Dear Supporter,

News from the Chair

Greetings. Please join us in welcoming Yvonne Baginski as our new Executive Committee member. Our ExCom is now complete with seven volunteers (although we're still in need for volunteers for other duties). You can read more about Yvonne, below.

Congratulations to Joelle Gallagher, who is running for the District 1 Board of Supervisors seat. The ExCom sent questionnaires to candidates from Districts 1 and 3. We voted unanimously to recommend Ms. Gallagher to the California Sierra Club for its endorsement. We were not, however, able to come to a majority vote as to which candidate to endorse for the District 3 race.

Please read Roland Dumas' article, below, that summarizes our final comments on the Napa Groundwater Sustainability Plan. We will be sending the final comments to the State Department of Water Resources. It explains several reasons why we are still critical of the Plan. Photo by Nick Cheranich

This May, the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition will be holding it's month-long fundraising event, Loco-motion. The ExCom voted to donate $1000, and to form a team. Please see below on how you can join our Napa Sierra Club Team to help in this wonderful cause.

Currently, we are looking into several environmental issues. One issue is the request by Vulcan Materials, a large corporation headquartered in Alabama, for approval of a use permit to allow a Ready-mix concrete facility near the airport. Our concerns:

• 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 airport.
• The company has also bought the Harold Smith & Sons ready-mix concrete facility in St. Helena. It is right next to Sulphur Creek, as well as two local schools and several neighborhoods. Locals there are worried about the negative health and environmental effects from the recent increase in production at the site. Photo by Astrid Westvang.

Speaking of environmental issues, please be on the lookout in the coming days for a short survey from us. We want to better understand the issues that are important to you, and to see if you are interested in volunteering to do something regarding those issues.

Lastly, for a multitude of great articles from our members, please see below.

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, ExCom Chair

A lifelong advocate for social justice, business entrepreneur and community activist, Yvonne's recently retired from the nonprofit she founded, Share the Care Napa Valley. She is currently a Senior Senator, representing Napa and Solano Counties for the California Senior Legislature, and has taken on the environmental charge to make the world a liveable place for her three children, and one grandchild.

An avid reader, animal lover, nature walker and theater-goer, Yvonne has been known to write stories, poetry and has performed original narratives at the Marsh Theater in San Francisco. She's also ghostwritten several memoirs, is often opinioning on the editorial pages of the local newspaper and has found that ever widening circles of friends and acquaintances bring an immeasurable richness to life.

In her work with Sierra Club, she hopes to change the story of our culture to one of reverence for our planet where we all recognize and live with nature as one. Her hope is that what she can accomplish in the short time left, might make a difference for the greater good.