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From the CA Department of Fish and Game:
DFG Announces Changes to Recreational Groundfish 2008 Fishing Regulations - May 9

Emergency regulations to restrict recreational fishing for groundfish in northern California to depths of less than 120 feet went into effect today. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) announced that the regulations are now effective in both state and federal waters.

The new depth restriction began May 1 in federal waters (3 to 200 miles from shore) from Pigeon Point to the Oregon border when the recreational groundfish season opened. This depth restriction is necessary to minimize contact with yelloweye rockfish and the possibility of an early fishery closure.

The season, area and depth restrictions (listed by management area) for boat-based anglers will be as follows:

NORTHERN MANAGEMENT AREA - OREGON BORDER TO 40°10' NORTH LATITUDE (NEAR CAPE MENDOCINO, HUMBOLDT COUNTY)

• Rockfish, cabezon, greenlings (RCG Complex) and other federal groundfish (other than lingcod): Open to boat-based anglers from May 1 through Dec. 31 in waters from 0 to 120 feet (0 to 20 fathoms).
• Lingcod: Open to boat-based anglers from May 1 through Nov. 30 in waters from 0 to 120 feet (0 to 20 fathoms).
NORTH-CENTRAL MANAGEMENT AREA - 40°10' NORTH LATITUDE (NEAR CAPE MENDOCINO, HUMBOLDT COUNTY), TO 37° 11’ NORTH LATITUDE (NEAR PIGEON POINT, SAN MATEO COUNTY)
• Rockfish, cabezon, greenlings (RCG Complex) and other federal groundfish (other than lingcod): Open to boat-based anglers from June 1 through Nov. 30 in waters from 0 to 120 feet (0 to 20 fathoms).
• Lingcod: Open to boat-based anglers from June 1 through Nov. 30 in waters from 0 to 120 feet (0 to 20 fathoms).
Anglers are encouraged to visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/education.asp to find information about ways to minimize impacts on yelloweye and canary rockfish, contribute to the recovery of fish populations and help avoid an in-season closure. DFG recommends the following steps to reduce take of these species:
• Know all rockfish species and regulations and learn to distinguish prohibited species.
• Avoid rocky areas like pinnacles where yelloweye rockfish are known to live.
• If yelloweye or canary rockfish are encountered when fishing, move to a different location to reduce contact with these species.
• Use methods to return fish back down to depths that reduce gas expansion injuries (pressure shock or barotrauma). For information about gas expansion injuries and descending devices visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/pdfs/release.pdf.
• Report catches and encounters to samplers accurately.

For more information regarding recreational groundfish regulations and to stay informed of in-season regulation changes, please call the groundfish hotline (831) 649-2801, or visit DFG’s Marine Region Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine.

California Reminds Boaters & Water Users: Don’t Move A Mussel

May 22

As California’s water recreation season begins, a state multi-agency taskforce reminds boaters to do their part to help thwart invasive Quagga and Zebra mussels.

“Invasive mussels pose a serious threat to our water systems and recreational facilities,” said California Secretary for Resources Mike Chrisman. “Over the Memorial Day holiday and throughout this boating season we ask for the assistance of water users to prevent the spread of Quagga and Zebra mussels in California.”

The taskforce - comprised of California’s Department of Fish and Game, Department of Water Resources, Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Boating and Waterways - urges boaters to take action to protect the state’s many water bodies from Quagga and Zebra mussel infestation.

Invasive aquatic mussels are primarily transported by watercrafts and boaters should follow these steps to inhibit their spread:

• Inspect all exposed surfaces - small mussels feel like sandpaper to the touch.
• Wash the hull of each watercraft thoroughly, preferably with high-pressure hot water.
• Remove all plants and animal material.
• Drain all water and dry all areas.
• Drain and dry the lower outboard unit.
• Clean and dry all live-wells.
• Empty and dry any buckets.
• Properly dispose of all bait.
• Wait five days and keep watercraft dry between launches into different fresh waters.

These steps are designed to thwart spread of the invasive mussels, safeguard boats and preserve high-quality fisheries.

Quagga mussels were first detected in the Great Lakes in 1989, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to water delivery systems. They were first detected in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties by state and local water agencies. Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in January 2008.

Both species of mussel are non-native aquatic mollusks that wreak havoc on the environment by disrupting the natural food chain and releasing toxins that affect other aquatic species. Although they range in size from microscopic to the size of a fingernail, they are prolific and attach themselves to hard and soft surfaces.

In addition to devastating the natural environment, Quagga and Zebra mussels pose a dramatic economic threat to California. The mussels can colonize on hulls, engines and steering components of boats, other recreational equipment, and can damage boat motors and restrict cooling. The invasive species also attach to aquatic plants, and submerged sediment and surfaces such as piers, pilings, water intakes, and fish screens. In doing this, water intake structures can be clogged, hampering the flow of water. The mussels frequently settle in massive colonies that can block water intake and threaten municipal water supply, agricultural irrigation and power plant operations.

Zebra mussels inhabit water depths from four to 180 feet, while Quagga can reach depths more than 400 feet. Both mollusks can attach to and damage boat trailers, cooling systems, boat hulls and steering equipment. Mussels attached to watercraft or trailers can be transported and spread to other water bodies. Water in boat engines, bilges, live wells and buckets can carry mussel larvae (called veligers) to other water bodies as well.

The taskforce is currently working to determine the extent of the Quagga and Zebra mussel threat and to educate watercraft users and water managers about what they can do to help. As part of the public education effort, the state has facilitated nearly a dozen Quagga/Zebra inspection and decontamination trainings for more than 350 individuals in San Diego, Redding, Fresno, Stockton, Monterey, Los Alamitos, Ontario, Lake County, Sacramento and Yountville.

To date, the taskforce has distributed more than 1.75 million information cards and 1.2 million letters to registered boaters and other water users around the state about the Quagga and Zebra mussel danger.

A public toll-free hotline - 1-866-440-9530 - has also been established for information about destructive Quagga and Zebra mussels. The toll-free number is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on the Quagga/Zebra mussel response, please visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel.

 

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Tam Valley Resident Scott Wilmore announces Write-In candidacy for 4th District, Board of Supervisors

 

What I’m Running For…and Against (in 450 words)

I’m running for peace and disarmament..Against nuclear deterrence and the option of using it…

I’m for environment that is safe, sane and plentiful…against eco-catastrophes, for reduced carbon output…and against NO2, SO2 and cars spewing carbon monoxide…I run for sensible, planned growth, and old=growth, against over-regulation, fees and permit strangulation…I’m for deer, beer and foxes…against closed parks, use fees, Styrofoam boxes…I’m running for transparent government, banks and finances…against red tape, and cradle to grave corporate career boxes…I stand for media that informs, entertains and frees us..Against the FOX that misleads US.  I’m for community programming, KWMR and community access…against media concentration, conglomeration and corporatization; misinformation

I’m running for sustainable energy, pert accountability, and Marin Sanctuary’s reduction of waste… I run for integrity in government, democracy we can count on accurately…against rigged elections, Photo opportunities, pre=scripted victories, gender and race baiting, news that’s deflating and manufactured risks…I’m running for Super visors with passion against yes men, policy as fashion…
I run against meetings in closed session, softened Brown Act compliance and NIMBY alliances…

I run for communities within villages That support kids and stray dogs…for the ties that bind us, for the ones who inspire us, with art and with songs…for the teachers who learn us and the leaders who earn our respect Without losing their own

I run for workforce housing, living wages and worker’s comp…against illegal migration without sanction or sanctuary I run for sustainable tourism, that teaches and enables…against cruise ships that pollute and turn pristine coasts into Disneyland…I run against paving the planet, bridges to nowhere, tunnels for nothing, and chicks for fee.

I run against the aching refrain and the sound that remains when the songbirds are gon, frogs are not heard, the coyotes stop howling and the cougars unstirred…against the ozone depletion, the spirit deflated… and the ache that remains, when local gov'ment explains…”we tried…they lied… a million died

MAYDAY…MAYDAY…MAYDAY…!

Vote locally, Think Globally.

All the best,

Scott

 

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Special from the Canal Alliance - Raids in the Canal

Agents from Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched raids of Canal neighborhood homes at 5 am Thursday May 22, 2008, only two days after Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey held a hearing on the impact of immigration enforcement on children. It’s reported that 17 people were taken, including the father of a Bahia Vista student who was due to have cancer surgery today. His young son was terrified that his father was going to die.

