pauseand revisit how it came to be whileall the parties involved finalizedetails prior to signing on some-time in this budget cycle. Creating public policy is usuallya long process involving manypeople. When visionary policysucceeds, it is due to a partnershipbetween all stakeholders -- publiccitizens, politicians, and planningstaff -- who build a structure intothe General Plan that allows for anidea like a City Farm to form andmaterialize. Vision is usually the first playerat the political table to be ejectedfrom the game, but vision showed upduring discussions in the early 1990sand focused on preservation of primefarmland and open space. Economicand environmental task forces bothcontributed to the resulting Land UseElement report. The City Councilpassed the 1994 General Plan thatmentioned the southern gateway toSan Luis Obispo, visible from High-way 101, as an ideal site for some-thing uniquely local. Slightly furtheroff 101 and still visible from the high-way, we now have a string of car lots,salesrooms and big box stores, all ofwhich typically dominate every urbanlandscape in America and beyond. Most of the potential open space atthe edge of the city had already beendeveloped by 1994, so the city waslooking at the last three agriculturalparcels totaling about 180 acres.Instead of continuing to pave over ourtreasure of prime agricultural land,the city chose to preserve about 90acres of prime ag land with a ripariancorridor as a symbol of its identity. In 2006, San Luis Obispo annexedthe 26-acre McBride property. Inaccordance with the General Plan, 13of those acres (50%) were designatedfor farming and the Calle JoachinAgricultural Reserve was born. In 2008, with organic certificationin mind, the city began crop rotationsto bring the soil quality up to theorganic standard, a level it reachedthis year. Advocacy for an organicfarm on this site has been strongthroughout the planning process. In 2009, once again the CityCouncil called together a group thatincluded citizens to develop anAgricultural Master Plan consistentwith the city’s General Plan policy.Specific plans for the agriculturalreserve were listed and conceptdesigns were drawn to includepossible buildings intended for lightfood processing, public education,and parking. The Agricultural MasterPlan for the city stipulates that theagricultural areas of the Reserve shallbe managed by a “qualified non-profit
iMatter movement who are taking onglobal warming in a D.C. courtroomthis month (see facing page) and haveadopted as their battle cry the wordsof Frederick Douglass: “At a time likethis, scorching irony, not convincingargument, is needed.” We all need to keep that in mind ifwe expect to tamp down the eventualnumber of recruits to the belief thatglobal warming is a hoax created onorders from George Soros, MauriceStrong and Saul Alinsky to destroythe corporate paradise promised byAyn Rand and Exxon/Mobil. TheAgenda 21+ICLEI conspiracy, restassured, is being rehearsed in manylocations beyond the confines ofAtascadero City Hall and SLO CountyGovernment Center. We can hope thatit is everywhere met with the mockeryit merits, which brings the cold air ofreality into the hot house and keepswhat’s growing there from puttingdown deeper roots and spreading. Otherwise, the fringe will succeed ingradually infiltrating mainstreampublic discourse in ways both blatantand subtle. One recent likely example:a confused Tribune editorial (see“Taking Issue,” page 10) on a newgreenhouse gas emissions rule. Theeditorial appeared three days after asky-is-falling COLAB rant on the samesubject appeared in New Times,assuring readers that Armageddon isnigh for the local economy due to theAir Pollution Control District’srequirement that a small fraction ofthe largest future developmentprojects in the county measure andpossibly reduce their greenhouse gasemissions. The editorial is a portraitin befuddlement; The Tribune’seditorialist trying to accommodatethe vocal allegations that the rulewill supposedly inflict devastatingimpacts, but tacitly admitting thatactually there will be none to speakof.
It was a search for a muddledmiddle, while COLAB extremistspulled on the far end like Silly Putty.It’s not hard to foresee the outcome ofthat process, repeated ad infinitum. So give thanks for those smiling,hip kids in D.C. sporting their “IHeart Famine” and “Syentists R Dum”signs and sending thank-you cards tocorporate polluters (“Your commit-ment to profits and political powerover our future warms our hearts”),but also take note of the hot-eyed,unsmiling twentysomething skinheadstalking Rancho El Chorro on EarthDay -- an Andrew Breitbart-wannabe,reporting on California ConservationCorps members as “brownshirts”engaged in “environmental spying,”seeking validation for his ideology,and signing on to the effort to savecorporations from people who knowman-made climate change is real.Twenty years from now, all those kidswill be CEOs, middle managers,editors, reporters, movement leaders,elected officials, precinct captains,etc. How many would you like to seefrom each of these two contingents? That’s why, when the publicdiscourse is poisoned, the antidote is2 parts reality and 1 part mockery. Ifwe don’t keep the roots trimmed backin that hot house, we can expect tosee increasingly befuddled editorialsin The Tribune as the “moderate”center stretches ever rightward, and,twenty years hence, a Congress thatwill make the current crop of be-nighted Tea Partiers look like theoffspring of Oliver Wendell Holmesand Rachel Carson. It is important to know whatAgenda 21 really is, and what ICLEIreally does, and part of the reasonwhy it’s important is the starkcontrast between the simple realityand the baroque, fevered conspiracythat the facts don’t support. Whenthat cold front meets that hot air, letthe mockery and ridicule rain down,with thunder and lightning andscorching irony.
