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Dear Supporter,
Greetings, and Happy Autumn.
News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich
Many things are happening. I’ll briefly describe them here, and then I hope you’ll take the time to read the associated articles below, written by our Excom members.
 First, congratulations to Anne Cottrell, who received our endorsement for her candidacy for the District 3 Board of Supervisors. We interviewed both candidates and selected Anne because of her commitment to protecting Napa’s agricultural lands and natural resources.
Back in January we also endorsed Joelle Gallagher for District 1 Board of Supervisors. We recently spoke with her again, and found that she is highly supportive of several environmental issues that we are working on.
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 Trying to save Skyline Wilderness Park is an ongoing endeavor. Our motto: Family, Nature, Skyline: Keep Us Together. We recently sent letters to both Governor Newsom and Director of the CA Dept. of Housing and Community Development explaining that although we support the mission of creating more affordable housing, we are against developing any part of the park.
Please write to your Board of Supervisor member as well as State Senator Bill Dodd about your opposition to any type of development in our park. Heck, you might as well include the Governor (all contact info is at the end of the letter). (Photo credit: Josiah Roe)
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Other issues:
- We oppose Measure J in American Canyon, which seeks to annex agricultural land for industrial development. As our Excom member Scott Thomason wrote to the AmCan City Council, “We hold that the highest and best use of all land in Napa County is that it be maintained as it is currently; farmlands should remain farmland, wildlands should remain wild.”
- In that same vein, we want the Ghisletta property to remain an Open Space. See David Campbell’s letter to the Napa City Council explaining why this land should not be developed.
- Poison rat bait traps continue to be an issue of concern. The traps are scattered around the businesses in the Corporate Park area near the Napa Airport. They are potentially killing other animals, including birds of prey. We received the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s report responding to our complaint about these poisons, which stated that the risk is legitimate.
You can also read updates about the American Canyon Eco-Center and about what our student interns are working on. Finally, check out Chris Benz’ article about the recent Electric Mobility event we helped host last weekend.
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Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be November 15th, 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
napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com
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Sierra Club Endorses Gallagher and Cottrell
 The Sierra Club has endorsed Joelle Gallagher (right) for District 1 County Supervisor and
Anne Cottrell (below) for District 3 County Supervisor. These candidates have distinguished themselves by their knowledge of, experience in, and commitment to protecting Napa’s agricultural lands and natural resources. Climate change is causing serious environmental threats, including drought and wildfire, and we need strong, experienced leadership to address this.
Gallagher led the Napa Valley Farm Bureau and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association. She is now the Executive Director of First 5 Napa working on behalf of Napa County’s children and families. Cottrell has served on the Board of the Napa County Land Trust, on the Community Wildfire Prevention Plan Core Team, and currently serves on the Watershed Information & Conservation Council. Gallagher and Cottrell will work to keep Skyline Wilderness Park free from development. Both are the current County Planning Commissioners for their districts and so are intimately familiar with the latest development concerns and county policies. They will be able to hit the ground running and guide the County to a more equitable and climate-resilient future.
Please join us in voting for them this November.
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Strike Skyline Wilderness Park Off the County Housing List! Our Letter to Governor Newsom
Letter written by Roland Dumas, PhD; Photo by Josiah Roe
Dear Governor Newsom,
The Sierra Club Napa Group supports the mission of creating more affordable housing in our expensive area. We are also aware that selecting sites is fraught with community reaction. NIMBY responses are strong, particularly in affluent areas where organized homeowners have a litany of reasons why people of more modest means would be better off elsewhere. We also understand that the elected officials who represent those areas will do their best to appease their constituents.
In Napa County, we are witnessing what we consider irregularities in the process of selecting sites for affordable/low-income residences. These irregularities are causing an extremely popular and well-used park, Skyline Wilderness Park, to be targeted for development. It has happened before, and this attempt seems more focused. We oppose converting an open space park, particularly the most used park in the county, into housing. Click here to read the entire letter.
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Reasons to Keep the Ghisletta Property Area as Greenbelt Land. Our Letter to the Napa City Council
Letter written by David Campbell; Photo by Chris Robbins
 Dear Mayor Sedgley and City Councilmembers,
The Napa Group of the Sierra Club wishes to signal its opposition to that part of the proposed City General Plan that contemplates the annexation and up-zoning of the parcels of land commonly known as the Ghisletta property. We believe, for several reasons, that this property is best treated as Greenbelt land, as proposed by the Napa Planning Commission.
We hold that the highest and best use of all land in unincorporated Napa County is that it be maintained as it is currently; farmlands should remain farmland, wildlands should remain wild. A corollary is that cities should not expand into undeveloped areas of the county and urban sprawl must be curtailed. The proposed General Plan violates both tenets. Click here to read more.
