Comments from the Chair

Good governance needed to protect Americans

As I write this, the USA is now number 1 in COVID-19 cases. That is, we have achieved the most infections anywhere in the world, including China.

This is a new coronavirus that was first discovered in Wuhan, China, thanks to heroic individual physician Li Wenliang, who warned of a possible new outbreak of something resembling Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). That was in December, 2019, and he died of the disease on February 7th after being reprimanded as a “rumor monger” on January 3rd.

I refer you to Wikipedia for a helpful introduction to the family of coronaviruses. Coronaviruses are numerous and infect a variety of species, including humans, pigs, bats, and hedgehogs. This virus family has been around for thousands of years, and continues to evolve. COVID-19 (officially SARS-CoV-2) is related to earlier newsworthy strains such as SARS (SARS-CoV) and MERS (MERS CoV). It is also related to viruses that cause the common cold and viral pneumonia.

We are now living through the COVID-19 pandemic. In less than three months (first U.S. case and first S. Korea case both 1/20/2020), the virus has spread around the world and caused over 24,000 deaths. The rapid and deadly disease spread in Italy and Spain appears to have been started by a large soccer crowd gathering in Milan Feb 19, barely over a month ago. The global response to this pandemic shows the many ways we are a global community, interconnected as people, not just as consumers of economic widgets.

National responses also show how vital--with life and death at stake--is good governance. Our national response has been haphazard and states have had to lead the way. Many Americans are dying as a result.

This is not the first pandemic in modern times, although it appears to be more contagious and deadly than SARS and MERS. I feel I can guarantee that this will not be our last pandemic either, and we should not blame China, but thank them for taking quick action (after ignoring and reprimanding the good doctor), identifying and telling the world of this threat, contributing to the science to understand it, and now assisting other stricken countries, etc.

We use science to fight pandemics, let’s use it to fight climate change

As a retired physician and pathologist I spent my career using science. The idea of using outdated technology to save money has always seemed strange to me, especially when human health is at stake. The best available data and technology are what make modern society function, whether it be in health care, food safety, air travel, etc. Too bad that many industries find profit in using antiquated energy technology, antiquated vehicles, antiquated mining and food production techniques, etc. So I am listening to the scientists telling me about COVID-19, and how to respond.

I wish people and countries would listen to climate scientists! COVID-19 shows that societies can respond effectively to huge challenges when motivated. Our fossilized leaders in government and business choose to ignore climate science for their particular profit, costing the general population thousands of lives and much inequity and illness.

Americans in some places can now be arrested for “domestic terrorism” if found willfully spreading this coronavirus. When will we charge our fossil fuel addicts with domestic terrorism??

With COVID-19, we learned quickly, thanks to good science and policy work in China and South Korea, that the classic case tracking methods of epidemiology still work. We learned that quarantine of people with an infectious disease like this works. We learned that standard hygiene works, and access to testing (rapidly developed in Asia and Europe) can be a huge help to implementing case tracking and quarantine measures. Cases in China and South Korea have now plateaued and are beginning to decline.

We also know what to do about climate change. We simply lack the political will to do it. I urge a worldwide COVID-19-like response, now, to climate change.

Funding for aquifer protection still in play

The proposed removal of sales tax funding for the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program (EAPP) remains stalled in City Council, not only because of COVID-19, but also because CC members are raising many questions. Bexar County has not so far made any concrete offer to fund the Linear Creekways. SC, along with other members of Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA) continue to seek preservation of the EAPP in its current form and at its current funding levels. We believe there are many thousands of acres that still need protection.

Our Sierra Club ALSO supports continued funding for the Linear Creek Parkway system to get it completed. We also strongly support more funding for VIA.

It is to be acknowledged that in this time of COVID-19, local tax revenues are falling dramatically, jeopardizing many existing local government programs. Local shut downs, furloughs and layoffs ripple through homes, families and the whole community. Our local Chambers took the city to court so that employees would not have paid sick leave, which could be a life saver for many at this time.

SAWS/CPS step up during crisis, but more needed

We continue to organize and push forward on our long term issues, even while official channels are largely diverted currently to COVID-19 responses. We applaud CPS and SAWS for suspending service disconnects for non-payment during this crisis. They should find ways to never disconnect anyone.

They should decouple rates so that they don’t profit from selling more, but can reward efficiency and conservation, without hurting their revenues.

SAWS should request a contract extension, without penalty, for Vista Ridge. Contractually we are supposed to begin receipt of 45 million gallons/day of VT water on April 15th. In this time of crisis this expensive excess water will place another huge burden on SAWS ratepayers.

SAWS is in the midst of planning rate increases for June. Their citizens’ Rate Advisory Committee (RAC) is shut down by COVID-19. SAWS should delay rate planning until the RAC work can resume. Rate increases should be postponed until full COVID-19 effects are known. 

Federal government working against its citizens

Our federal government continues, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads throughout our country, to try to dismantle and defund ObamaCare; “suspend” clean air and clean water regulations; prop up oil & gas, nuclear, coal etc.; keep migrants in squalid conditions; and spread doubt about the need for social distancing and self-quarantine. Scary times.

Paradise Valley, Kings Canyon National Park

Paradise Valley is reached from the east end of Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (CA Hwy 180), which is termed "Road's End". This is 34 miles east on Hwy 180 from the General Grant Grove of giant sequoias, which is on the west side of the park. It is a 12-mile round trip hike from Road's End to Lower Paradise Valley.

This is one end of the 41-mile Rae Lakes loop which includes sections of the Pacific Crest (PCT) and John Muir (JMT) trails. The JMT, overlapping with the PCT, run through the park from John Muir Wilderness in Sierra National Forest to the north, and Sequoia National Park to the south.

My trip, in October, 2018, also included a hike up Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park (see article in June, 2019 newsletter) and the Twenty Lakes Loop in Inyo National Forest (see article in September, 2019 newsletter).

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
- John Muir, from Our National Parks, 1901. Quoted in Teachings of John Muir From Kings Canyon at the National Park Quest website.

Possibly the iconic view of Kings Canyon, from just below Paradise Valley, looking southwest.

In Paradise Valley, looking southeast.

Mist Falls, 3.7 miles up the trail to Paradise Valley.

Kings Canyon from Lookout Peak, looking north. It is a 10 mile round trip, southwest from the trailhead on CA Hwy 180 (opposite Sentinel campground), which itself is 6 miles west of Road's End.

Outings: The Call of the Wild

Visit the Alamo Sierra Club Outings page on Meetup for detailed information about all of our upcoming Sierra Club Outings.

The Alamo Sierran Newsletter

Richard Alles, Editor
Published by The Alamo Group of the Sierra Club, P.O. Box 6443, San Antonio, TX 78209, AlamoSierraClub.org.
The Alamo Group is one of 13 regional groups within the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club.

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