Archive for April, 2008

It’s a Drug War on Us

Published
by
admin
on April 14, 2008
in Waste Discharge
. 0 Comments

There’s a war out there, not the one overseas
It’s here at home making us ill-at-ease.
It’s a drug war on us, not a war on drugs
Profit-driven by pharmaceutical thugs.

There’s drugs for the aches and drugs for the mind,
Drugs for the liver and drugs you can’t find,
Drugs for epileptics and sore bones,
Antibiotics and sex hormones.

It’s ‘cus we got sewage sanitation,
Our pee goes into a collection station,
It mixes to form an eclectic brew,
Recycled back and it’s “good as new”.

There’s drugs for the aches and drugs for the mind,
Drugs for the liver and drugs you can’t find,
Drugs for epileptics and sore bones,
Antibiotics and sex hormones.

As you turn on the tap to take a drink,
Here is something for you to think.
Not all water is chemically tested,
Before it’s unwittingly ingested.

There’s drugs for the aches and drugs for the mind,
Drugs for the liver and drugs you can’t find,
Drugs for epileptics and sore bones,
Antibiotics and sex hormones.

And don’t rely on water that’s bottled,
Regs for testing, well, they are throttled.
It all runs off into marshy sinks,
Where wells are pumping for water we drinks.

There’s drugs for the aches and drugs for the mind,
Drugs for the liver and drugs you can’t find,
Drugs for epileptics and sore bones,
Antibiotics and sex hormones.

There’s a war out there, not the one overseas
It’s here at home making us ill-at-ease.
It’s a drug war on us, not a war on drugs
Profit-driven by pharmaceutical thugs.

Lyrics and music by Larry Hanson

Actions to Protect Our Coast!

Published
by
Larry
on April 14, 2008
in Coastal Impacts
. 0 Comments

NOW is the time to speak up for Coastal Protection!

"MLPA - Our Living Ocean Legacy" Slide Show of Underwater World of the North Coast

MLPA informational meeting - April 15th - 6-8pm Oddfellows Hall, 545 Pacific Avenue, Santa Rosa

Hosted by Russian Riverkeeper and featuring Marc Shargels underwater photos of our Coast!

Come learn about what is under the waves with stunning images of the underwater world of the North Central Coast and learn how you can help protect it for today and future generations.

We will have information on how you can take action to protect your Coastal waters and answer questions on the three MPA packages that will be considered by the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on April 22-23.

Event is Free!

We need to speak up for the most protective Marine Protected Area package that will be considered by Governor Schwarzenegger’s MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force on April 22-23. Please send letters of support before April 17 to have most effect!

Five ways you can help protect your Coast!

1. Send an e-mail today supporting package #4 that gives our Coastal waters the highest level of protection for marine life.

2. Attend the BRTF hearing in San Rafael on April 22-23

3. Tell your friends to help support Coastal protection by forwarding this

e- mail to them!

4. If you belong to a conservation group please urge them to write a letter of support for package #4!

5. Attend the North Central Coast MLPA informational meeting MLPA - Our Living Ocean Legacy - Tuesday April 15th with stunning photographs by Marc Shargel of the underwater world of our local Coastal region!

Sonoma -Mendocino Coastal Alert! April 22 & 23rd - Marine Life Protection Act - Blue Ribbon Task Force Meeting– Speak up for Strong Coastal Protection as BRTF selects one of 3 proposals!! PROTECT YOUR COASTAL WATERS MLPA - BRTF to Select the North Central Coast Marine Protected Areas Tuesday-Wednesday, April 22-23, 2008 Embassy Suites Hotel 101 McInnis Parkway San Rafael, CA 94903

California is in the process of creating Marine Protected Areas along the North Central coast, from Half Moon Bay to Point Arena. These underwater state parks and wilderness sites will help protect diverse habitats and let fish and marine wildlife thrive. On April 23, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force will recommend a network of protected areas for our coastal waters. We need your help to make sure they choose the best plan that includes the most important places along our coast — Package 4.