Godzillacontinued from page 2
entity contracted by the city.” Nego-tiations with possible managers areunderway. The city farm is in line with a May2011 survey analysis by KarenKlonsky of the UC Davis Departmentof Agricultural and Resource Eco-nomics, clearly showing that “Califor-nia leads all other states in severalcategories of organic farming with19% of farms and 36% of the sales.”The same survey revealed that “Cali-fornia produces more than 90% of allU.S. organic sales for 14 differentcommodities, including 99% of theorganic walnuts, lemons, figs, andartichokes, and 100% of organicalmonds and dates. California is alsothe top producer of organic livestockand products, with broiler chickensand milk from cows the most impor-tant livestock commodities.” All of uswho shop at the local Farmers’Markets know that many of thosefruits and vegetables are alreadyproduced in our county. An organic City Farm like the CalleJoaquin Agricultural Reserve ad-dresses the age-old friction betweenurban and rural interests. It will --literally -- bring everyone to the table.Accessible to the public, it will showhow farmers farm without chemicalpesticides. It will show residents andvisitors the pride that San Luis Obispotakes in its agricultural past, present,and future. In the words of former SLO AgCommissier Richard Greek:
“A productive discussion about landuse issues between the urban andfarming community cannot evenbegin to take place until we can seethe need to look beyond our differ-ences and acknowledge that we dohave many shared values -- valuesthat will ultimately bring us togetherto develop workable solutions to landuse challenges facing both thefarming and urban communities.”
SLO Department of Agriculture1997 Report
UpdaUpdaUpdaUpdaUpdatetetetete
Calle Joaquin Agricultural Reserve
Santa Lucian • May 20127
By Victoria, Alec, Valerie, Lucy, Russell, Akilah and the iMatter teamhttp://imatter-movement.org
Last May, iMatter youth filed lawsuits against the U.S. government tocompel them to protect the atmosphere for future generations. TheFederal case hearing is coming up soon. But first! On April 4, theNational Association of Manufacturers, a true Climate Changer Cham-pion, intervened in the case to fight for their right to pollute. Hmm. Let’s see.... The most powerful lobbying group in the country,with a board filled with heavy hitter corporations like Exxon and KochBrothers, joining up with the U.S. Government against a few teenagersfighting for their generation’s future. We’re either going to be obliter-ated in seconds...or we rally together to be so loud we will be impossibleto ignore.
“Industry has a legally protected cognizable interest tofreely emit CO2.”
- Fossil Fuel Industry Intervenors in theKids vs Global Warming lawsuit against the U.S.
Government to protect the atmosphere as a public trustApril 2, 2012
Kids v. Global WarmingCorporate lobbyists fighting for more profit intervene against teens fighting for a livable planet for their generation
tant decision of our time.The youngest generation holds themoral authority on the climate crisisissue. Their lives are at stake. But wehave the science and the law on ourside as well. The public trust doctrinestates that certain natural resources,like the atmosphere, must be pre-served for reasonable use by allcitizens. Even future citizens. Whenthose uses collide - one for profit andone for sustainable life - it is up to ajudge to decide which “interest” isallowable under the public trust. Your voice, your support, yourinvestment is urgently needed.
lllll MAY 11: FLOOD THE COURT-ROOM. (http://www.imattermarch.org/#!lawsuit) The Motion to Dismisswill be heard and we need to fill thecourtroom with support from allgenerations. Judges make decisionsbased on the law. But the support weoffer will demonstrate that this is notsimply an inconsequential casebrought by a few teenagers...it is,rather, a case of national significancethat has mass support.
lllll CONTRIBUTE RESOURCES. (http://kids-vs-global-warming.com/Donate.html) We need to mobilize athousand people in DC and connectwith other organizations and media. Can you please help us raise $10,000over the next couple days to help usbattle for our future. Help us awaken our nation to thereality that Our Future Matters...morethan their profits.
Thank you for standing with us!
P.S. Learn more from two of theyouth plaintiffs, Garrett and GrantSerrels, who were in the courtroom torepresent not just Kids vs GlobalWarming, but every member of ourgeneration. Watch this six minutes ofinspiration: Here is a rough video of ashort speech (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcf5kromgk&feature=relmfu) they gave at anOccupyEPA event in DC. Here is a great seven-minute videofrom a Navajo youth and more infoabout the lawsuit:http://ourchildrenstrust.org/
P.S.S. Check out Ben Jervey’s April4 article about the lawsuit ondesmogblog: http://www.desmogblog.com/
At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincingargument, is needed. -Frederick Douglass
TAKE ACTION
This is what one of the attorneys for the National Association for Manufactur-ers said when they were allowed to join the U.S. Government in District Courtin Washington, D.C., to defend their so-called right to continue emitting asmuch CO2 as they please. Based on that “right,” they have filed a motion todismiss the suit. The motion will be heard on May 11. Alec Loorz and the otheryouth plaintiffs (http://www.imattermarch.org/#!lawsuit), are challenging thatright with their own right, one they share with their entire generation, tosurvive on this planet. The judge and all attorneys agree on one thing: this is a case of nationalsignificance. We are facing a historic moment. This lawsuit is a critical andunprecedented opportunity to break the impasse in Congress and force federal
emission reduction plans. A courageous and just decisionto stand with the youth plaintiffswould mean that the EPA mustcreate a comprehensive climaterecovery plan reducing carbonemissions by 6% per year. Thiswould begin the transition to asustainable economy that climateactivists and climate consciousrepresentatives have been tryingvaliantly to change for decades. Itwould also mean the end of thecorporate fossil fuel industrydictating our future. Together we could help tocreate the Future We Want.
