Conservation issues happening in our area. 

Proposals to be concerned about.

By Barbara Rivenes

Conservation Chair

Sierra Nevada Group

Garden Bar Dam proposal on the Bear River update

As you have probably heard the South Sutter Water District, a small agricultural district west of here, has partnered with three Southern California water districts and two Northern California agencies on a preliminary study to place a dam on the Bear River between Lake Combie and Camp Far West Reservoir that could have a reservoir storage of from 245,000 to 400,000 acre-feet.

An array of opponents emerged since the study has become public. Allan Eberhart representing the Sierra Club and Peter Van Zant for Sierra Watch have done extensive speaking and education visits to local commissions and boards to alert them to the concerns of the public. It paid off with a 7-0 vote opposing the dam at the Placer County Fish and Game Commission who also recommended that the Placer County Supervisors do the same.

At the Nevada Irrigation Board meeting, skeptical board members referred the issue to a committee to report back in December. Clearly, this dam has no benefits for Nevada or Placer County and would flood conserved lands in both of the counties, working ranchlands, cultural resources and impact important north/south wildlife corridors.

Another aspect is that floating a proposal like this with no firm commitments, nor an EIR thus far, puts a damper on the land trusts being able to obtain additional conservation easements since landowners do not know whether the lands would be protected from the possible inundation. This proposal should be turned down as soon as possible. Many consider this Garden Bar study/proposal to be a water grab from southern California’s desert communities and, even if this current threat is turned away, there may be more in the future. Detailed information is also on www.sierrawatch.org. If you would like to be informed of a meeting to join us in speaking up for the Bear River, just call or email me.

Update from Ernie, Nov. 9, 2011

Private Forest Clearcutting and Salmon

Activists have been working for many years to stop clearcutting on private forest lands in the Sierra Nevada.  Certain forestry practices are allowed that have the potential to destroy the important and intricate fabric of our Sierra forests which are havens for wildlife and are the source of 60% of California’s water  - not to mention the lungs of the state as well.

However, recently sediment from private land logging methods has been clogging the streams where the state of California has been trying to restore a healthy salmon fishery.  In case you missed it, here is a link to the Sacramento Bee story on the Battle for Battle Creek.  At last, there may be a possibility to tighten some of the Forest Practice Rules.

Roadless Rule Reinstated

Sierra Club Stands in Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street Activists

“The Sierra Club affirms its support for the exercise of political expression through the Occupy Wall Street protests. Corporations that pollute our air, land and water, that put greed ahead of community good, public health and the nation's economic well-being must be held fully accountable. In our work around the country, we have seen first-hand how international coal and oil companies have wrecked communities, polluted our environment, and dominated the political process. We stand with Occupy Wall Street protesters in saying ‘enough'."

If you write only one letter, or make one phone call, on behalf of the environment and climate change, I would like to suggest that it be to President Obama about the Keystone XL pipeline.  He will be making the final decision on this climate destroying project.  In the words of James Hansen, renowned NASA scientist, it will be “game over” for reducing our climate impact if this project goes forward.

The Keystone XL pipeline would transport dirty Canadian tars sands oil 1600 miles from the Alberta to American refineries at the Gulf of Mexico. Digging up new sources of fossil fuels will inevitably increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, and the tar sands result in higher carbon emissions conventional oil. The State Department is relying on a flawed, and some say illegitimate, environmental impact report to greenwash the project.  It’s a State Department decision because the pipeline owner is a Canadian company, TransCanada.

EPA has already roundly criticized the first two drafts of the State Department’s environmental impact report earlier this year.  The environmental reviews and local hearing process were actually conducted by Cardno Entrix, a contracting company with major business ties to pipeline developer TransCanada.  This biased process has glossed over the significant threats from this pipeline to American lands and waters, and the broader threat of major escalation of global warming pollution by rapidly developing and burning tar sands oil.

The EPA will issue its latest review of the State Department's Final Environmental Impact Report. Strong opposition from his own EPA will be essential if we're going to convince President Obama to reject this horrible pipeline. You can reach the Chief of the EPA, Lisa Jackson to urge opposition: 202-272-0167, EPA, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460

And finally, the project must be approved by President Obama in order to proceed.  Call 202-456-1414, or email: www.whitehouse.gov and voice your opposition.

NEW  SUCTION DREDGE REQUIREMENTS

A Threat to Fish, Frogs, Water Quality, and People!

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) has released new proposed suction dredge mining regulations for California rivers and streams.

click here for more details

DONNER SUMMIT

An opportunity??  Donner Summit Update - Royal Gorge in Default  (from: Sierra Watch, Thursday, July 14, 2011)

May 14, 2009 press release: "Donner Summit Groups Unite Behind Common Vision"    The Vision Statement

More information:

• Sierra Watch web page
• Donner Summit Area Association
• Donner Summit Historical Society

IDAHO-MARYLAND MINE Latest News

The saga of the Idaho-Maryland Mine just took a new turn – perhaps a fatal one. The proposal to re-open this mine in the middle of 21st century Grass Valley has languished for more than a year because the company has yet to answer all the environmental concerns developed through the EIR process.

In April they informed the City of Grass Valley that they would hire a new consultant team and began that process again. However, Emgold has just sent a news release saying that they are now raising more capital ($IM Canadian dollars) for other projects and are asking the City to place a temporary hold on the Idaho-Maryland Mine project. It also states that if insufficient funds are not raised to complete the EIR, then Emgold will wait for market conditions to improve, or drop the project entirely.

For those who would like to be heard on the Mine project, please come to speak at the November 8 Grass Valley City Council meeting and ask the Council to pull the plug on the Idaho-Maryland Mine project during public comment . It’s time to focus on other environmentally sustainable economic opportunities for our foothill communities.

Link to CLAIM-GV.org (Citizen's Looking at the Impact of Mining).  BREAKING NEWS, May 2011.  Revised documents available.  Links are on CLAIM's web page.

Sierra Nevada Group's Comment Letter (January 20, 2009)

Update by Ernie, Nov. 9, 2011.  (from The Union web page)

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS update from the Nov. 2 Sacramento Bee

June 14, 2011 Letter from Nevada County Board of Supervisors protesting Malakoff and South Yuba Park closures

Fundraiser and Summer Solstice Party for the South Yuba River State Park.  Details

Closure List.  (in our neighborhood Malakoff Diggins is on the list)

The California State Parks Foundation page has more nformation.  Official state parks web page.

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