Package 4 gets the highest marks from scientists and provides the highest level of protection to special places like the rocky reefs along the Sonoma Coast, seabird-nesting areas at Point Reyes, historic Fitzgerald Marine Park and the Farallone Islands. Package 4 offers the most protection to the best places in the region, while still allowing small boat fishermen access to the sea to sustain traditional fisheries and preserves most ablone diving spots. Designed with input from local residents, conservationists, abalone divers and fishermen, Package 4 offers California a true ocean legacy.

1. Send an email supporting Package 4: (by April 17th - Midnight!) Email MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov Please copy: mlpa@russianriverkeeper.org Note: Your name and comments will be published on the MLPA website, unless you request otherwise.

Sample text: Please feel free to personalize the message!

Dear MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force,

I support the network of marine protected areas in Package 4 for the North Central Coast Region of the Marine Life Protection Act. I ask you to select Package 4 as your preferred alternative. Package 4 gets the highest marks from scientists, provides the highest level of protection to special places along the coast, and enjoys support from a wide range of interests.

Marine protected areas, especially fully protected marine reserves, are an investment in the future health of our coastal waters. Scientific studies confirm that marine reserves harbor more and bigger fish and support a greater diversity of life than other areas. Healthy oceans support our coastal communities and our economy. Please give California the strongest possible legacy of ocean protection by recommending Package 4.

Sincerely,
(your name)

2. Attend the BRTF hearing in San Rafael on April 22-23

On April 22-23, the state’s Blue Ribbon Task Force will recommend a network of protected areas for our coastal waters.

We need your help to make sure decision makers hear loud and clear that local communities support “Proposal 4”, the strongest plan for protecting the North Central Coast.

If you’re able to attend a meeting in San Rafael on April 22 or 23rd and speak in support of marine protected areas, email both keith@CalOceans.org and rrkeeper@sonic.net or Click here to RSVP. We can help you prepare by sending along important points to make to the BRTF. We will be arranging a bus or carpools for those wishing to attend the meeting to reduce our greenhouse gases - e-mail rrkeeper@sonic.net if you’d like to carpool or take a bus!

Links for more information on MLPA process:
Please visit www.CalOceans.org to get information from the conservation community on every aspect of the state’s MLPA process CalOceans.org- Our coalition’s mission is to preserve a slice of undersea habitat — to allow part of our oceans to remain undisturbed by human activity so our children’s children can explore and discover the wonders of our ocean habitat and the wildlife that it supports.

For the official MLPA website visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/northcentralcoast.asp

For the maps of the three MPA packages visit:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/nccrsg-proposals.asp

For general information on MLPA and levels of Marine protected areas (MPA’s) and FAQs on MLPA visit: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/index.asp

Marine Birds and the Marine Life Protection Act Packages Package #4 has the strong support of the Pt Reyes Bird Observatory organization since it greatly increases protections for marine bird species by reducing boat traffic in sensitive areas, reducing disturbance of nesting, roosting and foraging areas and by reducing competition between fishers and birds at bird foraging sites especially those close to nesting areas.

Fishing Concerns The supporters of package #4 worked hard to listen to the fishing community, abalone divers and harbormasters and used that information to make compromises to accommodate continued fishing and diving in key areas while maintaining the highest scores for protection from the MLPA Science Advisory Team. If you are concerned about your fishing access please

e- mail to get the straight scoop as there is a lot of misinformation being passed around about the impacts on recreational and commercial fishing!

Thank you for helping protect California’s oceans for future generations!

Don McEnhill

Sonoma County Decisions Made for Riparian 4-14 and 4-15

Published
by
Larry
on April 11, 2008
in Agriculture Impacts, Lakes and Resevoirs and Watershed Related
. 0 Comments

Hello all-

PLEASE NOTE! IMPORTANT HEARINGS FOR THE FUTURE OF SONOMA COUNTY! The final round of deliberations on the County General Plan are continuing next week!

I heard from Greg Carr that the Monday’s hearing on the General Plan will start at 1:00pm!

On Monday, the Supervisors will cover Biotic Resources and Riparian Corridors first.

If they have time, they will go on to Energy Resources and Land Use Element issues (extension of urban services, quasi-public facilities, etc)

They will continue discussion of topics that are not finished on Tuesday at 2:45pm.