Youth from Canal Alliance’s afterschool programs who were waiting for an early morning school bus called Director JuanCarlos Arauz to report seeing a “command post” at Mi Tierra Market and ICE vehicles driving up and down neighborhood streets. Youth text messaged friends and families to spread the news while others ran home. News traveled quickly. Many residents kept their doors closed to the intense pounding of ICE officials on their doors, following protocols learned at recent immigration trainings sponsored by Canal Alliance and other agencies.

Some witnesses reported that residents were driven off in SUVs, vans, and station wagons that were unmarked with no license plates. Officers were also seen in civilian clothing, though some did have on ICE/Police jackets. No members of San Rafael police were present - ICE had notified them in advance of the raid. Canal Alliance attorneys are trying to gain access to meet with or at least get the names of those who have been detaineed.

Seventy nine children at Bahia Vista Elementary, sixty five at San Pedro Elementary, and fifty three at Davidson Middle School stayed home today, fearful at what might happen to them or their parents. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. San Pedro cancelled their End-of-School Year Open House, but Bahia Vista will still hold theirs in solidarity with families.

Bahia Vista Principal Juan Rodriguez saw ICE rounding up people on the children’s route to walk to school. Innocent, legal children witnessed their friends and families being hauled off in unmarked SUV’s. Children are terrified that their parents will be taken and that they too are being watched.

What you can do to help:
• Email or call local media and government officials to let them know you want ICE raids to stop.
• Help families who are affected by making a donation to the Emergency Fund at: Canal Alliance, 91 Larkspur Street, San Rafael, CA 4901 or 415 454-2640
• Access resources related to immigration.

 

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DFG Seeking Public Comment

Regarding Delisting of the American Peregrine Falcon
May 20, 2008

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking public comment on a proposal to remove the American peregrine falcon from the California endangered species list.

DFG is seeking scientific data or comments about the American peregrine falcon in California in the following areas: taxonomic status, ecology, biology, life history, management recommendations, distribution, abundance, threats and habitat that may be essential for the species, or other factors related to the status of the species.

All comments or other information should be submitted in writing by July 15, 2008 to the following addresses:

Wildlife Branch - Nongame Wildlife Program
California Department of Fish and Game
Attn: Lyann Comrack
1812 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Responses received by the due date will be evaluated and the results included in DFG’s final report to the Fish and Game Commission (FGC). In the report, DFG will recommend that the FGC either delist, downlist to threatened status or maintain the current level of protection for the American peregrine falcon. The FGC allows an opportunity for public comment prior to making a decision.

The American peregrine falcon was listed as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act in 1971 due to a dramatic population decline linked to environmental contamination. The pesticide DDT and other dangerous pesticides, called organochlorine pesticides, were correlated with egg shell thinning, breakage, hatching failure, and other abnormal factors in the species thus resulting in greatly reduced populations nationwide. At the time of listing, only five breeding pairs of American peregrine falcons were documented as nesting in California. Following the ban on these pesticides in the United States, the American peregrine falcon made a comeback, assisted by an active captive breeding campaign led by Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, the Peregrine Fund and state and federal government.

DFG’s assessment will document current breeding population size and range and will evaluate the nature of current threats to this species and the effectiveness of present monitoring programs in place.

thousands of letters and calls of protest, rallies, and general public outrage about Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to close 48 state parks and beaches, the Governor has reversed his position! He is now proposing to cut $1.5 million from the state parks budget and to make up that shortfall by raising park entrance fees by a maximum of $2. Visit the Save Our State Parks website for more information.

 

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Sustainable farming systems field day June 17

DAVIS -- A 21-year-old farming comparison project at the UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility, which has shown that subsurface drip irrigation decreases water use and cuts greenhouse gas emissions, will be in the spotlight at an annual field day and open house, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 17.

The Russell Ranch, seven miles west of the main campus, is home to long-term agriculture studies and provides a living laboratory for students, UC Davis' Agricultural Sustainability Institute and the sustainable agriculture farming systems project.

Hay wagons will transport participants through the research site to see field presentations, a grower panel, and an update on energy-efficient equipment.

Len Richardson, editor of California Farmer Magazine, will be the field day keynote speaker. He will discuss farmers' special relationship to the land and the challenges they face in their profession and lives.

"In addition to the obvious economic connection to the land, farmers have emotional connections to the land," Richardson said. "That's something we can all identify with, even someone like me who only grows roses and a few trees. That connection is related to the way I define sustainability -- it's basic stewardship. I admire the farmers who take care of the land. Ethically we want to do what's right for the land and treat it sustainably, which means keeping it fertile and productive over our life times, and for our children and grandchildren."

Richardson has been an agricultural journalist for more than 35 years, the last 27 in his current position. A regular presence at farm field days, equipment shows and state agriculture hearings, Richardson is known for his monthly editorials as well as his reporting.

"Collaborative research like the UC Davis sustainable agriculture farming systems project is particularly important because farmers are key members of the research team," he said. "Their experience is critical to the scientists, while data that shows how subsurface drip irrigation reduces weeds and saves money or that demonstrates the water-cleansing effects of cover crops can help farmers be both economically sustainable and good stewards."

Will Horwath, project coordinator of the Russell Ranch facility's sustainable farming systems project and UC Davis professor of land, air and water resources, will share data that indicates winter cover crops, conservation tillage and subsurface drip irrigation may help growers increase yields while improving soil quality and reducing water runoff from their fields. Horwath and hydrology professor Wes Wallender will present research on water management and runoff with postdoctoral researcher Inmyoung Park.

"We're hoping that our recent research results will help growers evaluate the tradeoff between ecological benefits and economic costs in a sustainable system," Horwath said.

Furrow irrigation, which is the most common irrigation practice in California row crop systems, wets a large area of the soil profile. Subsurface drip irrigation limits the water delivery to a small area, which reduces the activity of soil microorganisms and processes related to trace gas emissions. Project research manager Martin Burger and junior specialist Cynthia Kallenbach will talk about strategies to reduce trace gas emissions from agricultural soil.

Karen Klonsky, UC Davis Cooperative Extension farm management specialist, will report 2007 results on the economics of drip irrigation to help growers evaluate the benefits of alternative irrigation systems.

Nematologist Howard Ferris, plant microbiologist Kate Scow and agroecologist Johan Six will compare soil ecology in various farming systems, while Russell Ranch crop production manager Dennis Bryant and agricultural technician Israel Herrera will present an equipment demonstration.

Pre-registration for the field day is requested by June 10. The $5 registration fee (free for growers and students)

 

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News and Updates from the Sea Turtle Restoration Project
PO Box 370, Forest Knolls, CA 94933

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is once again considering a permit to allow swordfish longline fishing along the U.S. west coast in a critical habitat area for the critically endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle.  Longline fishing is a highly destructive fishing method that uses 1000's of hooks deployed on a line that can be up to 60 miles long.  Each year, hundreds of thousands of marine wildlife species are caught, entangled or drowned by longlines: including the critically endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle, whales, dolphins, sea lions, seabirds, sharks, billfish and other fish species.  California banned swordfish longline fishing within their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - the distance 3-200 miles from shore - in 1977 due to the high by-catch of marine species by longlines.  In 2004, this ban was extended by the federal government to include the entire U.S. west coast.

Deadline for comments is May 27, 2008.

 

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Nonprofit IPO Launched by Warren Buffett Raises $700,000 for Innovative Housing and Job-Training Center

Source: Homeward Bound

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The first-ever nonprofit IPO, launched a year ago with help from renowned investor Warren Buffett, celebrates its first anniversary with more than $700,000 raised from the sale of "fundraising shares," priced at $32 each.

Billed as an "Immediate Public Opportunity ... to end homelessness," the IPO was created to close financing for The Next Key Center, a pioneering affordable housing and job-training center under construction in Novato, Calif.

The nonprofit organization that is building the center, Homeward Bound of Marin, has leveraged Mr. Buffett's inaugural share purchase on May 15, 2007, to raise more than $700,000 from community groups, individuals and businesses like Circle Bank and Marion Weinreb & Associates.

"The IPO has succeeded beyond our dreams in offering people a way to take stock in programs that provide long-term solutions to homelessness," said Mary Kay Sweeney, executive director of Homeward Bound.

"We know that homelessness is a community social issue; this strategy has enticed people from all across our community to invest in people. The returns on investment from this IPO will have names and faces -- they will be people with jobs and houses and bright futures ahead of them," she added.

Celebrity "investors" in the nonprofit IPO include rock musician Sammy Hagar, San Francisco Giants pitcher Russ Ortiz, and authors Jack Kornfield and Sylvia Boorstein, along with a wide sampling of Bay Area residents who bought shares for themselves and as birthday, graduation and holiday gifts. The newest shareholders include a Novato Girl Scout Daisy Troop and 8th graders at Marin Country Day School.

