West Coast Fisher Proposed for Protection
Election Battles with Big Oil
Study Shows Marine Sanctuary Good for Economy
Ride the North Coast and Support Us!
West Coast Fisher Proposed for Protection
By Edward Moreno
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposed listing rule to designate the West Coast Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of fishers as “threated” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It has opened a 90-day comment period to gather scientific information and comments from the public and stakeholders about the listing and possible DPS management alternatives.
Public comments will be accepted through January 5, 2015
Fishers belong to a family of mammals that includes weasels, mink, martens, and otters. They live in low- to mid-elevation forests in cavities in trees, snags, and hollow logs. Fishers eat snowshoe hares, rabbits, rodents and birds, and are one of the few specialized predators of porcupines.
Fishers serve an important ecological function in nature. They serve as a form of population control for smaller mammals and rodents. Recent studies have shown a 74% decline in population of the Pacific Fisher in northwestern California, while the Southern Sierra subspecies of Fisher has been estimated to have declined to between 125 and 250 adults. For more information on the fishers click here.
The fisher is facing major threats, including habitat loss and change due to wildfire, certain timber harvest practices in some areas, and rodenticides. Illicit anti-coagulant rodenticide use has been verified at illegal marijuana cultivation sites within occupied fisher habitat on public, private, and tribal lands in California.
This rodenticide exposure has been documented in the Klamath Mountains, Southern Sierra Nevada, and Olympic National Park populations. Although the full extent to which rodenticide exposure causes injury or mortality is unknown, potential of direct or indirect exposure poses a probable threat.
Tell USFWS to list the West Coast DPS of fisher as “threatened” under the ESA. Save the fisher and submit comments electronically here. Sierra Club California will also be submitting comments to the USFWS supporting the listing.
USFWS will also host a series of informational meetings and one public hearing. Below are the meetings to be held in California:
· November 13, 2014 -- Best Western Miner's Inn, 122 E. Miner Street, Yreka, California, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
· PUBLIC HEARING: Nov. 17, 2014, at the Red Lion Inn, 1830 Hilltop Dr., Redding, Calif. from 6 to 8 p.m.
· November 20, 2014 -- Arcata Public Library, 500 7th Street, Arcata, California, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
· December 3, 2014 -- Visalia Convention Center, 303 E., Acequia, Visalia, California, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
· December 4, 2014 -- CSUS Stanislaus, Faculty Development Center, Room 118, 1 University Circle, Turlock, California, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
By Kathryn Phillips
As I write this, final results for the midterm election this week are still rolling in. But even without the finals, it’s clear that at least in some parts of the state, this election was a battle between Big Oil and the rest of us in California.
And sometimes, despite huge spending by Big Oil, the people and the environment won.
The good news is that two countywide fracking ban measures passed with solid margins, one in San Benito County, and one in Mendocino County. In San Benito, the oil industry spent close to $2 million fighting the measure, but still the heavily outspent Yes on Measure J campaign prevailed, with more than a little help from our Loma Prieta Chapter members.
Another piece of good news is that the oil industry was not able to have its way with the city council races in Richmond, California, home to a very large Chevron refinery. Chevron pumped $3 million into campaigns for its candidates for mayor and city council, drawing national attention. Somehow (and let’s blame great organizing and smart voters for this), the progressives with strong environmental credentials won the day and overcame the big spending.
But there were some sizeable defeats because of Big Oil opposition. In Santa Barbara County, the oil industry spent at least $7.6 million to defeat a countywide fracking ban, Measure P. Oil outspent the grassroots campaign by about 20 to 1, and was able to flood mailboxes and airwaves with advertising misleading voters about what the ban would do.
The oil industry also sprinkled funds and help around the state to push out incumbents backed by the Sierra Club, or first-time candidates we hoped would win. Assembly member Sharon Quirk-Silva lost her bid for re-election in her Orange County district, and in Assembly District 66 along coastal Los Angeles County, environmental ally Al Muratsuchi lost his race for a second term.
Additionally, in Assembly District 15, Club-backed candidate Elizabeth Echols lost her bid to replace termed-out Assembly member Nancy Skinner. The oil industry funded an independent expenditure campaign for Echols’ opponent in that race.
Check our website page on elections for a rundown of who won and lost among all of our endorsed legislative and statewide candidates.
Study Shows Marine Sanctuary Good for Economy
By Michael Thornton
A new report, commissioned by Sierra Club California, highlights tremendous economic benefits that would come to California’s Central Coast, and particularly San Luis Obispo County, if the region were to receive National Marine Sanctuary designation.
The report finds that a National Marine Sanctuary designation along the San Luis Obispo coastline could increase economic activity by more than $23 million annually in San Luis Obispo County.
The designation would also create at least 600 permanent local jobs.
These numbers could go up significantly if business and community leaders actively promote the region as the location of a National Marine Sanctuary.
“The Potential Economic Impacts of the Proposed Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary” was prepared by Jason Scorse, Ph.D., Director of the Center for the Blue Economy at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and Judith Kildow, Ph.D., director of the National Ocean Economics Program at the Center.
Drivers for increased economic activity that accompany sanctuary designation include direct government expenditures on staffing, likely grant funding associated with research that would be conducted in the region, and projected tourism-related revenue likely to be generated by the attractiveness of a protected coastline for recreational activities.
The proposed sanctuary area, which also includes parts of northern Santa Barbara County, is home to kelp forests, the southern sea otter, gray whale migration routes and one of the most sustainable fisheries in the country including rock fish, salmon, sole, swordfish, and hundreds of non-commercial species. It also provides an important stopping point along the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds. The cold water off the coast and fresh water estuaries onshore make it an important nursery for a wide range of species. Offshore oil drilling, water pollution, seismic testing, and climate change all pose threats to the integrity of this diverse and valuable natural area.
The Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra Club California, and the national Club’s Our Wild America Campaign are all actively engaged in the effort to establish a Central Coast sanctuary.
This report shows that designating a National Marine Sanctuary along California’s Central Coast will achieve a ‘triple bottom line’ win for San Luis Obispo County. A healthier ocean benefits all of the species, including humans that depend on it for their lives and livelihoods.
Ride the North Coast and Support Us!
How can you enjoy an incredible 5-day bicycle ride on the North Coast while supporting Sierra Club California?
By participating in Climate Ride and joining more than 200 cyclists pedaling 40-60 miles per day (plus one day with an opportunity for a century) along the stunning coastline from Fortuna to the Russian River valley to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
This “green conference on wheels” and fully-supported adventure raises funds for a collection of non-profits working on sustainability and bike advocacy, including Sierra Club California.
The exciting part for Sierra Club California is that anyone who signs up for the ride gets to raise money for the organization they choose – and you can choose Sierra Club California.
You could even register with a team of riders to ride for us.
Find out more and register at www.climateride.org for the May 17-21, 2015Climate Ride.
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