Monday, April 14 - 1:00pm - Supervisors discuss Riparian Corridors and Biotic Habitat - Board Chambers, 575 Administration Dr, Santa Rosa

** If there is time, they will also discuss Energy Resources
(including climate issues) and Land Use Element issues (extension of urban
services, quasi-public facilities, affordable housing)

Tuesday, April 15 - 2:45pm - Supervisors continue discussion on above topics - Board Chambers, 575 Administration Dr, Santa Rosa

See you there!

Daisy

Daisy Pistey-Lyhne
Sonoma-Marin Field Representative
Greenbelt Alliance
555 5th St, Ste. 300B
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 575-3661
daisypl@greenbelt.org

Watershed Day at Capitol Cancelled!

Published
by
Larry
on April 9, 2008
in Watershed Related
. 0 Comments

WATERSHED DAY AT THE CAPITAL
HAS BEEN POSTPONED

The annual visit to the Capitol by watershed groups and advocates
from around the State planned for April 10th will be re-scheduled to
this summer when key legislative issues and administrative actions
affecting watershed work will be addressed.

Outstanding issues include:

n The development of the Statewide Watershed Program. A
framework document will be presented to Secretary Chrisman this
summer from the Department of Conservation and Advisory Committee.

n Legislation supporting free volunteers for watershed groups
and community-based organizations. Without this legislation,
organizations and community groups will have to pay prevailing wages
to volunteers. Current protections expire on December 31, 2008!
Legislative action will conclude in July / August.

n New guidelines for Prop 84 implementation of the Integrated
Regional Water Management Program; funding for watershed restoration
planning and implementation; and other related watershed issues and
legislation.

California Watershed Network regrets the late notice in postponing
our sixth legislative education day conference. We look forward to
seeing you this summer!

Stay tuned for the new date and updated information at:
www.watershednetwork.org

Letter sought on ESA Decisions Regarding Salmon Loss

Published
by
Larry
on April 9, 2008
in Lakes and Resevoirs, Salmonid/Wildlife Impacts and Streams and Wetlands
. 0 Comments

FYI: I thought you might be interested, if you’ve not seen this.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Rue

——————
The Endangered Species Coalition is circulating a letter asking the Environment and Public Works Committee in the U.S. Senate to hold hearings on political interference in ESA decisions. The letter is attached. I think this is most important in light of the current Bay-Delta Crash as well as the salmon problem. It was the two BiOp, one on smelt and one on salmon that provided the state and feds the OK to move forward with increased diversions from the Delta. Had the federal agencies stayed with the biological recommendation of "jeopardy", it would have forced DWR and BOR to find other ways to meet water demands, or cut back commitments (contracts). The purpose of the hearings would be for the Senate to look deeper into the problems at FWS and Commerce, and to consider what can be done to stop land/water use actions based upon illegal ESA decisions.

I invite EWC groups to sign onto this letter. Please send me your organizational signature block at: summerhillfarmpv@aol.com. Thank you for your help,

Dr. C. Mark Rockwell, D.C.
Calif. State Coordinator
Endangered Species Coalition
19737 Wildwood West Dr.
Penn Valley, Ca. 95946
summerhillfarmpv@aol.com

The Endangered Species Coalition (ESC) is a national network of 380 conservation, scientific, religious, sporting, humane, business and community groups across the country. Through public education, scientific information and citizen participation, we work to protect our nation’s wildlife and wild places. The ESC is a non-partisan coalition working with concerned citizens and decision makers from all parties to protect endangered species and habitat.

The Honorable Barbara Boxer
Chair, Committee on Environment and Public Works
410 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

RE:  EPW Hearing on Protecting the Integrity of Science in Implementing the Endangered Species Act.

Dear Madam Chairwoman:

On behalf of the undersigned organizations and the millions of members we represent nationwide, we write to request that the Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee hold an oversight hearing to investigate the abuse of science in the Bush Administration’s implementation of the Endangered Species Act.