Besides joining a broad web of community partners in creation of The Next Key Center, Sweeney said, the IPO has helped Homeward Bound attract new funding from entities that appreciate the support marshaled through the IPO campaign. These include the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, which provided a $1 million grant from its Affordable Housing Program.

Fundraising shares are still available for purchase at www.IPOhomeward.com or by calling (415) 455-5681.

"We hope to raise over $1 million through the sale of shares in this unique IPO," Sweeney said. "We still need to sell $300,000 worth of fundraising shares to meet this goal, but we are confident that the investment-savvy community in the Bay Area will grasp this opportunity. It's not every day that we get to invest like Warren Buffett!"

More about The Next Key Center: Homeward Bound, Marin County's primary provider of shelter and residential services to homeless families and adults, has raised more than $8.5 million of the estimated $10 million needed to complete The Next Key Center.

The Next Key Center will include 32 studio apartments for formerly homeless adults engaged in job training or education programs, a 150-seat conference space with demonstration kitchen, administrative offices and room to expand the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy and other job-training programs

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The Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, Version 2 (UCERF 2): By 2007 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities. Prepared in cooperation with the California Geological Survey and the  Southern California Earthquake Center

 

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The new information is being provided to decision makers who establish local building codes, earthquake insurance rates, and emergency planning and will assist in more accurate planning for inevitable future large earthquakes.

The official earthquake forecasts, known as the "Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF)," were developed by a multidisciplinary group of scientists and engineers, known as the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities. Building on previous studies, the Working Group updated and developed the first-ever statewide, comprehensive model of California.

The organizations sponsoring the Working Group include the U.S. Geological Survey, the California Geological Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center. An independent scientific review panel, as well as the California and National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Councils, have evaluated the new UCERF study.

The consensus of the scientific community on forecasting California earthquakes allows for meaningful comparisons of earthquake probabilities in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as comparisons among several large faults.The new study determined the probabilities that different parts of California will experience earthquake ruptures of various magnitudes. The new statewide probabilities are the result of a model that comprehensively combines information from seismology, earthquake geology, and geodesy (measuring precise locations on the Earth's surface).  For the first time, probabilities for California having a large earthquake in the next 30 years can be forecast statewide.

"This new, comprehensive forecast advances our understanding of earthquakes and pulls together existing research with new techniques and data," explained USGS geophysicist and lead scientist Ned Field. "Planners, decision makers and California residents can use this information to improve public safety and mitigate damage before the next destructive earthquake occurs."

The probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake over the next 30 years striking the greater Los Angeles area is 67%, and in the San Francisco Bay Area it is 63%, similar to previous Bay Area estimates. For the entire California region, the fault with the highest probability of generating at least one magnitude 6.7 quake or larger is the southern San Andreas (59% in the next 30 years).

For northern California, the most likely source of such earthquakes is the Hayward-Rodgers Creek Fault (31% in the next 30 years). Such quakes can be deadly, as shown by the 1989 magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta and the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquakes.

Earthquake probabilities for many parts of the state are similar to those in previous studies, but the new probabilities calculated for the Elsinore and San Jacinto Faults in southern California are about half those previously determined. For the far northwestern part of the State, a major source of earthquakes is the offshore 750-mile-long Cascadia Subduction Zone, the southern part of which extends about 150 miles into California. For the next 30 years there is a 10% probability of a magnitude 8 to 9 quake somewhere along that zone. Such quakes occur about once every 500 years on average.

The new model does not estimate the likelihood of shaking (seismic hazard) that would be caused by quakes.  Even areas in the state with a low probability of fault rupture could experience shaking and damage from distant, powerful quakes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is incorporating the UCERF into its official estimate of California's seismic hazard, which in turn will be used to update building codes. Other subsequent studies will add information on the vulnerability of manmade structures to estimate expected losses, which is called "seismic risk." In these ways, the UCERF will help to increase public safety and community resilience to earthquake hazards.

The results of the UCERF study serve as a reminder that all Californians live in earthquake country and should be prepared. Although earthquakes cannot be prevented, the damage they do can be greatly reduced through prudent planning and preparedness. The ongoing work of the Southern California Earthquake Center, USGS, California Geological Survey, and other scientists in evaluating earthquake probabilities is part of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program's efforts to safeguard lives and property from the future quakes that are certain to strike in California and elsewhere in the United States.

The full UCERF report, a summary fact sheet, and supplemental information are available online.

 

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A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER From Jared Huffman

TO THE 6th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
(Marin and Southern Sonoma Counties)
April 2008

Budget politics continue to be vexing...

My introductory message for this newsletter is longer than usual because I need to devote some extra space to the state's severe budget crisis which, unless we find solutions very soon in Sacramento, could negatively impact all of our lives.

Despite $7.5 billion in emergency mid-year cuts and other budget-balancing solutions enacted in February, the projected deficit for the 2008-09 fiscal year has grown once again. Why does the hole keep getting deeper? Because tax revenues continue to decline, mainly due to the various effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. No one knows how low the economy will sink, but we do know it is hitting state revenues hard and as much as $11-14 billion in budget "solutions" - i.e., revenues, cuts, or a combination of both - will be needed to meet our constitutional mandate of a balanced budget this summer.

We will soon receive the Governor's "May revise" proposal for next year's budget. If the Governor continues to insist on a "cuts only" approach to the problem, we can expect more of the draconian proposals he made in January: deep cuts to K-12 and higher education; slashing funds for MediCal, Cal Works, and other essential social services; closures of state parks and beaches; and early release of prisoners.

The threat of these budget cuts is already taking its toll on our public schools. Last month, in anticipation of budget cuts and to comply with the state education code, school districts throughout Marin and Sonoma issued preliminary layoff notices (pink slips) to hundreds of teachers, and in the coming months, similar notices will be issued to classified staff - our school secretaries, custodians, and instructional assistants.

The fear, anxiety, and turmoil this is causing in our schools is very real to me, because in addition to being your Assemblymember, I the parent of two young children in schools that are being affected by the budget crisis. I've seen what this is already doing to teachers, administrators, and parents, and I know what it will mean for our kids if we can't find a better way to balance the budget.

The situation is equally dire for our public health clinics, early childhood educators, developmental services providers, in-home support service providers, and for our precious state parks and beaches.

If you are among the more than 1,000 people who have written to my office to protest the Governor's proposed cuts, or one of the dozens of service providers or recipients I've met with, thank you for speaking out! I'll carry your voices with me as the legislature works to negotiate an acceptable budget compromise in the weeks ahead.

There is cause for alarm. But I am hopeful that by speaking out together and urging an honest discussion about what we expect of our government and how we're going to pay for it, we can persuade the Governor and Republican legislators that a "cuts only" approach to this crisis simply won't work, and that the solution must include new revenues to support essential state services. Toward this end, I welcome your help. For information on what you can do to help send the message that "cuts only" doesn't work, please visit http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/issues/budget/.

While the budget crisis is the most consuming issue for me right now, I'm also very busy advancing many important bills, most of which have now passed out of policy committees and are awaiting votes in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. You'll agree that my 2008 legislative package is broad, substantive, and ambitious. It includes, among other things, major new incentives for renewable energy, improved oil spill response capabilities, strong new consumer protections and consumer privacy measures, improved academic performance measures for our schools, more accountability for HMOs, and important new public health and environmental safeguards regarding the state's proposed eradication program for the Light Brown Apple Moth.

- Jared

 

Status Report on Huffman Legislation: update on Assemblymember Huffman's legislation package for 2008 organized by issue area.

