General Meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 25
Butterflies in Peril
Come hear Arthur M. Shapiro, professor of Evolution and Ecology at UCD, discuss the alarming disappearance of butterflies from our landscapes. Dr Shapiro has collected data for over 34 years, and is the co-author of a new field guide to butterflies, from UCD Press. 7 pm, Auburn Library, 350 Library Drive, Auburn.
Action on Placer Vineyards by the Board of Supervisors Expected on July 16th
Lovers of Vernal Pools Need to Speak Up!
By Terry Davis
Placer County has already lost 80% of its vernal pools to development. Those that survive are home to rare plants and animals that have evolved unique characteristics over thousands of years, but these species are nearing the brink of extinction due to our lack of stewardship. Spring is the ideal time to visit these gently rolling grasslands, as they explode with flowers. Several local groups offer vernal pool tours each year.
West of Roseville and south of Baseline Road, the county’s General Plan calls for building 14,251 homes for about 33,000 people. That leaves no room to avoid destroying the thousands of acres of vernal pool areas that are present there. The Placer Vineyards developers, led by Angelo K. Tsakopoulos, claim they will mitigate for the destruction by preserving vernal pools elsewhere, offsite. Unfortunately the parcels that they propose as compensation are too small, too isolated, or of too little biological value.
Placer Vineyards would pave over 2,300 acres of vernal pool grasslands, and would compensate by preserving just 266 acres offsite. Even in the best of conditions this would be too little land, but much of the mitigation property no longer has any vernal pools, having been disrupted by intensive agriculture. While the developers propose to create vernal pools on some of these parcels, studies have shown that humans cannot replicate vernal pool systems that can fully sustain their biological functions.
The Placer County Conservation Plan envisioned that a project like Placer Vineyards would mitigate for developing vernal pool complexes by preserving large high-quality vernal pool grasslands, but the county seems ready to allow the developers to mitigate with only scattered fragments of habitat with dubious biological value. If the county approves this mitigation, it will be undermining its own fledgling habitat conservation program.
Placer Vineyards would pave over 2,300 acres of vernal pool grasslands, and would compensate by preserving just 266 acres offsite.
Your letters and emails to the Board of Supervisors are needed to help save our remaining vernal pools. Speakers at the public hearing, currently scheduled for July 16th , at 175 Fulweiler Avenue, would be particularly helpful. The meeting time will be sent out on the Alert List.
Please ask the supervisors not to approve the project unless it fully mitigates for its impacts to vernal pools and to the endangered species that inhabit them.
Please address letters and emails to all Board members, not just the supervisor who represents your particular district. For more information contact Terry Davis, 916 557-1100 ext. 108 or by email terry.davis@sierraclub.org
Canyon Rim Development
PARC (Protect American River Canyons) has recently appealed a decision of the Placer County Parcel Review Committee approving a proposed lot split that would result in the construction of three homes on the edge of the canyon. The Placer County Planning Commission will hold a hearing on the appeal on July 12, 2007. Details may be found at parc-auburn.org.
Sierra Club Radio
Sierra Club Radio is a weekly half hour program produced by Sierra Club staff and hosted by Orli Cotel. They broadcast every Saturday at 3:30 pm (PST) on the Quake (960 am) in the San Francisco Bay Area, but you can also listen to the programming here on the Web or by subscribing to their podcast.
Their mission is to offer tips and tell stories we all can use as consumers, as citizens, as neighbors, and as parents to make responsible choices, to connect to the growing environmental community.
You’ll hear lifestyle tips from Sierra magazine’s “Green Life” editor, Jennifer Hattam, and from advice columnist “Mr. Green” (Bob Schildgen). They’ll feature in-depth interviews with Sierra Club Books authors and contributors to Sierra magazine, commentary on the political scene from Club Executive Director Carl Pope, and in-depth conversations with a wide range of environmental experts and activists, artists, and authors inspired by nature.
Visit http://www.sierraclub.org/radio/subscribe.asp to listen online or download mp3 versions of the programs.
Clair Tappaan Lodge
3rd Annual Fundraiser
Clair Tappaan Lodge is a rustic mountain lodge nestled in the Sierra Nevada of California at the top of Donner Pass built by Sierra Club volunteers in the 1930s. At the Lodge, we strive to increase awareness of the environment, foster a sense of community, increase the spirit of volunteerism, and nurture ecoconscious conduct.
The Lodge is hosting a Meteor Shower Weekend August 10 through 12, 2007 as a fundraiser to support Lodge activities. The weekend is filled with hikes, storytelling, a silent auction, children’s activities, music, and a presentation on the Perseids Meteor Shower prior to stargazing. An optional wake-up call at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning will give you full opportunity to view the meteor shower at it’s finest.
For costs and other details, please contact Peter Lemkuhl, CTL Manager. He will help you make reservations and choose the events you want to participate in (for head counts for the leaders.)
Phone Peter at 530-426-3632 or 800-679-6775 or email: ctl@sierraclub.org.