Abuse of science and undermining of endangered species protections continues at the Department of Interior.  Although some tainted decisions will be reviewed, scientists and conservation organizations continue to uncover evidence of manipulation for up to 50 endangered species listing, critical habitat, recovery plan and other decisions.  While the administration delays a thorough investigation, many timber sales, oil and gas leases, and other land and water management decisions are moving forward based on these compromised decisions. By acting now, Congress may be able to reinstate protections for our nation’s disappearing wildlife and wild lands.

Last year, much attention was focused on former Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald’s political meddling in what should be scientific determinations under the Endangered Species Act.  Since her resignation, Fish and Wildlife Service has declared the need to revise seven tainted endangered species decisions, which we believe are just the tip of the iceberg.  Further investigations have been launched by the Department of Interior Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office and include a larger number of affected species.

While these investigations and the revisions to the seven decisions are underway, land and water use decisions continue to be made based on the tainted decisions - potentially leading to irreparable harm to these species. A hearing by the EPW committee is needed to help hold the administration accountable for their implementation of the Endangered Species Act and to identify how these tainted decisions continue to jeopardize the survival of threatened and endangered fish, plants and wildlife.

Specifically, we would hope to accomplish these goals with your committee’s hearing:
l Increased understanding of the political interference and ramifications that it may have on our nation’s most at-risk fish, plants and wildlife.  We would welcome the opportunity to work with the committee to secure testimony from scientists and experts who can demonstrate some of the many ways this interference occurred and how it has altered endangered species protections.
l Identify imminent land and water management decisions that have relied on tainted decisions, which now may further jeopardize species survival.    This urgent need could perhaps best be met by asking the Secretary of Interior in preparation for the hearing to identify the land and water management decisions currently being developed that are likely to be affected by these suspect ESA decisions.  Obtaining this information is critical to ensuring that these decisions can be halted until the proper endandegered species protections can be restored.
l Identify how the Department of Interior plans to handle all future relevant management decisions until every tainted decision has been revised properly.  The Fish and Wildlife Service does not plan to revise all seven tainted decisions for two years and the ongoing investigations may  warrant further actions.  The hearing could be instrumental in identifying the philosophy the Department of Interior will use in protecting resources from potentially illegal harm pending the completion of reviews by the Inspector General, the GAO, and the Secretary.

The EPW committee is in a powerful position to help protect our nation’s endangered fish, plants and animals.  We urge you to please do so.  Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Saving Salmon

Published
by
admin
on April 8, 2008
in Salmonid/Wildlife Impacts
. 0 Comments

March 2008

chinook salmon

As Rep. Mike Thompson put it, “The numbers are staggering.”

In 2002, 800,000 wild chinook salmon returned to the Sacramento River and its tributaries.

In 2006, the number was down to 277,000, triggering the most restrictive salmon fishing season on record for Oregon and California. The commercial catch ended up being 12 percent of normal that year.

But those numbers pale in comparison to what is happening this year.

Only about 90,000 adult spawning salmon returned to the Sacramento River area last fall. It’s the secondlowest number on record and well below the government’s

worst projections. As a result, the Pacific Fishery Management Council is on the verge of canceling the salmon season entirely this year. A final decision will come next month.

If the council does so, it would be a significant blow to the commercial fishing industry as well as charter boat skippers and others who benefit from or make their living off sport fishing.

Last year, Thompson, D-St. Helena, led the way in securing $60.4 million in relief for salmon fishermen as a way to cushion the blow from the shortened 2006 season. But that came only after a prolonged battle in Washington, D.C. and extensive delays.

Given the extent of the problem this year and the shortage of federal funds, “It’s going to be harder this time” to secure relief, Thompson told The Press Democrat

Editorial Board Monday. Fortunately, Thompson has a number of allies working with him and they are off to a good start.

A major obstacle in helping fishing families is that Congress is prohibited from authorizing disaster funds until the secretary of commerce officially declares the season a failure. This year, Thompson, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and 40 other West Coast representatives are urging the commerce secretary not to wait to the last minute to start the process.

It makes sense. Whether the drop in salmon populations is the result of climate change, delta water diversions, poor logging practices, over-fishing or some combination of all the above, this much we know is true. The fishing season this year will be a disaster.