What future do you choose? This is more than a David vs.Goliath moment. This is anopportunity for us to unitearound the single most impor-
8
Santa Lucian • May 2012
Letters send to: [email protected], or SierraClub, P.O. Box 15755, San Luis Obispo, CA93406. Letters may be edited for space.
as though a corporate mentality hastaken over and ground down thesharp ideological edge on issues andpositions taken by mainstreamorganizations that have forgottentheir roots. I am not suggesting any NGO hassold out. I think it is a matter of asubtle shift in perspective relating toperceptions of success for the organi-zation. This is what I mean by thegraying of the environmental move-ment. Success today seems to bemeasured more by status and credibil-ity with power brokers, being playersat the table or on the inside, beingdrivers of the deal and fundraisingability. Success appears no longer tobe so much about having a clear,progressive environmental vision andsense of mission and purpose. It isless about staking out the high ethicalground on policy issues, drawing aclear line in the sand and thenstanding firm. Caution and pragma-tism appear to have displaced ideol-ogy, bold action, and, to some extentin my view, principle. I spent 32 years living and workinginside and outside Capitol City. I haveseen the effects of insular thinkingand narrowing perspective that comesfrom walling oneself off in the capitol.Much like the “beltway” mentality inWashington, there is a tendency tothink of “reality” as exclusively whathappens in the halls and chambers ofthe capitol. In fact, the real politics ofour issues play out in both Sacra-mento and on the front lines ofenvironmental defense and justicedrawn in local communities andneighborhoods across the land.Capitol hall advocates would be wellserved to look in the mirror to seewho and what is not there and findways to reconnect with the missing -grassroots activism and idealism. Another recent dynamic of concernto me is the confusion of roles amongenvironmental organizations in thebusiness of buying, managing andrestoring land and those whosepurpose is advocacy for strongregulation and enforcement toprotect habitat and species. Landtrusts, by their nature, must earn theconfidence of landowners with whomthey work on a cooperative basis.Regulatory advocacy groupspush for controls over how land isused in opposition to developers,extractive industries, and privateproperty rights and landownergroups. While both share generalconservation goals and both wantstanding in the landowner commu-nity, the manner in which each seeksto achieve their respective goalsdiffer markedly. The long-term lifeline of land trustsis tied to funding derived from landpurchase transactions and manage-ment agreements. The work of landtrusts is commendable and hasbecome increasingly important inenvironmental stewardship. However,their role is not and should not beseen as being in the vanguard of
environmental protection. Thatresponsibility remains with NGOsadvocating tougher habitat, species,air and water quality protections,stronger land use planning laws andcontrols, better enforcement ofexisting rules, and opposition to theweakening of laws currently on thebooks. Land acquisition and regulation areboth important for environmentalprotection. However, NGOs promot-ing one or the other agenda necessar-ily rely on different approaches,strategies and alliances to achievetheir respective objectives. Conflictsoccur when land trusts become in-volved in regulatory policy making inthe Legislature and bring their par-ticular influence, special interests andperspectives to the table and areassumed to speak for the enviros.They in fact cannot because the twogroups often have competing andmutually exclusive interests. Land trusts should not, in my view,be involved in advocacy affectingregulatory policy-making in theguise of an environmental NGO. Theyare landowners, managers anddevelopers of restoration projects.Certainly they can and should informthe process and weigh in on issuesaffecting their stewardship of theland. But that is a fundamentallydifferent role than that of envirosseeking tougher regulatory controls. Finally on this point and relative tothe land acquisition agenda, the factis, there will never be enough moneyavailable to buy and manage allhabitat and landscapes needingprotection. More troubling however, is thesubtle and insidious message associ-ated with the acquisition agenda thatsuggests environmental protectionmust be bought and paid for with
public money. This is the mantra ofthe “wise use” movement and privateproperty rights advocates. In theirview, government action that resultsin diminution in value or restrictionson private property rights, includinginterests in the use of public lands,must be compensated. Strong gov-ernment regulation, in perpetuity, isabsolutely essential to safeguardquality of life on the planet. Pushing apublic acquisition agenda at theexpense of strong, effective regulationdoes the environment, the public andfuture generations a great disservice. Environmental advocacy is toughduty. To do it well requires idealism,passion, integrity, dedication, sacri-fice, smarts and staying power. Itrequires a willingness to embraceconflict and to stand strong againstforces of exploitation and greed. Itmeans striving to ensure that envi-ronmental well-being is not sacrificedon the altar of expediency andpragmatism. Effective environmental advocacyrequires vision and a clear sense ofpurpose. It means listening to andstaying in touch with frontlinecommunity activists. It requiresearning and maintaining publicsupport and respect. It meansworking more effectively with themedia and forming strategic allianceswith each other. And it requiresresisting the sirens of power. When seemingly irresistible andinexorable forces of environmentaldestruction push us to the edge ofdespair, we must think of the life thatfollows in our wake and reach foranother measure of strength withinus to never give up. Notwithstandingmany defeats and few victories, in theend we will have prevailed because wetried. Thank you for hearing me.
