CoastWatcher

Coalition Calls for Sen. Feinstein’s Rider Extending Life of Oyster Farm at Point Reyes National Seashore To Be Stripped

Posted September 29th, 2009 by Kurt Repanshek

Sen. Feinstein’s efforts to see an oyster company continue operations at Point Reyes National Seashore for another decade are being opposed. Photo of Drakes Estero by Susan Van Der Wal via NPS.

Some push-back has surfaced against U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein’s efforts to see oyster farming continue in an area of Point Reyes National Seashore that has been destined for official wilderness designation.

A group calling itself the Save Drakes Bay Coalition is urging U.S. Representative Norm Dicks, D-Washington, to strip a rider Sen. Feinstein placed on an Interior appropriations bil that would allow the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. to continue operations in the national seashore’s Drakes Estero. Commercial oyster farming was well under way in Drakes Estero in 1976 when Congress designated the estuary as potential wilderness. Interior Department officials, noting that the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. operation would run counter to official wilderness designation, directed the National Park Service to push for that designation in 2012 when the oyster farm’s lease expires. Read the rest of this entry »

Ed. Note:  For anyone interested in seeing an amazing video of the Australian oil spill referred to in the opinion below, and the extremely important coastal resources and whale migration and nursery areas threatened, go to http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/video/-/watch/15774959/#fop

It can happen in Santa Barbara.  In fact, it already has….

Opinion: PXP’s offshore drilling project not right deal for us

Pedro Nava

September 27, 2009 5:24 AM
What do more than 90 statewide environmental groups, including the Sierra Club California, the Surfrider Foundation, the Planning and Conservation League, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Audubon and Environment California, have in common? They oppose Plains Exploration and Production Co.’s (PXP) plan to introduce new offshore oil drilling in California Sanctuary Act waters, just 3 miles off the Santa Barbara coastline.

Texas-based PXP continues its well-financed public relations campaign to bring new offshore oil drilling, with all the environmental risks, to the Santa Barbara coast. Read the rest of this entry »

Record Volunteer Turnout In San Diego For Coastal Cleanup

BY ED JOYCE
September 21, 2009
San Diego Coastkeeper and I Love a Clean San Diego report that San Diego County had a record number of 9,587 volunteers Saturday for the 25th annual California Coastal Cleanup.

The two groups estimated that 65,000 pounds of trash was collected at 80 sites in the county and Tijuana.

Items found included cigarette butts, plastic bottle caps, plastic bags.

Unusual items such as an ATM machine, a fake nose and pickles.

The California Coastal Commission late Saturday reported that 56,877 volunteers collected 801,937 pounds of debris throughout the state.

All reported statistics are initial figures and are expected to be updated.

Obscure right wing Duncan Hunter (Former US Congressman-San Diego) usually inspires one of two reactions:  Either you’ve never heard of him because he hasn’t ever accomplished much or you care about the environment and are aware of his unceasing efforts to destroy coastal resources and endangered species as part of his mind bogglingly stupid passion for building giant fences along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Don’t mention that terrorists use the U.S.-Canadian border, he hates that racism insinuation….

So despite the fact that the State of California through the California Coastal Commission denied the fence, Hunter pulled strings in Washington DC to over ride his constituents and got the fence approved anyway.  So far we’ve spent $2.4 billion.  Before Hunter is done however the US will have wasted over $6 billion on this silly folly, and will not have stopped terrorism, drug smuggling or illegal immigration.  Hunter’s nutty folly on our dime.  http://instaputz.blogspot.com/2009/08/duncan-hunter-dumbass.html

Gov’t: Border fence to cost $6.5 billion over 20 years

By Eileen Sullivan
Associated Press
Posted: 09/17/2009 06:32:46 AM PDT
Updated: 09/17/2009 06:32:47 AM PDT

WASHINGTON — Government investigators say it will cost taxpayers $6.5 billion over the next 20 years to maintain the southwest border fence.
And the Government Accountability Office says that as the Obama administration begins to understand the long-term costs of the border fence, it doesn’t have a way to evaluate whether this investment has helped control the flow of undocumented immigrants into the country.
The $6.5 billion price tag is in addition to the $2.4 billion that’s already been spent to build fence segments along the U.S.-Mexico border. The fence is a Bush administration initiative that has faced several delays and cost increases. The GAO says the technology portion of the government’s plan to secure the border continues to be delayed.

Ed. Note: Bob Sumner and his wife Nickie only sought a quiet beach experience.  Instead they were treated to one of California’s appalling open secrets:  thousands of vechicles destroying sensitive coastal resources and endangered species night and day, day after day, at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.  ODSVRA, which for years has been considered a rules and nature free environmental destruction area by California Dept. of State Parks, is the most regrettable, obnoxious beach experience in the state.

