December 2009 California Today, PLanning and Conservation League Newsletter

8/3/2019 December 2009 California Today, PLanning and Conservation League Newsletter

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CALIFORNIA TODAYCALIFORNIA TODAYNews l e t t e r o f th e Pl ann ing & Conse r va t i on League PLANNING AND CONSERVATION LEAGUEPLANNING AND CONSERVATION LEAGUE FOUNDATIONDecember 2009 Volume 39, Number 4

Legislative Wrap-up: What Started With Hope Ends With aWhimpeBy: Tina Andolina

The Building

This year started with great hope since our golden state

finally had a partner in Washington committed to

championing environmental protections and advancing public

health. However, in 2009, it was California lagging far behind

other states and missing important opportunities to advance

clean energy and tackle pollution and toxics.

While the State Legislature was lackluster in the bills theysent to Governor Schwarzeneggers desk this year, he was

aggressive with his veto pen -- rejecting most of the top

environmental bills on his desk, including measures aimed at

improving the quality of life for all Californians and boosting

our economy through the creation of local and sustainable

green jobs.

Left on the cutting room floor was a landmark package of

bills designed to establish the first-in-the-nation 33% renewal

energy standard. The major pieces of the package, SB 14

(Simitian) and AB 64 (Krekorian) were the result of countless

hours of negotiations between a vast array of organizationsand businesses interested in Californias energy policy. By not

signing these landmark bills the Governor has cost California

an opportunity to send a strong message to Washington, D.C.

at a time when the nation is debating energy and climate policy.

State Parks also saw no mercy from the Governor and his

menacing pen. After threatening to close parks throughout

California before backing away and simply slashing the State

Parks budget to the bone, the Governor added salt to the

wound by vetoing two critical bills aimed at protecting our

states parks. SB 372 (Kehoe) and SB 679 (Wolk) would h

increased protections for state parks at a critical time w

efforts to dismantle our states natural heritage seem relentl

The Governor also vetoed Assembly Member Rusk

Human Right to Water measure, AB 1242. This comm

sense legislation enjoyed bipartisan support and would h

finally directed the state to prioritize funding to ensureCalifornians have clean drinking water. And despite the

need for new jobs in California, and the promise the new gr

economy holds in helping us out of this recession,

Governor vetoed a critical green jobs bill, AB 1404 (DeLe

This would have ensured global warming emissi

reductions and its generation of green jobs in California.

While the Governor deserves no praise for his actions

year, we are pleased with two bills that were signed. AB 1

(Evans), a bill sponsored by the Planning and Conserva

League, California Council of Land Trusts and the Califor

State Parks Foundation, will ensure conservation projaffected by the freezing of state payments earlier this year

remain viable. Also, AB 920 (Huffman) allows customers w

generate extra solar power to finally get paid to send t

excess power back to the grid.

Overall this year, the Governors green batting averag

unimpressive. We hope that in his final year at the helm,

Governor will strive to up that average and leave Califor

a better, greener state than he found it.

CALIFORNIA TODAY Planning and Conservation League & PCL Foundation


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Dear Friends,

California AffiliateNational Wildlife Federation

CALIFORNIA TODAY(ISBN 0739-8042)is the quarterly newsletter of the

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION LEAGUEAND THE PCL FOUNDATION

1107 Ninth Street, Suite 360, Sacramento, CA 95814

PHONE: 916-444-8726 FAX: 916-448-1789

E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]

WEB ADDRESS:http://www.pcl.org

Membership to PCL is $35 a year and includes a

subscription to CALIFORNIA TODAY.

Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, CA. Published at

other additional offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes for

CALIFORNIA TODAY to the PCL Office:

1107 Ninth Street, Suite 360, Sacramento, CA 95814

PCLF BOARD OF TRUSTEESDAVID HIRSCH, Chairman

RALPH B. PERRY III, Vice Chairman

DANIEL S. FROST, Secretary-Treasurer

COKE HALLOWELL, Trustee

GERALD H. MERAL, Trustee

PCL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEBILL CENTER, President

KEVIN JOHNSON, Senior Vice President

LYNN SADLER, Senior Vice President

SAGE SWEETWOOD, President Emeritus

JOHN VAN DE KAMP, President Emeritus

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTSELISABETH BROWN

JAN CHATTEN-BROWN

PHYLLIS FABER

RICK HAWLEY

FRAN LAYTON

DOUG LINNEY

DAVID MOGAVERO

STEPHANIE PINCETL

TERESA VILLEGAS

TERRY WATT

BILL YEATES

ORGANIZATIONAL BOARD MEMBERSBig Sur Land TrustBreathe California, Sacramento-Emigrant Trails

California Association of Local Conservation Corps

California Oak Foundation

California Trout

Greenspace - The Cambria Land Trust

Golden Gate Audubon Society

The Laguna Greenbelt, Inc.