Controversy and conflict come with the territory.If we cannot embrace and engage them effect-ively in pursuit of our mission, it is time to getout and move on. We betray our trust if theavoidance of conflict, whether done consciouslyor not, becomes a goal in our work. Conciliationhas value, but not if achieved at the expense ofethical and environmental integrity.
Douglascontinued from page 5
Contraception has been in the news a lot of late. The Pope continues promot-ing contraception as “wrong.” Italy is a country where women have such a low
birth rate they are not even replacing themselves and the governmentwill give a $2,000 bonus to any women that will have a second baby.The Pope must catch up with the times. He should be encouraging theuse of IUDs, the Pill, vasectomies, Plan B, condoms etc. — as well asabstinence. In the past 85 years the number of people inhabiting our planet hasincreased by five billion (5,000,000,000)—a population explosion. Innature all population explosions are followed by a population collapse—we are ripe. People are living longer—twice as long as a century ago. Medicinehas improved so very much—it is a great time to be alive. We have achoice of decreasing the births or increasing the deaths—I prefer theformer, unless bearded ole gizzers are exempt from the death increase.
Bill Denneen, Nipomo
What was PG&E looking for andwhat would it really cost? The answers to those questions, orlack of same, were troubling:
l PG&E hadn’t been fully updating orresponding to inquiries from theIndependent Peer Review Panel(which includes SLO County Supervi-sor Bruce Gibson) assigned tomonitor the design of the studies.l The CPUC, as revealed by A4NRduring a similar hearing for seismicstudy funding at the San Onofrenuclear plant, has no seismologist onstaff, nor any seismic consultants.How would they know what PG&Ewas looking for?l Without either thorough indepen-dent review or seismic expertise, howwere ratepayers to know just whatPG&E was up to?
Given this complexity, A4NR wasgrateful when attorney John Geesmanagreed to take the lead on our behalf.Mr. Geesman, a former CaliforniaEnergy Commissioner, was thatagency’s original executive directorand is well remembered for spear-heading opposition to PG&E’s failedanti-choice initiative, Proposition 16. First on the agenda was A4NR’stestimony in the case, which includedthe 75-page expert opinion of Dr.Douglas Hamilton. Dr. Hamilton hadbeen a PG&E geoscientist in theoriginal licensing of Diablo Canyon,and has since believed that thegreatest threats to the plant werefrom the Diablo Cove and “InferredOffshore Fault,” which had been longignored by PG&E. A4NR’s secondtestimony was provided by SenatorBlakeslee, who highlighted PG&E’slack of transparency and cooperationduring the process. Both documentscan be read at http://a4nr.org/?p=1928. In response, PG&E’s attorney statedthat Dr. Hamilton’s testimony was“…challenging the entirety of thegeosciences program and the seismichazard that has been adopted forDiablo Canyon and approved by theNuclear Regulatory Commission.”And yet, despite this dramatic claim,PG&E chose not to cross-examine Dr.Hamilton. His testimony entered theofficial record unchallenged. Like-wise, PG&E chose not to cross-examine Senator Blakeslee. PG&E’s witnesses were not so lucky.On April 18, A4NR attorney Geesmanhammered them on many issues,including PG&E’s assumption thatNRC pre-emption made the Alliance’sclaims moot, and got their witness toadmit that, yes, some of PG&E’searlier assertions about the possibleeffects of the new Shoreline Fault hadnot been accepted by the NRC. Thedramatic confrontations can be readin the transcripts at http://a4nr.org/?p=2144 . This is only the latest round inA4NR’s seven-year fight to make sureratepayers know whether DiabloCanyon sits on a foundation stableenough to provide reliable or eco-nomic electricity— areas of concernwhere jurisdiction rests exclusivelywith the state of California. The CPUC process will stretch onthrough the summer. We must holdthe utility’s and regulators’ feet to thefire: Both Pacific Gas & Electric andthe California Public Utilities Com-mission are culpable for the negli-gence that led to an explosive tragedyat San Bruno. That is not a fate SanLuis Obispo or California can afford atDiablo. Please support and follow thework of A4NR at www.a4nr.org.