Wed. Jul. 4 Conservation
Wed. Aug. 1 Committee
Wed. Sept. 5 Meetings
Placer Group Conservation Committee meets at Baker’s Square, Foresthill Exit, I-80, 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend this meeting and the Executive Committee meeting which follows. Call (916) 652-7005.
Thurs., Jul. 12 Placer County *
Planning Commission
Meeting
Appeal on Canyon Rim Development. (See article on page 3.) 10 a.m. in the Planning Commission’s hearing room located at 3091 County Center Drive, at the corner of Richardson Drive and Bell Road, in Dewitt Center in North Auburn.
Mon., Jul. 16 Placer County *
Supervisors Meeting
Placer Vineyards action expected at this meeting. Speakers would be particularly helpful. See page 1 for details. Contact Terry at (916)557-1100 ext. 108 or terry.davis@sierraclub.org.
Sat., Sept 15
Placer Group Executive Committee Nominations due.
Tues., Sept. 25 General Meeting
Butterflies in Peril
Come hear Arthur M. Shapiro, professor of Evolution and Ecology at UCD, discuss the alarming disappearance of butterflies from our landscapes. 7 pm, Auburn Library, 350 Library Drive, Auburn. Call (916) 652-7005 for more information.
Nominees Needed
It’s election time again for the Placer Group Executive Committee (ExCom). You may nominate yourself, or someone else (with their consent). The names of the candidates along with a one or two paragraph statement must be received by Sept. 15 to be approved by the Nominating Committee and included on the ballot in the October newsletter. Mail nominations to Placer Group Sierra Club, P.O. Box 7167, Auburn, CA 95604.
ExCom terms are for two years. Although all members are welcome to attend monthly ExCom meetings, only the elected ExCom may vote. Please consider running; the job is never dull, can be very rewarding, and requires only one meeting per month (more, if you are so inspired). Please contact Marilyn at mjasper@accessbee.com or (916) 652-7005 for more information.
Sales Tax Proposal Needs Changes
By Terry Davis
The Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA) has officially rolled out its proposal to place a half-cent sales tax for transportation projects on the November 2008 ballot. Since a sales tax is a regressive tax, having the most impact on the poor and those with modest incomes, such a tax should provide a broad public benefit. The Expenditure Plan attached to this particular tax measure should move us toward a healthier and more sustainable transportation future, but the current proposal fails to do that.
The Sierra Club has been one of the interest groups participating in the PCTPA steering committee assigned to provide input on the allocation of the sales tax revenues. We asked that the Plan prioritize funding attractive public transit options in order to reduce our reliance on an automobile-based transportation system. For example, at the top of our list has been the Interstate 80 corridor, where we need an extension of light rail into Placer County, or the expansion of the Capitol Corridor rail service into a truly viable and convenient everyday public transit option for commuters and shoppers.
Our tax dollars should be directed toward an enlightened approach to transportation planning that recognizes 21st century realities. We know that the cost of gasoline will only continue to increase, along with all energy prices. We know that childhood asthma rates soar as this region fails year in and year out to meet state and federal air quality standards. We know it will take all of us to do our part to limit our greenhouse gas emissions and reduce global warming, much of which is due to our reliance on fossil fuels.
Instead of moving us forward, the Expenditure Plan represents an antiquated response to traffic congestion, consisting almost completely of a menu of highway improvements, allocating only 18% of tax revenues toward transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects. Much of the funding would be directed toward enabling future growth in western Placer County, including accommodating the Lincoln City Council’s dreams of becoming a big city. A portion of our sales taxes would be directed toward construction of a new freeway, Placer Parkway, which would both facilitate Lincoln’s growth and also encourage additional sprawl in agricultural land and vernal pool habitat.
The Sierra Club cannot support a regressive tax that lacks broad public benefit and fails to represent a sustainable vision for meeting future transportation needs. However, we recognize that a serious commitment to transit requires a level of funding that may be unrealistic to expect from state and federal sources alone. There have been some transportation sales tax measures in the state that, while flawed, did on balance move us toward a less automobile-dependent future and earned Sierra Club endorsement. Placer County’s proposal has some distance to go. For more information on this issue please contact Terry Davis at terry.davis@sierraclub.org or 916 557-1100 ext. 108.
Interested in knowing more about your local Sierra Club?
The Placer Group is welcoming members who haven’t been active to learn about what we are up to. If you do decide to help or want to become an activist, we have a variety of opportunities.
Meetings:
During the summer we take a break from our general public meetings at the library, but our Conservation Committee and Executive Committee still meet the first Wednesday of each month. We start with the Conservation Committee portion (about 7-8 pm), when we have reports and updates on local environmental issues, then we move on to our Executive Committee meeting (about 8-9 pm), in which we discuss our various activities. Any member is welcome to attend and just listen or participate — in either meeting or both. Please contact Marilyn Jasper if you plan to attend at (916) 652-7005, mjasper@accessbee.com.