Protecting Public Health & the Environment:

AB 2765 (Huffman): Public Process And Disclosure Requirements For Pest Eradication Procedures, Including For The Light Brown Apple Moth
Sets new limits on the California Department of Food and Agriculture's emergency powers. Requires a public hearing to receive testimony and examine alternatives to aerial spraying prior to any decision to spray. Bars emergency spraying in an urban area unless there is disclosure of all elements in any pesticide product, and an assessment of human and environmental health risks by state health officials.
Status: Passed the Assembly Agriculture Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 1860 (Huffman): Recalled Products
Addresses gaps in current voluntary recall system by requiring immediate removal of recalled toys and other products from the market; prohibits the sale of recalled toys and other recalled consumer products, and imposes stiff fines against those who sell recalled products to prevent the items from surfacing on the Internet or at second-hand stores; requires recalled products to be properly disposed of and for manufacturers to certify their disposal; requires manufacturers to establish a notification system when recalling products; mandates that retailers post recall notices in a conspicuous fashion.
Status: Passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. Will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 1879 (Feuer/Huffman): Consumer Safety Of Hazardous Products
Grants broader authority to the Department of Toxic Substances Control to regulate the list of chemicals in consumer products that are already recognized by the Legislature as hazardous, and provides enforcement tools to the Department for regulating contaminated consumer products.
Status: Passed the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee and the Assembly Health Committee. Will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 2935 (Huffman): Environmental and Public Health Protection from Oil Spills
AB 2935 will ensure that California's ecologically sensitive coastal areas are protected from oil spills in the ocean. The bill also protects public health after an oil spill by closing fisheries until potentially affected fish are tested and determined safe to eat and by alerting the public to potential risks of eating contaminated fish. Finally, AB 2935 enhances clean-up and protection efforts after a spill by including private watercraft and mariners, including fishermen, in clean-up strategies.
Status: Passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. Will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 2999 (Huffman): Caltrans - Animal Carcasses: Removal from Highways
Requires Caltrans to develop procedures for the removal & disposal of animal carcasses, notify owners of domestic animals when appropriate, maintain a record of animal carcass disposal sites, and prohibits Caltrans from disposing of animal carcasses within 150 feet of waterways or drainage ways;.
Status: Passed the Assembly Transportation Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in April.

AB 541 (Huffman): Protection for Farmers against Cross-Contamination from Genetically Engineered Material
Enacts safeguards against the risk of cross-contamination from genetically engineered materials in agriculture. Specifically, protects farmers whose crops are contaminated by the drift of genetically engineered material against litigation by a party holding a patent on the genetically engineered material; establishes sampling, analysis, and notification protocols.
Status: Will be heard by the Senate Agriculture Committee in June.

AB 1338 (Huffman): Pollution Prevention
Requires that all new and updated local coastal programs include a non-point source (NPS) pollution prevention element. Specifically, this bill would require any local government, when preparing a local coastal plan for certification, to develop a NPS pollution prevention element in the plan that is consistent with the "Plan for California's Non-point Source Pollution Control Program."
Status: Will be heard by the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee in June.

AB 1654 (Huffman): Resource Bond Funds: Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act
Updates the existing Integrated Regional Water Management statutes, provides implementation framework for more than $1 billion in Prop. 84 water bond funding, and includes important environmental justice and disadvantaged community participation provisions absent from current bond funding guidelines.
Status: Will be heard by the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee in June.

Promoting Green Power:

AB 1920 (Huffman): Renewable Energy Incentives - Net Metering
Enables residents who produce renewable energy for their homes, small businesses or farms to get paid a fair wholesale price by their utility company for any excess electricity they produce that goes back on the grid. Provides utilities with Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) credits for purchasing the surplus power from their customers. Removes the "size to load" restriction in state law that limits energy customers' ability to "supersize" their solar electricity systems.
Status: Passed the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee and the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. Will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 2744 (Huffman): Bay Area Transportation Fund For Climate Protection
Revises the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC) existing authorization for a Bay Area regional gas tax and authorizes MTC to create a Transportation Fund for Climate Protection. With that fund, MTC will be authorized to develop and present to Bay Area voters a proposal, and with majority support, start funding transportation projects to address climate change and greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Status: Held for reconsideration in Assembly Transportation Committee.

AB 2800 (Huffman): Voluntary Mileage-Based Auto Insurance Discount For Reduction In Mileage
Allows insurance providers to offer voluntary mileage-based insurance to drivers in California, and provides these insurance providers with the authority to offer discounts based on the reporting of miles traveled, and the reduction of vehicle miles traveled. This will provide an additional incentive for people to drive less, which will reduce GHG emissions.
Status: Will be heard in the Assembly Insurance Committee on April 30th.

AB 2820 (Huffman): Renewable Energy Distribution
Allows local public agencies that generate renewable energy to transfer and distribute the energy to any of their facilities to offset the agency's total energy needs. Currently, local agencies that produce renewable energy can power the on-site facility, but the 'leftover' energy cannot be used to power buildings in other geographic locations. Agencies that wish to transfer the renewable energy will be required to pay specified charges, determined by the Public Utilities Commission, for use of utility infrastructure.
Status: Language was merged into AB 2466 (Laird/Huffman), which will be heard in Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

Making a Difference in Healthcare:

AB 371 (Huffman): Workplace Injury Prevention For Nurses
Requires hospitals that apply for bond financing from the California Health Facilities Financing Authority to provide a copy of the hospital's injury and prevention program which must include a plan for utilizing equipment and lift teams to reduce lift-related injuries by nurses.
Status: Passed Assembly and Senate in 2007, awaiting final concurrence vote in Assembly in the coming months.

AB 1155 (Huffman): Increased Penalties For HMO's Unlawful Nonpayment Or Underpayment Of Doctors' Bills
Ensures that when an HMO is found to have engaged in a pattern and practice of unlawful nonpayment or underpayment of physicians' bills, the Department of Managed Health Care will assess penalties sufficient to make physicians whole and to deter the HMO from further violations of the law.
Status: Passed Assembly and Senate in 2007, awaiting final concurrence vote in Assembly in the coming months.

AB 1390 (Huffman): Internet Postings of Complaints Against Health Plans
Requires the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) that licenses and regulates health care service plans, to provide on the DMHC website, and update quarterly, the number and disposition of complaints received through the online provider complaint system.
Status: Will be heard by the Senate Health Committee in June.

AB 2229 (Huffman): Dental Screenings For Residents Of Long-Term Care
Reinstates an annual dental exam as a benefit in the Denti-Cal program for residents of long-term care facilities.
Status: Passed the Assembly Health Committee. Heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and placed on the Suspense File, which will be brought up in May.

AB 2697 (Huffman): Boutique Hospitals
Requires "boutique hospitals" to contract with an independent consultant to study the economic impact they have on other hospitals in their service area.
Status: Passed the Assembly Health Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 2839 (Huffman): Ban on HMO Confidentiality Agreements
Prohibits health insurers and HMOs from using confidentiality agreements to coerce providers into unfair contracts and limit access to medical care.
Status: Passed the Assembly Health Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in April.

AB 2903 (Huffman): Drug Rehab Facility "Clustering" Reform
Distinguishes "integrated facilities" - i.e., large treatment facilities comprised by clustering together multiple individual treatment permits, with integrated operations and common ownership -- from bona fide 6-person or fewer residential treatment facilities. Allows local governments to become more involved at the front end for "integrated facilities," without altering state preemption of local authority or otherwise changing the law with respect to 6-person or fewer residential treatment facilities.
Status: Passed the Assembly Health Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 2910 (Huffman): Increased Public Scrutiny when exemptions are given to HMO's
Requires the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) to establish a more open and public process when the DMHC issues orders exempting health plans from specific provisions of the Knox-Keene Act which regulates HMOs in California.

Status: Passed the Assembly Health Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in April.

Better Services for Youth:

AB 2322 (Portantino/Huffman): Family Based Homes For Foster Youth
Allows cities to participate in placing foster youth in family-based households.
Status: Passed the Assembly Local Government Committee and the Assembly Housing Committee. Will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

Improving Education:

AB 2478 (Huffman): Public School Accountability
Revises the Academic Performance Index (API) to measure progress in schools based on student-level longitudinal data so the state can assess, with better detail and clarity, individual student and school growth over time.
Status: Passed the Assembly Education Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 2496 (Huffman): College Tuition Exemption For Survivors Of Fallen Law Enforcement Officers And Firefighters
Extends the exemption from the payment of higher education tuition and fees to the surviving spouse or child of a deceased law enforcement officer or firefighter whose death was the result of an injury or disease sustained in the line of duty. The bill would also apply to the surviving spouse or child of a fallen firefighter who was employed by the federal government who was a resident of this state and whose regular duty assignment was to perform firefighting services in California.
Status: Passed the Assembly Higher Education Committee and Assembly Appropriations Committee. Will be heard by the full Assembly in April.

Protecting Consumers and Privacy:

AB 2950 (Huffman): False and Deceptive E-Mail Spam Prohibition
This bill would expand consumer protections and remedies against false and deceptive e-mail spam.
Status: Passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

AB 3011 (Huffman): Cell Phone Records Protection
Requires telephone corporations to obtain a cell-phone subscriber's consent before releasing their information (calling patterns, telephone numbers, financial info, etc), consistent with the customer consent requirement currently applicable to non-cellular phone customers.
Status: Will be heard in the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee on April 28th.