How much?continued from page 1
/santalucia
Now on Facebook
Santa Lucian • May 20129
by Ralph Bishop, Nipomo Creek Dogs
After reading, “Solar Done Wrong” (April), this Nipomo Creek Dog’s hacklesare standing on end, and my ivory is gleaming in the Santa Lucian sun. We Lucians have been taken by national thought police to the industrial re-education camp like King George’s dungeons. Obey Lucians! Kangaroo rats,elk, and pronghorn are expendable to “save the world.” Whether you are anoriginalist or believe that the Constitution is a living document, free speech isits foundation, and the industrial complex and their gang-greenous politicianswill have to pry the pen from this old dog’s cold dead hands. Tyrannical imposition, no matter who employs it, is a despicable molestationof lady liberty. It is an inconvenient truth that no party or organization isimmune to the one percenters’ root of all evil: the golden calf of power.Change? Per the L.A. Times (“”Environmentalists feeling burned by rush to build solarprojects,” April 6), consider the “kingmaker” who National Sierra Club paid andthe energy industry coincidentally paid as well, and his plan to ”give money toco-opt Big Green” and create a “green halo” for the imperial industrial com-plex. The kingmaker “in a memo singled out two organizations — the SierraClub and the NRDC — for grants.” When a Sierra Club senior staffer was asked“if the big players had been outmaneuvered by solar developers,” she replied“That’s always possible.” I heard in those words the tears of innocence lost. Where will once sweetSierra find refuge in the dark, sleepless hours of ethical torment when thespirits of the tortoise and kit fox come to her asking “we thought you loved us,you took a faithful oath to protect us. We are the life of the world. How couldyou betray us for a yellow stone?” My Grandfather used to say trust in God, the rest pay cash, and charity beginsat home. In 2008, I became incensed that Supervisor Katcho Achadjian locallyand George W. nationally were undercutting our family values. So every timethe RNC sent me a request for money, I sent money to the Santa Lucia Chapter,saying “why waste hard-earned dollars on the black hole of National Commit-tees whose obscene carbon footprint is an offense to nature and all but a penny
On April 19 in Salinas, the MontereyBay National Marine SanctuaryAdvisory Council voted to support therevival of the federal site evaluationlist for marine sanctuaries. We had written to the SanctuaryAdvisory Council: “As site evaluationwould involve public discussion andstakeholder input, this would be theprocess by which local stakeholdersmay air their concerns and ideas. Forthat reason, we would urge those whowish to make arguments againstsanctuary evaluation or expansion toadvocate for the initiation of thisprocess, rather than attempting toshut down that discussion before itcan begin.” The week before, in anticipation ofthat vote — and seeking to shut downthat discussion — the Morro Bay CityCouncil took a trip down memorylane to shake the dust off a 2003resolution opposing national marinesanctuary status for the Central Coast,either as an extension of the MontereyBay National Marine Sanctuary or as aseparate entity. The council re-votedand reaffirmed the old resolution soas to publicly re-state their oppositionto sanctuary status for the waters ofthe Central Coast.
Can Morro Bay Get Out of the Way?
disappears as gaseous extrusions? I urge my fellow members to financiallysupport local activism” (“We Approve This Message,” May 2010). Here is proof local support gives us all a real bang for our buck: After plasticag tubing in our creeks cost Nipomo millions of dollars in damage and wreckedour creek during flooding, we went to Katcho with our honest concern aboutthe town he claimed to have adopted as his own. He erected every firewallpossible to obscure the truth, including having the sheriff chase us around. Wewere at the end of our rope when we met the Sierra Club’s Santa Lucia chapterdirector. With Lucian help, we were able to prevail and stop the rampant plasticpollution. We would have failed had it not been for Lucian support. In out last battle, Conoco tried to skirt their legal liability to clean up amassive oil spill under Nipomo Creek. Again we prevailed, but it would havebeen impossible without the Santa Lucia Chapter. Nipomo Creek became anexample of Big Oil’s out-of-sight, out-of-mind unethical maneuver to suppressthe truth. Thanks to the Lucians, the water board has put all Big Oil on noticeto identify and remediate leaks from abandoned transfer lines, region-wide. I again call on all who care about free speech and ethical responsibilities tosupport local activism. Ihave written a check for
Specifically, in the mistaken beliefthat national marine sanctuariesregulate fishing, they rejected theconservation of ecological integrityand cultural legacy, resource protec-tion and research funding thatnational marine sanctuary statusbrings. Had they moseyed a little fartherdown memory lane, the council-
members might have stumbled
across a 1990 city council resolutionendorsing national marine sanctuarystatus for the Central Coast. Thatresolution was vastly superior injudgment and vision to the 2003resolution, which, by contrast, isheavy on misstatements of fact. Thanks to councilman NoahSmukler, prior to the re-vote thecouncil removed one of the clausesfrom the resolution that asserted withdelusional confidence that oppositionby the city, county and state would besufficient to hold back any federalpressure for offshore oil explorationshould Washington someday decreethat our portion of the coast is to besacrificed to Big Oil. That deletionwas a quiet admission of reality: onlynational marine sanctuary status canpermanently hold off the oil rigs.