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Electric Mobility Is About More Than Teslas!
Article by Chris Benz; Photos by Nick Cheranich
 Yes, there were plenty of Teslas at the September 25 Electric Mobility event, but there was so much more. This year the event, part of National Drive Electric Week and sponsored by the Napa Sierra Club, Récolte Energy, and MCE, was held at the American Canyon Walmart Supercenter.
Napa Group Chair Nick Cheranich pedaled his E-bike down from Napa. He was joined by Rick and Ray who also rode down from Napa on E-bikes converted from non-electric bicycles. Ray did the conversions in 2015. “I didn’t expect to get the battery longevity, but they’re still running and we’re able to ride from Napa to St. Helena and back with cruise control.” Click here to read more.
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Why We Oppose Measure J. Our Letter to the American Canyon City Council
Letter written by Scott Thomason, Photo courtesy of ACCPF
 Dear Mayor Garcia and City Council Members,
The Napa Group of the Sierra Club wishes to express its opposition to Measure J that, if passed, would add 157 acres owned by Green Island Property, to the City of American Canyon Urban Limit Line and amend the General Plan to allow the replacement of existing, designated agricultural land with expanded city industrial development.
We hold that the highest and best use of all land in Napa County is that it be maintained as it is currently; farmlands should remain farmland, wildlands should remain wild. A corollary is that cities should not rezone agricultural areas of the county for industrial development. Click here to read more.
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Why Recycling Is Hugely Important
by Eva Pelayo, Student Intern
 Have you ever wondered why we recycle in the first place? Is recycling really that important?
Well actually, it is! I think that recycling is one of the greatest and easiest activities humans can do in order to preserve the Earth for as long as possible.
Some of the negative effects of not recycling often are processes such as greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere, toxins being leached into the soil and groundwater, and increasing the rate of plastic pollution in oceans. Click here to read more.
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Bay Trail Confidential Event to Highlight ACCPF's Eco-Center, Bay Trail
by Scott Thomason
 Sierra Club members are invited to join Rodney Paul, host of Bay Trail Confidential on Wednesday, October 5 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. by Zoom when he visits Janelle Sellick, Executive Director of the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation (ACCPF), and American Canyon City Council members Mark Joseph and Pierre Washington, to talk about both the Bay Trail and Ridge Trail locations in American Canyon.
The premise behind Bay Trail Confidential program is that the Bay Area offers a great many wonderful places to visit that remain hidden to most as we go about our often busy lives. American Canyon offers both Bay Trail and Ridge Trail locations and now is an ideal time to visit as temperatures begin to cool and the migration of birds through areas such as Wetlands Edge Park start to ramp up.
Joseph and Washington helped add new sections to the Napa Valley Vine Trail that now make it possible to travel by bike or on foot to Napa without dealing with the high volume of fast-moving traffic on CA-29.
Paul will also be talking about the Bay Area Ridge Trail’s new Circumnavigation web page which eases the planning of an adventure going around the entire Bay and has a wall of fame celebrating those who have done so.
If you would like to check out Bay Trail Confidential and watch the segment on American Canyon and the Bay Trail, click here.
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American Canyon Reindeer Run Set for December 3rd
by Scott Thomason
 The 12th Annual Reindeer 5/10 Run/Walk is scheduled for Saturday, December 3 at 9 am at the Wetlands Parking lot in American Canyon. The event will be hosted by the American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation (ACCPF) and offers a tour of the Wetlands and Bay Trail frequented by a host of wildlife and migratory birds.
All the proceeds will go to fund year round educational and environmental programs conducted by ACCPF. Both the 5 Kilometer (3.1 miles) and 10 Kilometer (6.2 miles) courses combine paved and compact gravel paths that offer scenic views of the wetlands where the Napa River enters into San Pablo Bay.
Entrants receive a race packet including long-sleeve souvenir shirt, race number and a host of refreshments. Each mile is clearly marked and the course is completely free of any cars. If you would like to enter, click here.
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Our Response to the County Ag Commissioner's Report on Baited Poison Rat Traps
by Nick Cheranich; Photo by Yvonne Baginsky
 There is no doubt that baited rat poison traps work well to kill rats. But these traps, which were found in and around dozens of businesses in the Corporate Park near the Napa Airport and are situated amongst natural creek and river wetland habitats, can also kill the other animals that live in those habitats. These traps also pose a potential danger to children and pets that are visiting the businesses near where the traps were found.
That is why the Napa Sierra Club asked the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to investigate. The Commission’s recent report on the investigation showed that we were right to have been concerned about the way traps are distributed, labeled, and maintained.
The report states that the risk the traps pose of poisoning any animal that might eat the bait or the poisoned rodent is “legitimate.” Click here to read more.
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