Our Email List:
Joining our email list is an easy way to stay informed about local environmental news, and to be notified about upcoming Sierra Club activities. You’ll also receive alerts when letters and emails are needed to elected officials, and when turnout is needed at important public hearings. You’ll learn about opportunities to meet other environmentally conscious people, and ways you can make a difference. To join the Placer Group Sierra Club email list, just email coordinator@sierraclub-sac.org and request to be added to the Placer list. Your email address will never be shared with any other entity. For more information call Terry at 916 557-1100 extension 108.
Opportunities to Volunteer:
We always welcome new volunteers, and there is a wide variety of different ways to become active in the Placer Group:
For more information about any of the above, contact Marilyn Jasper (916) 652-7005, mjasper@accessbee.com or Terry Davis (916) 557-1100 ext. 108, terry.davis@sierraclub.org.
From the Chair
by Marilyn Jasper
SO VERY NICE: Our heartfelt thanks to volunteers that helped at the Confluence Festival. Kathy Randazzo, Kathy and Phil Weber, Carol and Chris Love, and Terry Davis warmly greeted the steady flow of folks to our booth. Also, a huge thanks goes to Krista Noreika for all her work on the Chapter’s Awards Party at Clair Tappaan Lodge—what a success that was! Kudos are in order to Caroline Hickson and Millee Livingston who also work steadily behind the scenes.
NOT SO NICE: In our effort to protect the environment and save precious ecological landscapes from destruction, we’ve heard more than one elected representative state that “private property rights” must be upheld. They proclaim that landowners should be “made whole” and suffer no economic losses.
The fallacy of “private property rights” has been carved into our psyches as if it’s a commandment. Ownership rights have turned into property rights and are morphing toward profit rights. From opposing laws and ordinances that govern the use of property, proponents of private property rights now seem to want profit guarantees as well.
Example: You have a right to buy shares of stock; to have private ownership rights in publicly traded companies. You know a good buy when you see one, so you make a major investment. However, if the stock market slips, if values decline, or if the company goes bankrupt, are your speculative losses insured? If you buy land in a speculative venture, does the government provide a FLSIC (Federal Land Speculation Insurance Corporation) as it does for bank deposits?
The right to own property has taken a turn toward a sanctimonious right to an increase in economic “value.” With incredible stealth and duplicity, the concept of private property rights has promoted a subtle “government guarantee” façade with elected officials seemingly afraid to buck land speculators and/or make decisions that are in the public good. Land speculators and developers have done a great job in duping the public with beliefs that their profit margins somehow trump sustainable-life issues, environmental values, and future costs to communities. As elected officials eagerly embrace the profit motive and spin the “private property rights” mantra, they become de facto brokers for speculators even though there is no public mandate to do so.
We, the public, have been sold a bill of goods as well—that we can do nothing. Wrong. We can do a great deal, but we need to roll up our sleeves and work to right this travesty. We need to take back the right to make land use decisions based on what’s good for communities and future generations and not be blinded or hamstrung by profit propaganda.
Last, even if we buy into the pseudo private property rights concept, look at whose property rights are really being damaged. When new developments diminish air quality, create nightmarish traffic jams, pollute our water sources, and/or bring wildlife to the brink of extinction, haven’t we also lost our right to enjoy our property, to live healthy lives? Speculators complain loudly at any hint of jeopardizing their bottom line; we should be protesting even louder because our basic lifestyle rights have been compromised. To tweak words attributed to the producer of “Sicko”: There is no room for the concept of profits when all life depends upon a healthy environment.
Executive Committee
Chair Marilyn Jasper (916) 652-7005 mjasper@accessbee.com
Vice-Chair Joe Marman (916) 721-3324 marmanla@localnet.com
Secretary Cathy Haagen-Smit (916) 663-4626 jimwhs@yahoo.com
Treasurer Tony Rakocija amrakoc@pacbell.net
Agriculture Sean Booth (916)781-0437 geostripes@gmail.com
Membership Carol Love (530) 637-5657 christopherflove@yahoo.com
Other Issues/Contacts
Newsletter Chris Love (530) 637-5657 christopherflove@yahoo.com
Public Lands/Transport. Terry Davis (530) 888-0383 terry.davis@sierraclub.org
Publicity Marilyn Jasper (916) 652-7005 mjasper@accessbee.com
Solid Waste Issues Sue Stack (530) 888-6127 suestack@internet49.com
Air Quality Jim Haagen-Smit (916) 663-4626 jimwhs@yahoo.com
Conservation Open
Public Relations / Newsletter
We invite your letters, comments, and input. Our deadline is 15 days prior to publication, the first day of each quarter during the year. Our newsletter can also be accessed at our web site.
Postal Notice
“The Sierra Conservationist” is published quarterly (January, April, July, and October) by the Placer Group of the Sierra Club, a non-profit organization, at P.O. Box 7167, Auburn, CA 95604. Publisher/Editor Chris Love. Subscription rate is $10 per year. Periodical postage paid at Auburn, CA. USPS #012-888 ISSN# 1083-0340.