Dear Supporter,Welcome to the Napa Sierra Club's Nov-Dec, 2021 Newsletter.

News from the Chair:

Greetings all. First, we would like to say goodbye and thank you to our two student volunteers, Emily Bit and Alisa Karesh. They accomplished so much during the year, both within the Napa Sierra Club and in their capacities as co-Presidents of the Schools for Climate Action group. Their hard work and dedication to local climate change issues truly are an inspiration to us all.

Please note that we will be accepting applications for new student volunteers for the 2022 year. If you know a dedicated high school student who would be interested, please contact me.

Also, please welcome our new Excom member, Scott Thomason from American Canyon. You can read his brief bio, below.

Please read our “Comments to the Groundwater Sustainability Plan Advisory Committee” (below), that we sent to the Committee for public viewing. Read why we were critical of the draft Plan, and urged that it not be approved. Several of the committee members did indeed vote against the draft, including our own representative, Chris Sauer.

We are currently looking into several new environmental issues that were brought to us by concerned Sierra Club members and supporters.

You may have heard that the Walt Ranch project is being appealed by the Center for Biological Diversity in partnership with the Redwood Chapter and the Napa Group.

Please consider sending an email or letter to the Napa County Board of Supervisors requesting that:

1. They continue this hearing for at least (60) days to allow the public to meaningfully participate in the process.
 
2. Let them know that you oppose this project. Our climate has changed significantly since the initial environmental studies were done for this project in 2008-2009. The loss of carbon sequestration resulting from demolition of more than 14,000 trees is irreversible. The proposed mitigation for loss of these trees is the planting of Oak seedlings to offset the loss of a mature Oak tree. This is fake mitigation. Our climate is at a tipping point as evidenced by prolonged droughts, temperature rise, and intensifying wildfires. We need our trees to scrub our air, store our carbon, and help combat climate change. This is the wrong time and place for a project of this magnitude. For more information on the issues, read Opposition letters here.

Please send your email or letter in ASAP to allow your voice to be heard prior to the currently scheduled hearing on December 14, 2021.

Do CONTACT Sue Wagner (suezeeque19@yahoo.com) or Lisa Hirayama (carr4X4@gmail.com) for more ways you can help.

Another issue is the Benjamin Ranch Winery, which is a proposed 475,000-gallon winery project owned by the Frank Family, and approved by County Planning Commission 3-2. Napa Vision 2050 and the Napa Sierra Club both contend that this large-sized winery will have several negative environmental impacts. (We note that the Frank Family is now selling its property.)

Another project our group is looking into is a proposed use permit to allow for a Ready-mix concrete facility for Vulcan Materials. The project has potentially negative environmental effects because of its proximity to Fagan Creek, which flows out to the Fagan Marsh Marine Park next to the Napa Airport. It should be noted that there are already two Ready-mix facilities within two miles of this proposed project.

Now, please read the multitude of great articles from our members. And please take the time to vote for our Excom members Chris Benz and me, below.

Happy Holidays!

Want to get involved? Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be March 15, 2022 at 6:30PM. Just click on the RSVP button below and I'll send you a Zoom invite in the near future. Thank you.

– Nick Cheranich, Executive Committee Chair