Cutting Red Tape for Taxpayers' Charitable Deductions:

AB 3035 (Huffman): Non-Profit Property Tax Extension
Extends the period of time for eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits to qualify for a property tax exemption from 90 to 180 days to give the state adequate time to turnaround exemption applications.
Status: Will be heard in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee on April 28th.

Resolutions:

ACR 111 (Huffman): Senior Volunteer Month
Commemorates May 2008 as Senior Volunteer Month to honor the contributions of California's senior volunteers.
Status: Will be heard by the full Assembly in May.

AJR 39 (Huffman): Winnemem Wintu Resolution
Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States, and the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior to reaffirm that the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, which the federal government inexplicably and unjustly stopped acknowledging in the 1980's, possesses federal recognition such that tribe members may resume receiving federal benefits to which they are entitled.
Status: Passed the full Assembly; will be heard in the Senate in June.

AJR 53 (Huffman):
Encourages the US Congress and the President to support the Reducing Global Warming Pollution from Vehicles Act of 2008 in the 110th Congress, which would permit California and other states to implement their standards to reduce greenhouse has emissions from motor vehicles.
Status: Will be heard by the Assembly Transportation Committee in May

 

Huffman’s Persistence Helps Save Salmon Smolts

In a year when California's salmon fishery was completely closed for the first time in history due to alarmingly low numbers of fish, anglers will take any good news they can get. Last summer, instead of carefully releasing thousands of hatchery raised salmon smolts into the Bay to help bolster our state's declining salmon population, the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) botched the release, resulting in the death of most of the smolts as they were released directly into a frenzy of voracious striped bass.

After reading an article by Nels Johnson in the Marin Independent Journal that highlighted the problem, Assemblymember Huffman got engaged and started calling DFG officials to demand changes in the smolt release program. For several months, he worked with DFG officials on reforms that would improve salmon smolt survival rates including towing salmon smolts into deeper water using pens when releasing them into the bay and releasing them at a variety of sites on a rotating basis. DFG made the changes and this year, the smolt release program is going smoothly, which hopefully will mean more salmon for the environment and for anglers in the years ahead. Assemblymember Huffman is extremely pleased with DFG's actions and applauds them for doing the right thing.

 

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04/24/2008 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Gov. Schwarzenegger Meets with Local Officials on Light Brown Apple Moth

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today met with a delegation of local officials from Marin County led by Senator Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) to listen to concerns regarding the light brown apple moth eradication program. To reassure his commitment to public safety, the Governor also announced that the state will postpone aerial treatment until acute testing of eye, inhalation, respiratory and other potential irritants, known as the "six-pack" toxicology test, is completed.

"I was pleased to meet with Senator Migden and local officials today to discuss the additional steps we are taking to reassure the public that we are pursuing the safest, most environmentally-sound approach to eradicate the light brown apple moth. The light brown apple moth is a serious threat to California's forests and agriculture. If left uncontrolled, the moth would have a devastating impact on our state's environment and economy.

"To thoroughly ensure the public's safety, the Department of Food and Agriculture has engaged in a thorough battery of acute toxicity tests.

"I am confident that the additional tests will reassure Californians that we are taking the safest, most progressive approach to ridding our state of this very real threat to our agriculture, environment and economy."

SCHEDULE OF AERIAL TREATMENT

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is focused on the safety of the pheromone to be used in the light brown apple moth eradication program, and is awaiting the results of a thorough battery of acute toxicity tests. The estimated date of those results will cause the target date for the department to begin aerial treatment to be August 17, 2008 in the Monterey-Santa Cruz coastal area.

INCREASED SAFETY TESTING ON PHEROMONE PRODUCTS

For the Checkmate product (LBAM-F) used in the 2007 eradication program, additional tests were conducted on top of the normal battery of tests and reviews conducted on state and federally registered products. The National Marine Sanctuary contracted with UC Davis to conduct freshwater and marine aquatic toxicology tests on aquatic species and found no harm.

For the 2008 program, in addition to the normal battery of tests, additional tests are being conducted on the pheromone products that could be used in a treatment program to eradicate the light brown apple moth:

§ The Additional Safety Tests

o "Six Pack" Toxicology Test - Are there impacts on humans or animals?

§ Acute Oral Toxicity, Acute Dermal Toxicity (Skin), Acute Inhalation Toxicity, Skin Sensitation, Acute Eye Irritation, Acute Dermal Irritation (Skin)

§ Tests results will be submitted to DPR and OEHHA for their review.

o Aquatic Toxicity Test - Are there impacts on marine or freshwater species?

§ Being conducted by the California Department of Fish and Game.

§ Test results will be submitted to USDA, DPR and OEHHA for their review.

THE PROCESS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH

The United States Department of Agriculture conducts the tests described above on the pheromone products.
The test results are submitted to the Department of Pesticide Regulation and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for their review.
The Department of Pesticide Regulation, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and California Department of Food and Agriculture submit input on the products to United States Department of Agriculture.
The United States Department of Agriculture selects the product to be used and goes out for 30-day public comment.
The United States Department of Agriculture gathers input and, if no additional issues need to be addressed, issues a "Finding of No Significant Impact."

 

* * *

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth Fenton
(916) 651-4003

MIGDEN HAILS DECISION TO POSTPONE AERIAL SPRAYING
(SACRAMENTO) – At the request of Senator Carole Migden (D-San Francisco/North Bay), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered a postponement of aerial spraying for the light brown apple moth in 12 California counties.

The action follows a noon meeting today between the Governor, Senator Migden and community leaders from Marin County. Senator Migden requested the meeting in order to let the Governor know of her concerns, as well as the concerns of her constituents in Marin, San Francisco, and Sonoma Counties. The postponement will allow time for acute testing of the aerial chemical spray and its effect on human health.

“I am very gratified that the Governor listened to my concerns about the safety and efficacy of aerial spraying and agreed to postpone the spray until additional tests are completed,” Senator Migden commented.

Senator Migden was joined in the meeting with the Governor by Senator Darrell Steinberg, Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold, Sierra Club leader Bill Magavern and Paul Schramski, State Director of Pesticide Watch. The Governor’s staff included A.G. Kawamura, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture and Marin County Agriculture Commissioner Stacy Carlsen.

Schramski said, “Today’s postponement demonstrates that the Governor is listening to the concerns of Californians and that the Administration will make future decisions based on sound science. With his decision, we have adequate time to review aerial pesticide products to determine that they are both safe and effective.”

More than 600 people reported adverse health effects when Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties were sprayed last year.

Senator Migden said, “I intend to closely review what kind of testing is now done by state authorities in response to the Governor’s decision so that I can insure that the health of my constituents will not be endangered.”

#####

 

From ACLU of Northern California

We need more police transparency, not more secrecy: Tell the Assembly Public Safety Committee to Oppose AB 2377.

http://action.aclunc.org/site/R?i=DuIPpp4uJMKeXOJuV8EYvA..With the August 2006 California

 

Supreme Court decision in Copley Press v. Superior Court, California has become one of the most secretive states in the country when it comes to public access to complaints about police misconduct.

Last year, with your help, the state Senate approved SB 1019, which would overturn Copley Press and allow for greater public access to police records. Unfortunately, the bill has been stuck in the Assembly Public Safety Committee, which refused to vote on the measure last year. The ACLU-NC is redoubling its efforts to pass the bill this year.

Now, a new threat has emerged that could take us two giant steps backwards. The Assembly Public Safety Committee is considering the police-lobby sponsored AB 2377 (Hayashi, D-Hayward). Rather than opening up records, AB 2377 would make it even more difficult for victims of police misconduct who sue police departments for abuse and for criminal defendants who allege police wrongdoing to learn about prior citizen complaints against the officers involved.

The Public Safety Committee will be voting on this measure on Tuesday,
April 29.

Urge Public Safety Committee to oppose AB 2377 and instead support SB
1019.

Sincerely,

Maya Harris

Executive Director, ACLU-NC

 

* * *

 

CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATE CANDIDATES FORUM

The 6th Assembly District Democrats Club and the College of Marin’s Students for Social Responsibility are hosting a pubic forum with the Democratic candidates for California’s 3rd Senatorial District (San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties)
 
Candidates, Assemblyman Mark Leno Senator Carole Migden, and former Assemblyman Joe Nation are participating in this forum for this hotly contested race.

The event will be on Thursday, April 24th at the College of Marin’s Olney Hall in Kentfield.   The public is welcome to meet the candidates before the forum from 6:30-7 PM.  The forum is from 7 to 9 PM.
 