But that deletion left plenty ofother things for the city council toget wrong. The newly re-affirmed resolutiondemanded “local control,” the citycouncil’s long-time mantra forsanctuary opposition. Every timethey say it, they put Morro Bay in aposition equivalent to a city de-manding control of a national park.It makes the city look silly. So doesdouble-talk regarding the regulationof fishing, which the resolutionattempts to equate with any regula-tion regulating anything else,concluding that marine sanctuariestherefore might regulate fishing(which – have we mentioned? – they
don’t). The resolution implied that the roleof a local Sanctuary Advisory Councilis essentially irrelevant, when, in fact,the Monterey Bay SAC is the meansby which the sanctuary’spolicies are set. Onaverage, 90 percent of theAdvisory Council’srecommendations areadopted as sanctuarymanagement policy. We urge Morro Bayresidents to visit thewebsite of the MBNMS(montereybay.noaa.gov/)and search the term“SocioeconomicsFactsheet” so they cansee just how muchcommercial and recre-ational fisheries are (not)suffering as a result ofallegedly draconianmarine sanctuaryregulations. It’s an eye-opening look at whatsanctuary status has donefor other communities,and what it could bedoing for Morro Bay andfor the central coast’s
economy at this moment, but for thefearful, fact-free opposition by theCity of Morro Bay, allegedly acting inthe name of its citizens. (This is thesame city council that famouslycancelled “Sea Otter Awareness Week”last year.) More information from the fact-based community can be viewed atwww.santalucia.sierraclub.org. Clickon “SLO Coast National MarineSanctuary panel.” This will serve tocounter the misstatements of factcontained in a nine-year-old resolu-tion resurrected by a grievouslymisinformed city council as anelection-year ploy. The residents ofMorro Bay deserve the real picture ofjust what their representatives aredetermined to withhold from them,and from everyone else on the CentralCoast.
We think he’s serious Thanks, Dog!
Home DefenseWhere charity begins
$500 as a challenge — byarguably the Santa LuciaChapter’s most conserva-tive supporter — to meetor beat, or otherwise dowhat you can do tosupport the Chapter. The truth has noagenda. My challengeembodies a primalterritorial imperative:Charity begins at home.
Terr
y Li
lley
10
Santa Lucian • May 2012
2011 Crop Grass Fed BeefEstate Grown Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Available Now-Delivery AvailablePlease Get in Touch For More Information
Greg and Linda McMillan
805-238-4820 [email protected]
Taking Issueproblematic environmental coverage & commentary in our local media
“Greenhouse-gas rules put chokehold on building,” The Tribune, April 15, 2012.
Summary: Local regulatory agencies like the Air Pollution Control District are
finding simple ways to implement California’s greenhouse gas emission reductionrequirements that will affect only a handful of the largest projects, and maybe not eventhen...unless you’re the person who writes the headlines for The Tribune.
This wascontemplated inan early draft ofthe County’sClimate Action
Plan, via a certified energy audit for homes builtbefore 2000. Realtors screamed bloody murder, and it
was removed.
Upshot: Does The Tribune’s editorial board see the
headlines that get placed over their editorials beforethey go to press?
Neither ofthese state-ments istrue, as theeditorial goes on toillustrate in detail.
Greenhouse-gas rules putchokehold on building --State’s anti-pollutionmandate has agencies ina painful bind
The state is requiring that the environmental reviewfor all proposed developments -- no matter howsmall -- include an analysis of greenhouse-gasemissions and, if necessary, measures to reducethem. At its most extreme, that means a simpleaddition to a single-family home could necessitate acomplicated review. That’s ridiculous. As an alternative, agencies can set thresholdsthat exempt small projects from the requirements.
Opponents...say this isanother unnecesaryregulation that will windof dearly costingdevelopers and builerswho already arestruggling in the downeconomy. And, theypoint out that newconstruction is alreadyfollowing stringent statecode for energyefficiency -- and thatcode is going to geteven stricter in thenear future.
Does it need tobe said? Moredowntownmixed usedevelopmentand more bikelanes in existingsuburbansubdivisions areboth good and useful things, and both should be and arebeing encouraged in planning at the state and local level, andare not competing with each other in an either/or scenario.
These twosentencesconstitute anargument and itsopposite,cancelling eachother out. If theregulations aresuperfluous andrequire standardsthat will be metregardless, viathe requirementsof the state codefor energyefficiency -- i.e.the emissionsrule will have noeffect -- how can those regulations possibly“wind up dearly costing developers andbuilders,” who are going to be meeting therequirements anyway?
Climate Action Plansare a mixed bag. InSLO County’s case,the CAP consists of39 voluntary mea-sures, which theCounty may or maynot implement. None
are part of the County’s GeneralPlan, and there’s not a rule or aregulation among them.
summer travel season ahead, now isa great time to find out about railtravel in California and across thecountry. Lighten your carbonfootprint with “greener” travel andclimb aboard a modern train (wi-fi!)for a pleasant journey. At National Train Day there will bemodel railroad displays for kids of allages, a photo exhibit and lightrefreshments. Souvenirs and travelinformation for all! REAL trains willbe in the station from 1:30-2p.m.and again from about 3-3:45 thatafternoon. All aboard!!
If agencies want to get seriousabout reducing greenhouse gases,they should do more to promoteretrofits of older homes.
They’ve also noted that the staterequirements are superfluous, giventhat local cities are in the process ofdeveloping state-mandated climateaction plans that will set policies forreducing greenhouse-gas emissions.(San Luis Obispo County already hascompleted its plan.)
And how about encouragingmore residential units in existingdowntowns, so that more peoplecan walk to shops or to work?That’s far more likely to reducecar trips than adding one or twomore bike lanes in suburbansubdivisions, in the hope that itmight lure residents into leavingtheir cars at home.