And as reported by Coastal Commission Executive Director Peter Douglas, the situation isn’t about to change soon.   Just this week Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his plan to eliminate California Dept. State Parks and close nearly all state parks — EXCEPT ODSVRA.  That is wat it has come to:  State parks dedicated to nature and pollution free recreation are to be shuttered while ODSVRA, dedicated to destruction of the coast, killing off endangered species and heating the planet, will go on business as usual.

Family who had ‘nightmare’ vacation near Pier Avenue in Oceano told to go someplace else next time

Bob Cuddy – San Luis Obispo Tribune
Beach days are here,and here’s a swift kick in the pail and shovel from a top coastal protector to those looking for a family vacation experience near Pier Avenue in Oceano:
Go someplace else. The vehicles have taken over. “Without intending to be cavalier about your concerns … I suggest you find another area for your next vacation,” Peter Douglas, executive director of the California Coastal Commission, wrote in a letter to a couple from San Jose who had a nightmare experience at the beach.

“P.S.,” Douglas added, “unfortunately, I have given this same advice to others who have had similar reactions and experiences to yours.”

The house Bob and Nickie Sumner rented in Oceano is less than a block from the Pier Avenue entrance to the Oceano Dunes. Instead of peace and quiet, they spent a week watching vehicles stream by on the beach. Tribune photo by Joe Johnston Read the rest of this entry »

Lick Litter by Pounding Butt Flickers!

Think you know about pollution, about litter, about cigarettes and smokers? Ever seen someone smoking while driving and flick a cigarette butt out the window? Or standing on the street smoking and flick one into the gutter? Turns out that billions of people are doing the same thing with trillions of cigarette butts annually!!

The BUTTsOut organization has a few facts on its side in calling cigarette butts the world’s worst litter problem…… Read the rest of this entry »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Mark Massara
Sierra Club Coastal Programs
Phone: (805) 895-0963
Email: Mark.Massara@sierraclub.org

Angela Howe
Surfrider Foundation
Phone: (510) 541-0677
Email: ahowe@surfrider.org

CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSIONER VOTING RECORDS REVEALED and EXPLAINED

Voting Records Analyzed In Connection With Upcoming Appointments

Sacramento, CA (May 15, 2009) – Today marks the release of the 2008 California Coastal Commission Conservation Voting Chart, which measures the pro-conservation scores of the California Coastal Commission, the State’s most powerful land use agency, charged with the protecting our 1,100 mile coastline.  The voting chart is produced by Sierra Club Coastal Programs, Surfrider Foundation, California Coastkeeper Alliance, Coastwalk California, Coastal Protection Network, and League for Coastal Protection, who teamed up to record, analyze and report on the most important coastal votes of 2008.  The 31 votes in this year’s chart involve significant coastal issues decided by the Commission during their twelve monthly meetings in 2008, including the denial of the proposed 241 toll road through San Onofre State Park, and approval of the largest desalination facility in North America.  The voting chart is designed to illuminate individual Commissioners’ voting sensitivities.  In addition, the report illustrates the relative successes and failures of the appointments made by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Rules Committee led by Don Perata, and then Speaker of the Assembly Fabián Nuñez.  The scoring information in the 2008 chart also sheds light on upcoming Commission appointments in 2009, including seats currently held by Commissioners Ben Hueso and Dave Potter.

To download a copy of the complete analysis, go to www.sierraclub.org/ca/coasts/ Read the rest of this entry »

CW Readers:

The Obama Administration is coming to San Francisco to hear from you about offshore oil drilling and America’s energy future.  This is our chance to give voice to the urgent need for permanent protection of our coasts and development of sustainable energy technologies!

President Barrack Obama’s Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is coming to San Francisco to hear from YOU!  Please join us for an all day and evening public hearing on offshore oil drilling and our future.  Help us just say NO to more dangerous and environmentally damaging offshore oil drilling and YES to a future that celebrates sustainable energy!

As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuels, Secretary Salazar will be in San Francisco for the most important public hearing on offshore oil drilling in years.  This is our chance to stand up for protecting the California coast, our climate and our economy for future generations and we urge you to join us.

WHEN: Thursday, April 16, 2009
Doors will open at 8:00 AM
Hearing begins at 9:00 AM and will conclude at 8:00 PM
WHERE: University of California, San Francisco
Mission Bay Conference Center
Robertson Auditorium
1675 Owens Street
San Francisco, CA

For more information on the hearing and the issues at stake, go to http://oilonthebeach.blogspot.com/

For a recent editorial by Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director, go to http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/23/EDLU16LLAK.DTL