The event is free. For information contact, Evelyn Woo, Chair, 6th AD Democrats Club.

 

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SEN. MIGDEN BILL TO COMBAT SUDDEN OAK DEATH SAILS OUT OF SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: Marin and Sonoma Counties’ epidemic roars on unabated; 40% of Sonoma County tan oaks infected

(SACRAMENTO)—Marin and Sonoma County oak trees, under widespread assault by a deadly pathogen, are the focus of SB 1668 by State Senator Carole Migden, which passed out of Senate Natural Resources Committee on a bipartisan, 8-0 vote today.  SB 1668 is supported by the Sierra Club and Marin and Sonoma Counties, all of which supported the bill in committee today.
At least 40 percent of Sonoma County mapped acreage is newly infested.  Mortality rates in Marin County tan oaks are now greater than when the pathogen was first discovered in 1999-2001. There is no known cure for the disease.

“Sudden oak death is a major public safety issue in Marin and Sonoma Counties due to how quickly it’s spreading,” said Migden.  “The dramatic increase in dead trees has created an ongoing and serious fire hazard.  It also leads to large bills for homeowners because tree removal is expensive, and extensive tree loss lowers residential property values by 30 to 40 percent.”
SB 1668, an urgency measure, builds on existing law adopted in 2002 (also authored by Migden) and creates a new program called the "Marin-Sonoma Sudden Oak Death Intervention and Assistance Act of 2008."

SB 1668 directs the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to develop a focused program that would reduce sudden oak death syndrome in Marin and Sonoma counties. The bill also authorizes the use of Prop. 84 funds for research, public education, detection, treatment and monitoring of the disease.
 
SB 1668 also encourages Marin and Sonoma Counties to assist the state in developing a cost-share program to help landowners with the costs of removing dead or diseased trees in order to reduce fire risks. Local governments would apply for Prop. 84 funding to help pay for their programs.

* * *

 

A letter from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer to President George W. Bush: IN CELEBRATION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT

Mrs. Boxer.

Mr. President, I take this opportunity to observe the 100th anniversary of Muir Woods National Monument, located in Marin County, California.

It was U.S. Representative William Kent whose visionary actions would lead to the creation of Muir Woods National Monument. During the mid-nineteenth century, the Gold Rush brought treasure seekers to Northern California in large numbers. To accommodate this rapid population growth in San Francisco and other coastal cities, timber, meat, and crops were needed in much larger quantities. As a result, much of the easily accessible timber in Marin County was logged between 1840 and 1870.

Representative Kent witnessed this massive resource depletion and decided to take action to preserve coastal redwood forest areas. In 1905, he purchased 612 acres of the Redwood Canyon from the Tamalpais Land & Water Co. On December 26, 1907, in order to best protect the land, Representative Kent and his wife, Elizabeth Thatcher Kent, donated 298 acres of Redwood Canyon to the federal government. On January 9, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared Muir Woods a National Monument. This year, we celebrate its Centennial Anniversary.

Coast redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, are the dominant feature of Muir Woods’ forest. These ancient wonders are also the world’s tallest living tree species, and the official tree of the State of California. This species of redwood is believed to have existed when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Visitors to Muir Woods are left fascinated as they get to experience living history by exploring the Bohemian and Cathedral groves of Muir Woods, where many trees are more than 1,200 years old. Muir Woods is also home to Douglas Fir, Tanbark Oak, Bigleaf Maple, and Bay Laurel trees, leading conservationist and namesake John Muir to remark that Muir Woods “is the best tree-lovers’ monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world.”

Only fifteen miles north of San Francisco, Muir Woods National Monument offers a stunning glimpse of the redwood forests that once covered Northern California’s coastal valleys. For 100 years, Muir Woods National Monument has served as a recreational escape for nature enthusiasts, hikers, and those seeking a glimpse of Northern California’s rich history. It is a powerful reminder of the beauty of nature and the importance of conservation efforts.

I commend the National Park Service staff and volunteers for maintaining the natural beauty and historical significance of Muir Woods National Monument. I look forward to future generations having the opportunity to study and enjoy this unique piece of our state and national history for another 100 years.  

* * *

 

Senator Feinstein Introduces Legislation to Prevent Oil Spills

Legislation would mandate that the Coast Guard intervene during adverse conditions; Require double hulls for all large cargo ships

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to prevent oil spills like the November 2007 Cosco Busan incident, when a 900-foot cargo ship crashed into Bay Bridge and spilled more than 53,000 tons of toxic bunker fuel into the San Francisco Bay.

The Cosco Busan spill was an environmental disaster.  More than 2,900 seabirds were affected, commercial fishing and crabbing was suspended for up to three weeks, and 26 beaches along the San Francisco Bay shoreline were closed for up to a week as the oil washed ashore.  All told, the economic impacts are expected to total more than $50 million.

“We need strong, common-sense standards that will protect our waters from devastating spills,” Senator Feinstein said. “First, the Coast Guard must intervene during adverse conditions to ensure that ships meet their destination safely, particularly during periods of low visibility. Second, it’s time to require double hulls for large cargo vessels. This standard has dramatically reduced the threat of catastrophic spills from oil tankers – and there’s no question that similar requirements would improve the safety and integrity of cargo vessels.”

Specifically, the Feinstein bill:
• Directs the U.S. Coast Guard to control and oversee a vessel’s route and speed during dangerous conditions, like low visibility, an environmental hazard or a terrorist attack, within U.S. waters. The Coast Guard has the authority under existing law to intervene during these conditions, but is not mandated to do so.
• Mandates all large cargo ships (over 5,000 gross tons) carrying high volumes of fuel oil double hull their fuel tanks. The legislation requires that all new ships meet international standards to have a double hull by 2010. It also requires that existing ships convert to the double hull protection system by 2024. 

 

Coast Guard Intervention during Dangerous Conditions

Although the Coast Guard currently has the authority to take such actions under the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972, the Cosco Busan incident highlighted the fact that they rarely fulfill this important function.

The Feinstein legislation would require the Sector Commander of Coast Guard – the top official within each of the Coast Guard’s 35 regions – to assume direct authority of all vessels during adverse conditions. The legislation defines several “enhanced danger” situations within which the Coast Guard would be required to use this authority, including:  the commission of an act of war or an act of terrorism, a period of low visibility, or after an oil spill of more than 5,000 gallons or the discharge of an hazardous materials.

The Sector Commander will have the authority to stop ships, change their course, or return them to a safe harbor.  They will have the authority to alter the course of one ship, or of all ships.  This authority is necessary to ensure safe navigation of dangerous waterways.
Double-hulling Cargo Ships

In 1990, in the wake of the Exxon Valdez disaster, Congress passed legislation to require that all oil tankers have double hull protection. Since then, only 10 percent of all oil spills have been from oil tankers. Cargo ships were exempted from the regulations because, at the time, they carried smaller volume of oil.  However, newer, larger cargo ships like the 900-foot Cosco Busan carry hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil as fuel, and this oil poses a serious environmental threat. 
The Feinstein legislation not only requires that all new ships meet international standards to have a double hull by 2010, it also requires that existing ships convert to the double protection system by 2024.

The bill establishes a time frame for the transition to the double hull system.
• By 2010, all new ships built will have double hulls.
• By 2014, all cargo vessels over 40 years of age and weighing between 5,000 and 30,000 gross tons must be converted to the double hull;
• By 2014, vessels larger than 30,000 gross tons that are 28 years old or older must be converted to the double hull.
• By 2024, all cargo vessels over 5,000 gross tons must be converted to the double hull.

 

* * *

 

April 9, 2008: Growers removing conservation practices to protect food safety on California's Central Coast
 
Protecting the earth is getting harder for growers on California's Central Coast, where the need to ensure food safety conflicts with environmental rules aimed at improving water quality and wildlife habitat.
 
In response to a number of food safety outbreaks -- most recently an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with bagged spinach in September 2006 that killed three people and sickened 200 others -- some growers are removing conservation measures adjacent to croplands, according to a survey of Central Coast growers published in the University of California's California Agriculture journal (April-June 2008). For full text of the peer-reviewed article, go to http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu.
 
Researchers found that 8 percent (of 181 growers surveyed in spring 2007) had crops rejected by buyers based on the presence of practices to improve water quality and wildlife habitat on the farm. Likewise, 15 percent of the growers (managing some 30,000 acres) had removed or discontinued the use of previously adopted conservation practices, including ponds and reservoirs, irrigation reuse systems, and noncrop vegetation buffers such as grassed waterways, riparian habitat, buffer strips and trees.
 