What’s a summer without salmon? We’ll find out

Published
by
admin
on April 8, 2008
in Salmonid/Wildlife Impacts
. 0 Comments

By Peter Ottesen
Outdoors Columnist
March 26, 2008

Although the Pacific Fishery Management Council won’t select its final plan to manage West Coast salmon fisheries until its April 7-12 meetings in Seattle, a former member of the council believes there will be no ocean or Central Valley salmon fishing seasons this year and probably won’t until 2010, at the earliest.

“We are not going to have a salmon fishing season,” said Roger Thomas, president of the Golden Gate Sportfishing Association. “The Sacramento River stock of king salmon has experienced an unprecedented collapse and ranks as the mother of all disasters.”

Thomas said the Sacramento River is “the driver” of commercial and recreational fisheries off California and southern Oregon, producing upwards of 85 percent of all the king salmon found in this vast stretch of coastline. The minimum conservation goal for Sacramento River fall kings is an escapement of 122,000 to 180,000 spawning adult fish. In 2008, the fall run is projected to be less than 52,000 salmon, even if all fishing seasons are closed.

As recently as 2002, 775,000 adult king salmon returned to spawn. In 2007, it was 88,000.

In response, the National Marine Fisheries Service has canceled the salmon fishing season from Point Arena to the Mexican border that was supposed to open on April 5. The federal government can change the rules in the middle of the year. The north coast season at Fort Bragg and Shelter Cove will cease on March 31, the earliest regulations can be changed administratively.

Chuck Tracy, a biologist who leads the salmon fishery staff for the PFMC, said his agency must allow the process of selecting recommendations to play out. But he conceded, “I woudn’t be surprised if there is no ocean salmon fishing or in-river fishing in the Sacramento River and its tributaries.”

The PFMC has three options that offer minimal to no fishing, and will recommend one of them to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

“Two of the options allow for no take of salmon,” Tracy said. “The other option allows the take of only 1,000 kings and limits angling to nine days on holiday weekends - Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day - from Humbug Mountain in southern Oregon to Pigeon Point in San Mateo County. South of Pigeon Point to the Mexican border, the season would be slashed to nine days, May 18-26.”

PFMC recommendations to the federal government cover ocean waters from three miles and out. Coastal waters from the shoreline to three miles and all rivers fall under the province of the state Department of Fish and Game. Because the PFMC works in consultation with the DFG, the California Fish and Game Commission normally follows the recommendation of the council. The commission meets April 10-11 in Bodega Bay.

Continue reading ‘What’s a summer without salmon? We’ll find out’

County’s OK of Klamath Settlement is Misguided

Published
by
Larry
on April 7, 2008
in Salmonid/Wildlife Impacts, Streams and Wetlands and Watershed Related
. 0 Comments

Guest Column: County’s OK of Klamath settlement is misguided
Eureka Times Standard - 3/26/08
By Felice Pace, advocate for Pacific salmon, water reform and the
restoration of the Klamath River
"Felice Pace" <unofelice@gmail.com>

Why would Humboldt County supervisors, lead by Supervisor Jill Geist,
endorse a Klamath River water deal which a growing number of top
fisheries scientists and hydrologists say will not lead to recovery
of salmon?

Why would the Humboldt supervisors rush to endorse something when key
elements of the deal are still being drafted?

Unfortunately, the answer has more to do with "bonding" than with
"biology." Supervisor Geist told fellow supervisors last month that
she had "bonded" with the Upper Klamath Basin’s irrigators and that
she knew this Klamath water agreement — full of expensive special
interest goodies — represents a new era of cooperation on the river.
And Jimmy Smith, John Woolley, Bonnie Neely and Roger Rodoni bought
it!

In the weeks ahead, it will become clear just how out of touch the
supervisors are with what good science and common sense tell us is
needed to fix the Klamath River and recover Klamath salmon.

Not only does the agreement not provide enough water for fish, it
locks in industrial agricultural operations in the Lost River and on
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges for 50 years. This will
result in such a high rate of pollution in the Keno Reservoir (a
PacifiCorp dam that those promoting dam removal want left in place)
that it will continue to be without oxygen or life for five weeks a
year.

The ripple impacts on salmon downstream will be disastrous even if
the dams are removed.