So agenciesare in a“painfulbind”... withan alternative? And the painfulbind would be where, exactly?
May 12 isNationalTrain Day
Head on down to the Amtrakstation in San Luis Obispo(Santa Rosa and RailroadAvenue) on Saturday, May12, for National TrainDay. The event is from1-4 PM; admission isfree and so is theparking! With gas prices onthe rise and the
Santa Lucian • May 201211
ClassifiedsNext issue deadline is May 14. To get
a rate sheet or submit your ad and
payment, contact:
Sierra Club - Santa Lucia Chapter
P.O. Box 15755
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
CYNTHIA HAWLEY
ATTORNEY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
LAND USE
CIVIL LITIGATION
P.O. Box 29 Cambria California 93428
Phone 805-927-5102 Fax 805-927-5220
A portion of any commissiondonated to the Sierra Club
Pismo toSan Simeon
GREEN HOMES
Les KangasSolar Energy ConsultantREC Solar, Inc.775 Fiero Lane, Suite 200San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Office: (805) 528-9705Cell: (805) 305-7164Toll Free: (888) OK-SOLAR (657-6527)
Fax: (805) 528-9701
Hold Your Water“Slow it, sink it, spread it” is themantra of enlightened water managerswho know that water works best whenit stays on the land where it falls. Now that mantra can be yours, too,along with healthier soils, happierwildlife, and reductions in your waterbill, thanks to the tips and techniquesin Rainwater Management for LowImpact Development, a publication ofthe Appropriate Technology Coalition --SLO Green Build, the Santa Lucia
Chapter of theSierra Club andthe SurfriderFoundation,available for $10postage paid,while supplieslast. Mail yourcheck to SierraClub, P.O. Box15755, SLO93406.
12
Santa Lucian • May 2012
Outings and Activities CalendarSeller of travel registration information: CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
This is a partial listing of Outingsoffered by our chapter.
Please check the web pagewww.santalucia.sierraclub.org for
the most up-to-date listing ofactivities.
All our hikes and activities are open to all Club members and the general public. Please bring drinking waterto all outings and optionally a lunch. Sturdy footwear is recommended. All phone numbers listed are withinarea code 805 unless otherwise noted. Pets are generally not allowed. A parent or responsible adult mustaccompany children under the age of 18. If you have any suggestions for hikes or outdoor activities, ques-tions about the Chapter’s outing policies, or would like to be an outings leader, call Outings Chair Joe Morris,772-1875. For information on a specific outing, please call the listed outing leader.
May 6-8, July 8-10, September 9-11.Explore the wild, windswept islands of Channel Island National Park. Enjoy thefrolicking seals and sea lions. Train your binoculars on rare sea and land birds.Hike trails bordered by blankets of wildflowers and plants found in no otherplace on earth. Kayak or snorkel the pristine waters— or just relax at sea. Alltours depart from Santa Barbara aboard the 68’ twin diesel Truth. $590 feeincludes an assigned bunk, all meals, snacks, beverages, and the services of aranger/naturalist who will travel with us to lead hikes, call attention to itemsof interest and present evening programs. Proceeds will go to benefit SierraClub California’s political programs. To make a reservation, mail a $100 check,payable to Sierra Club to leader Joan Jones Holtz, 11826 The Wye St., ElMonte, CA 91732. Contact leader for more information, 626-443-0706;[email protected].
Island Hopping in Channel Islands National Park
Guided City Walks: San Luis Obispo Each walk lasts about 90 minutes, is easy-paced, and free to the public. Familieswelcome. No reservations. Check ths space or our website for information aboutfuture scheduled city walks. Walk I: Mission-Era San Luis Obispo. See the home of the city’s first doctor, thelocation of the “hanging tree,” where the stagecoach stopped, and other sights on astroll past the Mission, adobes, and old Chinatown. Meet at NE corner of Monterey andOsos Streets. Walk II: Victorian-Age San Luis Obispo. Easy stroll past 18 lovely century-oldhomes and churches in the Old Town Historic District. See the homes of mayors, thenewspaper editor, and Cal Poly’s founder, and learn about the lives of the newlywealthy who transformed the city in the late 19th and early 20th century. Meet in frontof Jack House, 536 Marsh Street. Walk III: Mill Street Historic District. A walk through a neighborhood of splendidcentury-old homes to discover SLO in the era of Hearst, coming of the railroad, WW I,and the twenties. Learn the stories of the rich or not-so-famous who shaped the city oftoday. Meet at corner of Monterey and Johnson Streets. Walk IV: Jazz-Age to Fifties SLO. See the downtown hotel where Hearst entertainedguests, former location of speakeasies, the original French hospital, and more. Learn ofcity life in the years of the Model T to Prohibition and WW II. Meet at building designedby Frank Lloyd Wright, NE corner of Santa Rosa and Pacific Streets. Walk V: Musical Walk: Historic San Luis Obispo. A guided, tuneful stroll past tenhistoric landmarks in downtown San Luis Obispo, accompanied by recordings ofthematic songs from Mission days to World War II. Meet at NW corner of Nipomo andDana Streets.