However, authors Melanie Beretti, program director of the Monterey County Resource Conservation District, and Diana Stuart, UC Santa Cruz doctoral candidate in environmental studies, cite research showing that discouraging or actively removing such conservation practices could, in some cases, actually increase the risk of crop contamination.
 
"Keeping produce as safe as possible is a critical goal," the authors write in California Agriculture journal. "However, the means to achieve this goal should be carefully investigated to insure that those measures actually reduce risks of crop contamination, do not increase other human health risks as a result of environmental degradation, and are cost-effective and practical to implement."
 
Also in the April-June 2008 issue of California Agriculture journal:
• Light brown apple moth's arrival in California worries commodity groups
• Methyl bromide alternatives evaluated for California strawberry nurseries
• Transition to conservation tillage evaluated in San Joaquin Valley cotton and tomato rotations

 

* * *

 

Free Recycling of Yard Trimmings and Free Compost At Redwood Landfill

NOVATO, CA (April 10, 2008) – Marin County residents are invited to drop off their yard trimmings at no charge, and also to pick up a free bag of compost on Earth Day, Saturday, April 19 at Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center.

Redwood makes compost using recycled yard trimmings ground up and cured on-site. Bring a bag or bucket to load your own compost and take it home to beautify your gardens.

For dropping off yard trimmings and picking up compost, please note: NO commercial loads – Redwood’s Earth Day giveaway is for residential customers.

“As on of Marin’s leading recycler, Redwood is delighted to celebrate Earth Day with free green-waste recycling and our compost giveaway for households,” said Jessica Jones, manager of Redwood Landfill. “This is a perfect way to remind people how we all can do more to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.”

Redwood’s free drop-off of yard trimmings is from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The free compost will be distributed starting at 8 a.m. as long as supplies last. Redwood Landfill is just north of Novato on Highway 101.

 

* * *

 

Celebrate Earth Day with MMWD: Volunteer for Habitat Restoration at Phoenix Lake

Give back to the earth and celebrate spring along the beautiful shores of Phoenix Lake, one of the most popular visitor destinations on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed. The Marin Municipal Water District invites volunteers to join district staff on Saturday, April 19, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon, in restoring habitat for native Western Pond Turtles by removing French broom from the shoreline. Volunteers play a critical role in maintaining the scenic beauty and biological diversity of the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed.

This event marks MMWD's 11th annual Earth Day celebration. Volunteers ages six and up are welcome. Meet at the Natalie Coffin Greene Park parking lot at the end of Lagunitas Road in Ross at 8:45 am to join the caravan to free parking. MMWD will provide all tools and materials as well as refreshments and snacks. MMWD reminds volunteers to bring sunscreen, and gloves if available, and to wear layered clothing. To register or for more information call the MMWD Volunteer Line at (415) 945-1169, or visit the MMWD website: www.marinwater.org under “Watershed/Outreach.”

 

* * *

 

Free Workshop on Language Development:

What IS language development?

What are Language Milestones?

What should I do if I am concerned about a child's speech?

Presented by: Suzanne Kreuser, Vice President of Program Services, Easter Seals. Great for anybody involved in the lives of children!
 
WHEN: Tuesday, April 22, 2008

WHERE: Marin Child Care Council
                555 Northgate Drive
                San Rafael, CA  94903  

RSVP: Darcy at 491-5775 or darcy@mc3.org
 
Light refreshments provided

Incentives for each participant

 

* * *

 

The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory monitors the annual migration of birds of prey over the Marin Headlands in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Each fall, tens of thousands of migrating hawks, kites, eagles, falcons, vultures, ospreys, and harriers pass over the Marin Headlands. This is the largest concentration of birds of prey in the western United States! Come find out how you can help study and conserve these magnificent creatures. Call the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory today at (415) 331-0730 or visit www.parksconservancy.org.

 

* * *

 

Author, KWMR host of America Off-Line Jon Rowe contributed this piece to Marin Magazine: West Marin's Two-Paper Town

 

* * *

 

The First 5 Marin Children & Families Commission is pleased to invite applications for its Small Community Grants.

Maximum grant award allowed: $10,000 (max. allowed for equipment: $5,000). Applicants may be individuals, groups or organizations with community based projects that support children from prenatal to age five in Marin County. The application is available March 1, 2008. Please download an application from our website, www.marincfc.org or call 257-8555. Application deadline is March 31, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. (No Faxes or Emails Accepted)

DON’T FORGET
Ø Cover Sheet: filled out and signed
Ø Budget Form: filled out
Ø Back up Documentation?
Ø License?
Ø Original PLUS two copies?

DEADLINE IS Monday, March 31, 2008, BEFORE 2 PM!

 

* * *

 

Second Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder

Intergenerational Poetry, Essay and Photography Contest:

The U.S. EPA and other groups are calling for submissions for its Second Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Intergenerational Poetry, Essay and Photography Contest.

Carson is widly attributed as the founder of the modern environmental movement through her landmark book, Silent Spring, credited with reversing the nation's pesticide policy.

Using the title of another of Carson's books, "The Sense of Wonder," the contest is seeking submissions from intergenerational teams "that best express the "Sense of Wonder" that you feel when observing the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife, and all that is beautiful to your eyes."

Entries must be intergenerational involving a team of persons related or unrelated and describe the intergenerational project and how this project brought the team in touch with the natural world. 

The deadline for entries is Monday, June 16, 2008. A panel of expert judges will select finalists. The winners in each category will then be determined by the public, voting on-line in July and August for their favorite submission in each category: photography, essay, and poetry.  Winners will be announced on the EPA Aging Initiative Web site in October during Children's Health month.

For more information, see: http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm

 

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AUDUBON CANYON RANCH ANNOUNCES 2008 HELEN PRATT FELLOW TO CONTINUE HERON & EGRET RESEARCH

March 19, 2008 – Stinson Beach, CA – Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR), a leader in conservation science, regional habitat protection and restoration and hands-on environmental education programs, today announced Christine Rothenbach has been named ACR’s 2008 Helen Pratt Fellow for ACR’s Cypress Grove Research Center.

ACR’s Helen Pratt Fellow focuses on the study of herons and egrets in the northern San Francisco Bay area, including ACR’s heron and egret nesting site at Bolinas Lagoon Preserve which is open to visitors now through July 13, 2008. The work includes measuring reproductive performance at heronries throughout the region and measuring the directions and distances of egret foraging flights.

ACR has researched heron and egret populations in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 40 years. In 2006, ACR published its comprehensive “Atlas of Heronries” which details the affects of land use, predation and weather patterns on regional populations. ACR’s Egret Atlas is used by land planners, government agencies, local conservation organizations, environmental consultants, and other organizations that monitor changes in land use, in order to protect these lands. In 2008, ACR’s web site made the locations of regional heronries available through Google Earth.

The work of the Helen Pratt Fellow continues ACR’s commitment to the protection of nesting herons and egrets in the greater San Francisco Bay area. This commitment began in 1962 when ACR was established to protect and important heronry on Bolinas Lagoon. In 1967, Audubon Canyon Ranch began its ongoing study of nesting herons and egrets at the Bolinas Lagoon heronry, and in 1990 ACR expanded its scientific efforts to study the health of regional heron and egret populations.

Christine holds a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and a Master of Science in Ecosystem Science and Management from the University of Northern British Columbia.

About Audubon Canyon Ranch
The mission of Audubon Canyon Ranch is to protect the natural resources of its sanctuaries while fostering an understanding and appreciation of these environments. Through ACR's preservation, education, and research programs, Audubon Canyon Ranch educates children and adults, promotes ecological literacy that is grounded in direct experience, and conducts research and restoration that advances conservation science.

Audubon Canyon Ranch properties include the Cypress Grove Research Center on Tomales Bay, the 535-acre Bouverie Preserve in Sonoma and the 1,000-acre Bolinas Lagoon Preserve in Stinson Beach, which is home to one of the San Francisco Bay Area's largest Great Egret and Great Blue Heron nesting sites.

Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR) is an independent non-profit organization with 501(c)3 status. ACR is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society. Audubon Canyon Ranch programs are made possible thanks to the contribution of thousands of hours of volunteer service, and donations from caring individuals, foundations and businesses. For more information, call (415) 868-9244, email acr@egret.org or visit www.egret.org.