Mono Lake Committee

Mountain Lion Foundation

Sierra Nevada Alliance

Southern California Agricultural Land Foundation

Train Riders Association of California

The Trust for Public Land

PCL/PCL FOUNDATION STAFFTRACI SHEEHAN, Executive Director

TINA ANDOLINA, Legislative Director

EVON CHAMBERS, Water Policy Assistant

CHARLOTTE HODDE, Water Policy Specialist

DR. MONICA HUNTER, Central Coast Water Project Manager

JONAS MINTON, Senior Water Policy AdvisorJONATHAN BERNSTEIN, Administrative Manager

PAUL GILLIGAN, Sierra Nevada Americorp Member

MIGUEL LUNA, Water Policy Consultant

DAVID MAURIER, Water Policy Analyst

AMBER SCHMAELING, Membership & Development Coordinator

MATT VANDER SLUIS, Global Warming Project Manager

MELANIE SCHLOTTERBECK, Grants & Outreach Consultant

California is known for our green and gold policies -- our successful policie

promoting both the environment and our economy.

Despite this balanced and successful approach, deep in a recession, we saw

Governor and some members of the California Legislature take short-sighted

misguided actions that will have a negative impact on the economy

environment.

At the end of the Legislative session this year, the Legislature tunprecedented actions that not only undermined Californias landm

environmental laws, but also meddled in the courts jurisdiction for the first ti

ever. These decisions will have repercussions for the next decade. Heres what they

1. Allowed two highly contentious local decisions to stand, despite the fact t

both were challenged in the courts for violating the California Environmen

Quality Act (CEQA). How did they do this? They simply exempted both proj

from CEQA. Nearly 40 years old, CEQA, is considered Californias prem

environmental law, allowing local residents to be involved in the decisions t

impact their community. When projects get

a CEQA exemption it means no review, no

analysis, no local input. And these were not

small projects with minimal impacts. The

projects that will move forward include a

massive NFL Stadium in the San Gabriel

Valley (east of L.A.) and new power plants in

Southern California. Now, with this

precedent, we should expect more project

proponents, big and small, to rush to the

Legislature next year asking for an

exemption for their project.

2. On November 11th, when most folks were sleeping, the Legislature pusthrough a package of bills and a bond that rewarded bad actors instead of solving

water needs of real people and the environment. The corner piece of the new de

an $11.1 billion taxpayer-funded scheme that will appear on the November 2010 ba

Instead of making progress on our states water issues, the Legislature capitulate

pressure from big corporate water interests and passed a package full of outdated id

and the same policies that have lead to the current water crisis that we face.

In the end of session, the Governor vetoed most of the environmental bills

came to his desk.

What does it all mean for 2010? A lot. We need to change this tide befor

sweeps away the important gains weve made to clean our air and water, protect

natural resources, and improve the quality of life for Californians. Look out for wyou can do at our yearly Legislative Symposium in January and stay in touch w

our upcoming blog and Insider updates by visiting www.PCL.org.

Sincerely,

Traci Sheehan

Executive Director

CALIFORNIA TODAY Planning and Conservation League & PCL Foundation2

The stadium is proposed at the juncture of tw

already overcrowded freeways -- the 57 and 60


3/8CALIFORNIA TODAY Planning and Conservation League & PCL Foundation

Texas-based Plains Exploration and Production

Company (PXP) is continuing its well financed PR effort

to drill in state waters for the first time in decades. PXP

claims to offset its risky and destructive plan with

purported environmental benefits, but Californians

should not be fooled and this misguided drilling proposalmust be defeated.