Sat., May 5, 7:30 a.m. Santa LuciaTrail to Pinkolam Peak Strenuoushike to tallest peak in N. Los PadresNat. Forest. Not for beginners. 12miles roundtrip, 3800 ft. elevationgain, for an all-day outing. Hikebegins in rocky meadow, then ascendsthrough oak forest, chaparral, andpines to summit, where there is anabandoned fire lookout. Bring amplewater, lunch, snacks, and dress for theweather. Ticks and poison oak may beencountered. Meet at Las Tablasrideshare parking lot in Templeton,west of #101 at Las Tablas exit. Fromthere, we will carpool for 1 1/2 hrs. totrailhead. If you may possibly be acarpool driver, need to bring license,registration certificate, and proof ofinsurance since we will be crossing Ft.Hunter Liggett. Because of locationand difficulty of hike, must confirmwith leader at least 2 days before hike.Chuck, 441-7597. Fri-Sun, May 11-13 Tom BasinBurn Area Trip #4, Santa RosaWilderness Join Graham Stafford andBrenna Archibald of the NevadaOutdoor School to reseed nativeplants in area north of Winnemucca.
Easy work and family-oriented. Allmeals except lunch are provided. Info.: Graham, 775-686-8478,graham@graham stafford.com orBrenna, [email protected] Great Basin Group—Toiyabe Chapter. Sat., May 12, 9 a.m. Over the TopHike, Cerro San Luis Moderately-paced, 5-mile hike around andover Cerro San Luis via Rock Gardentrail, about 2.5—3 hrs duration. Some steep hills and strenuousportions. Bring boots and water. Meet at parking lot/restroom area atLaguna Lake. Info.: Mike Sims, 459-1701 or [email protected] Raincancels. Sun., May 13, 9 a.m. Irish HillsNatural Reserve Hike The Irish Hillsstretch along southern side of LosOsos Valley from Hwy 101 to coast. This botanist-led hike, about 5 milesroundtrip and 700 ft. gain, exploresthe Natural Reserve there—700 acresof oak woodland, grasslands, chapar-ral, and superb views. Bring water,snacks, hat, sturdy shoes, and dress inlayers for weather. Local plants,
animals, and geology will be dis-cussed. About 3 hrs. duration. Meetat trailhead, southern end of MadonnaRd., SLO. Info.: Bill Waycott, 459-2103 or bill.waycott@ gmail.com.Jointly sponsored with CaliforniaNative Plant Society. Sat., May 19, 10 a.m. City Walk:Victorian-Age San Luis Obispo Easy,guided stroll past 18 lovely century-old homes and churches in the OldTown Historic District, south ofdowntown SLO. See residences ofpast mayors, newspaper editor,and Cal Poly founder. Eavesdropon the personal lives of the newly richwho transformed the city in the early1900s. Duration about 1 1/2hrs. Meet in front of Jack House, 536Marsh St. Info.: Joe Morris, 549-0355. Fri-Mon, May 25-28 Black RockRendezvous: Restoration andPhotography Workshop A premierannual event at the Black RockNational Conservation Area, in whichwe will be taking the lead for restora-tion of the route, tamarisk removal,and general cleanup. Families wel-
Joe Morris, Outings Chair
Sierra Club, Santa Lucia Chapter(805) 549-0355
comed, with opportunities to meetmembers of partner groups. All mealsexcept lunch are provided. Info.:Graham Stafford, 775-686-8478,[email protected], or Pat Bruce, 775-815-5598 Great Basin Group—ToiyabeChapter. Sat., May 26, 9:30 a.m. GuadalupeBeach Hike. 4-mile walk, about 4hrs. duration, down pristine beachand through historic dunes to MusselRock. Bring ample water, lunch,windbreaker, and hat. Optional lunchafterward in quaint, historicGuadalupe. Rain cancels. Info.:Andrea Ortiz, 934-2792.
Sept. 23-30HistoricalVirginiaTrip
with Fort McHenry, theCity of Annapolis, the U. S.Naval Academy and maybeeven a cruise on theChesapeake. 8 days, 7 nights. $1250for SC members ($1350for non-members).Includes all lodging costs,transportation to andfrom Dulles Airport andwhile on the trip, alladmission fees to sched-uled locations and allbreakfasts. Lunches anddinners and airfare to andfrom Washington Dullesnot included. $500 willreserve your spot on thetrip, with the remainderdue July 1. For info,call(949-768-610;[email protected]), orwrite Mike Sapping-fieldat 26352 Via Juanita,Mission Viejo, CA 92691.
If you always wanted to see someof the most famous historicalspots in and around the State ofVirginia, this is the trip for you.We will fly into Washington DullesAirport, then bus to the restoredRevolutionary Era Town of
Williamsburg; Jamestown,the site of the first Englishsettlement in America; andthe Yorktown Battlefield. Wewill tour such historical sitesas Appomattox Court Housewhere Lee surrendered to
Grant; Monticello, home ofThomas Jefferson; theShenandoah Valley, SkylineDrive and the AppalachianTrail, Harpers Ferry,GettysburgBattlefield, andfinish up