Those promoting the water deal want us to believe that it is
necessary in order to convince PacifiCorp to remove four Klamath
River dams. This is not the case. In fact, tying what Hoopa Tribal
Chairman Lyle Marshall has called "an Old West water deal" to dam
removal makes removal of the dams less rather than more likely.

Why were the supervisors in such a rush? The Klamath water agreement
insures flows for Klamath irrigators who are strongly allied with the
Bush administration, and the rush is to get a bill that George Bush
can sign as his term expires.

This is a 50-year sweetheart deal for this special interest group at
the expense of salmon and the river. Would not a new administration
do more for the Klamath River, Klamath salmon and Klamath Basin
wildlife refuges?

Humboldt County gets nothing from the deal while neighboring Siskiyou
County would receive $23 million. In the event of future serious
disagreements and need for legal action, Humboldt County would be
prevented from joining in to defend the Klamath River, its
communities and salmon stocks.

A supervisor’s job is to take care of home, not irrigators in
southern Oregon. Guaranteeing water for a small group of wealthy
"irrigators" over salmon is a terrible precedent, and not the way we
should manage our rivers.

Deals crafted in back rooms, with participants sworn to secrecy,
rarely spawn good public policy. The Klamath settlement is too flawed
to salvage. Look for a public forum on this complex settlement soon
so you can find out for yourself "the rest of the story."

Meanwhile, Jill Geist and the other supervisors have some questions
to answer: How is this water deal going to impact your constituents?
Why have you abandoned what good science tells us salmon need to
recover?

Humboldt citizens and this newspaper should demand answers. You can
find the Humboldt County supervisors’ e-mail addresses and phone
numbers at: http://co.humboldt.ca.us/board/

Felice Pace has been advocating for Pacific salmon, water reform and
the restoration of the Klamath River since 1986. For 15 years he led
these efforts for the Klamath Forest Alliance. Felice presently
resides at Klamath Glen near the mouth of the Klamath River and
writes KlamBlog, about Klamath River issues
(http://klamblog.blogspot.com/ ).The views here are his own.

Meeting on North Coast Instream Flow Policy

Published
by
Larry
on April 7, 2008
in Watershed Related
. 0 Comments

Hi Instream Flow Folks,

I want to invite you to a meeting of conservation advocates to discuss the SWRCB’s draft North Coast Instream Flow Policy and related matters with myself, Trout Unlimited, Coast Action Group, Friends of the Navarro River, and others.

Day: April 8
Time: 9:00- 12 -(unless we think we need another hour till 1pm?
Location: OAEC 15290 Coleman Valley Rd - 1/2 mile up the hill on the right from the town of Occidental (see directions on www.oaec.org).
We will meet in our meeting room.

The comment deadline is May 1, and we hope to compare notes and coordinate efforts. Please feel free to forward this invitation to other NGO conservation advocates who may want to attend.

A draft agenda follows.

I. Background on the draft Instream Flow Policy
- Contents
- Brief summary of strengths and weaknesses
- How it relates to other regulatory programs
- The "watershed approach" within the policy

II. Potential for improving the policy, or having it weakened by policy opponents

III. Items for NGO comments

IV. Next steps

Mostly Water,
Brock

Hearing for Syar’s Application for Instream Mining Extension

Published
by
Larry
on April 2, 2008
in Gravel Mining Impacts and Streams and Wetlands
. 0 Comments

Attend the hearing for Syar’s attempt to extend the ARM plan permit for instream mining in the Russian River

When: Thursday, April 3, at 1 pm

Where: PRMD Hearing Room, 2550 Ventura Ave. in Santa Rosa

If Sonoma County intends to extend the ARM Plan for terrace mining on the Russian River (This plan was approved for a limited period of time based on a historic EIR - where circumstances and science have changed), Interested Parties should inform the County that this is a project, that the old EIR is out of date and a Supplementary EIR is mandated - under CEQA.

Appurtenant to the Supplementary EIR, responsible agency participation should take place - Including:
Biologic Opinion from the ACE and NMFS

DFG environmental assessment and mitigations - 1600 permitting

Regional Board participation.

Alan Levine Coast Action Group