 

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County Planning Commisison to consider

WETLAND AND CREEK RESTORATION AT BIG LAGOON, MUIR BEACH

Monday, March 24
1 PM - 5 PM

Marin County Civic Center

Read the staff report

Public hearing to consider the Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big Lagoon which consists of a joint project of the National Park Service (NPS) and the County. The purpose of the project is to restore a functional, self-sustaining ecosystem – including wetland, riparian and aquatic components – and to conduct the restoration in a manner that will re-create habitat for sustainable populations of special status species, reduce flooding on Pacific Way, provide a compatible visitor experience, and provide public access upgrades. The project area is located at Muir Beach, the mouth of the Redwood Creek watershed, which is recognized for its local and regional importance. The project area includes 38 coastal acres encompassing the entire wetland, creek, and riparian area extending from just downstream of Highway 1 to the beach, including a small intermittent tidal lagoon. The project area is entirely within the boundary of the NPS’ Golden Gate National Recreation Area, but only half of the project site is owned by NPS. Other landowners are the San Francisco Zen Center, which operates Green Gulch Farm, and the County. This project aims to address the extensive loss of natural function for channel conveyance, sediment transport, channel stability, and diminished habitat for federally and state-listed endangered coho salmon and federally threatened steelhead in Redwood Creek; the increased flooding on Pacific Way; and the critical need for sustainable habitat for the California red-legged frog. The 38-acre project site is located at Pacific Way and Highway 1, Muir Beach and is further identified as Assessor’s Parcels 199-160-14, -15, -17, -18, -19, -21, -22, and - 24.

 

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Unfavorable Ocean Conditions Likely Cause of Low Salmon Returns

Along West Coast in 2007

Jim Milbury
562-980-4006

[March 3, 2008] NOAA scientists are reviewing unusual environmental conditions in the Pacific Ocean as the likely culprit for the dramatically low returns of Chinook and coho salmon to rivers and streams along the West Coast of the United States last year.

Researchers from NOAA’s Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers are comparing data on the low food production of the California Current in 2005 that occurred when this year’s returning salmon would have been entering the ocean from their natal streams to feed and grow.

The cold waters of the California Current flow southward from the northern Pacific along the West Coast and are associated with upwelling, an ocean condition caused by winds that bring nutrients to the ocean’s surface and is the main source of nourishment for the ocean’s food web. In 2005 a southward shift in the jet stream, delayed favorable winds and upwelling for the California Current, which normally begins in spring. The winds instead arrived in mid-July, causing high surface water temperatures and very low nutrient production within the nearshore marine ecosystem.

“We are not dismissing other potential causes for this year’s low salmon returns,” said Usha Varanasi, NOAA Fisheries Service Science Center Director for the Northwest Region. “But the widespread pattern of low returns along the West Coast for two species of salmon indicates an environmental anomaly occurred in the California Current in 2005.”

Data released Thursday by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council indicate the 2007 returns of fall Chinook salmon to the Sacramento River in California’s Central Valley were approximately 33 percent of what fishery biologists expected. Projections for 2008 are substantially lower than last year’s estimate.

Coho salmon returning to spawning streams in California and Oregon are also considerably lower than predicted. A preliminary analysis found an average 27 percent of the parental stock returning in 12 streams monitored in California. Even though coho returns appear to improve along the coast from south to north, Oregon Coast coho salmon had less than 30 percent of their parental stock return.

Coho salmon are listed as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the Central/Northern California and Southern Oregon watersheds.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects

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NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary advises boaters to steer clear of whales, which migrate through the San Francisco Bay Area in large numbers during the spring. Gray whales are at a particularly high risk of collisions with vessels, as they often travel near shore and may even wander into the bay itself.

Boaters should use caution year-round, but springtime presents a higher chance of coming into close contact with whales. From March through May, thousands of migrating gray whales make their way north from breeding grounds off Mexico to feeding grounds off Alaska. Many of these whales travel directly through the busy shipping lanes off San Francisco in the Gulf of the Farallones sanctuary.

While they also migrate south through the sanctuary in the winter, gray whales — including mothers with newborn calves — swim closest to shore in the spring. Cow-calf pairs can sometimes be seen from shore, and may even pause in the surf zone for the calf to nurse or rest. Humpback and blue whales are also at risk.
   
Boaters should watch for the gray whale’s blow, which looks like a puff of smoke about 10 to 15 feet high, since very little of the whale is visible at the surface. A whale may surface and blow several times before a prolonged dive, typically lasting from three to six minutes.

Boaters should not:
•    Approach within 300 feet (the length of a football field) of any whale
•    Cut across a whale’s path
•    Make sudden speed or directional changes
•    Get between a whale cow and her calf — if separated from its mother, a calf may be doomed to starvation.

Each year, thousands of ships and smaller vessels pass through the Golden Gate. Even small craft collisions with a whale can have disastrous results for both whale and vessel. All whales are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Some local species, such as humpback and blue whales, are also protected by the Endangered Species Act.
 

 

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California State Parks Foundation Funds 22 Improvement Projects Statewide:

Volunteers needed Saturday, April 19 to clean up and preserve State Parks at Earth Day events

KENTFIELD, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) will fund 22 environmental improvement projects at parks statewide as part of the 11th annual Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup. On Saturday, April 19th, volunteers of all ages are needed to help restore the beauty of California's treasured state parks. Now more than ever, community participation is critical due to continuing budget cuts and a variety of threats to state parks throughout California.

Statewide, thousands of volunteers each year plant native trees and community gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitats, remove trash and debris from beaches and parklands and make overdue repairs to fences and boardwalks. Since its inception in 1998, the California State Parks Foundation Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup program has had a tremendous impact -- 60,000 participants have contributed over 250,000 volunteer hours worth more than $5,000,000 in park maintenance and improvements. Including this year's grants, CSPF, with the support of its sponsors, has awarded more than $963,000 to state parks throughout California.

Volunteers will complete environmental improvement and maintenance projects in honor of Earth Day at 22 state and community parks across California, including 18 sites in Northern and Central California:

The Foundation's 11th annual Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup events are a fun and meaningful opportunity for volunteers of all ages to get involved in the stewardship of California's parklands," said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of CSPF. "The participation of Californians in the Earth Day program is particularly important this year, as we seek to carry the message that our parklands are important to protect and cherish."

Individuals or groups interested in volunteering on Earth Day can call the Earth Day hotline at 1-888-98-PARKS or register online at http://www.calparks.org/. A complete list of volunteer project sites statewide can be found on the website as well.

Presenting sponsor Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which is hosting 13 Northern and Central California sites, provided a $162,000 grant to CSPF and the participating parks for supplies and materials required to complete the Earth Day projects. Additional grant providers include: Oracle, Chevron, Supervalu, Marin Community Foundation and The Home Depot.

California State Parks Foundation Earth Day 2008 Restoration & Cleanup events in Northern and Central California include:

 

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Mt. Tamalpais State Park
Tom Frazier
388.3653
tfrazier@parks.ca.gov

Trail maintenance (tread work, brushing, drainage
correction, reinforcing walls, installing steps and foot
bridges, rerouting trails); campground restoration (install
new fire rings, split rail fencing, picnic tables, food
lockers); non-native plant eradication; trash and litter
removal; install signs and information boards.

9:00am - 1:00pm. Barbecue will be held after the event.
Pantoll Headquarters/Parking Lot.
Volunteers: 100 - 150
Water, snack, work boots/sturdy shoes, gloves, sunscreen and
weather-appropriate clothing

 

Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Damien Jones
415.488.0291
dajone@parks.ca.gov

Trail repair and exotic plant removal
9:00am - 1:00pm (check-in begins at 8am)
Volunteers: 100
Rain boots for creek clean up, layered clothing, rain gear
if appropriate, sunscreen, bug spray

 

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COASTWALK ADVENTURES ON THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL TRAIL

SEBASTOPOL, CA, March 11, 2008 — The California coastal advocacy organization, Coastwalk is beginning its 25th season of coastal hiking and camping adventures. Coastwalk gives participants a chance to make a difference while hiking and seeing the California coast in a way that very few ever will. A diverse program—-a mix of educational family trips, rugged adventures for adults, and opportunities to install some of the first trail markers along the world-class California Coastal Trail (CCT)—-is just business as usual around Coastwalk’s Sebastopol office.

Coastwalk’s mission of ensuring the right of all people to reach and responsibly enjoy the California coast has even more urgency this year, in the wake of Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposal to close 48 of California’s state parks, including critical coastal parks, like Montaña de Oro and the Del Norte Coast Redwoods. Coastwalk grew out of grassroots advocacy, beginning with a 1983 multi-day protest hike along the Sonoma coast in response to rampant coastal over-development. Participating in Coastwalk trips conti