Over 100 environmental groups including Sierra

Club, Surfrider Foundation, the Planning and

Conservation League, the Natural Resources Defense

Council, Audubon, and Environment California oppose

PXPs plan to drill in California Sanctuary Act waters,

just three miles off the coastline in Northern Santa

Barbara County.

PXP is attempting to reassure the public with terms

like the best technology and the most advancedscience. Never mind that the 1997 spill from the same

platform spewed 7,000 gallons of oil, killing at least

1,450 birds and leaving a 17-mile coastal stain that took

10 years to clean up.

This advanced science has resulted in a continuing

spill in Australia which began on August 21 averaging

16,800 gallons a day. The state-of-the-art rig, built in

2007, has been pouring oil into the sea for more than two

months producing an oil slick that has grown to nearly

4,000 square miles. The rig is now on fire.

PXPs plan calls for up to 28 new wells and weshould expect more and larger spills. How long do you

think it would take for a PXP spill to reach our beaches?

Who can guarantee it wont happen?

PXP promises environmental benefits, but, as the

Los Angeles Times put it, The problem with these

promises is that they were written in the sand at low

tide. The State Lands Commission (SLC) and the

Attorney Generals Office concluded that the

environmental benefits of the project could not be

reliably enforced. Dont count on the 4,000 acres of

donated land PXP promised for this deal any time soon.

PXP acknowledged to the SLC when talking about the

property that there are insurmountable title issues. The

SLC concluded that title problems could prevent some of

the donations from occurring at all.

PXP also dangles oil drilling end date. They dont

tell you that only Congress can impose an end date on

federal leases. There is no reason to believe this will

happen. The U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS)

has stated that it would refuse to approve a Developm

and Production Plan for use of Platform Irene for [

PXP project] if it included an end date.

Fortunately, in January 2009, the SLC saw th

flaws and rejected the first new lease in Califor

Sanctuary Act waters in 40 years. After its loss at SLC, PXP tried to shove its deal into the state bud

through last-minute, dark-of-night legislat

skullduggery. Again, the Los Angeles Times wrote, T

states financial crisis should not be used as an excuse

force a dubious deal on offshore oil drilling. Assem

Democrats agreed and decisively defeated t

ill-conceived bill.

This oil company spent millions to defeat a ba

initiative revenue plan (Proposition 87, 2006) that wo

have turned California away from fossil fuels and plaus on the road to renewable energy. I am confident P

will spend millions again to avoid paying its fair sha

as mandated by my bill Assembly Bill X6 1 that institu

an oil extraction tax, which will move us to a green

stronger California.

PXP will never agree to the same sort of reve

Alaska, Texas, and every other major oil-producing st

-- except California -- receives from oil companies

reasonable contribution from oil companies that drill h

could generate $1.5 billion annually for funding crit

public safety, health, and social programs that hsuffered drastic cuts over the last two years. This is

times more than PXP says it will pay for its sweethe

deal to drill and pollute off our coast.

California deserves better than what PXP ha

trade. Both the State Lands Commission, the Califor

State Assembly and every leading environmental gr

has told PXP that its deal is not for us.

.................................................

Pedro Nava, a former prosecu

currently represents the 35th Assem

District (Ventura and Santa Barba

is the Assembly representative on

California Ocean Protection Cou

and is a member of the Nati

Caucus of Environmental Legisla

California and Off-Shore Oil DrillingBy: Assembly Member Pedro Nava

From the Office of Pedro Nava


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2010 Symposium: Greening Californias LandscapesBy: Melanie Schlotterbeck

Greening Californias LandscapeSmart Solutions for a New Era

We invite you to attend the Symposium on Saturday,

January 30, 2010 to bring new solutions to the table and green

Californias many landscapes.

Every year, through the Symposium, we educate decision

makers, business leaders, community members, non-profit leaders,attorneys and planners about environmental issues. By

combining our individual and collective experiences and

perspectives we can envision a greener landscape, and unleash

innovative remedies for some of our most critical problems.

We need experts and stakeholders from all walks of life and

on all sides of the issue to contribute to this discussion. Bring

your skills, your ideas and your energy to this solutions-oriented

event as we contemplate and create new ideas to move

California in a greener direction.

More information is available online at: www.PCL.org

The Symposium Details

Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010

Symposium: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Cocktail Hour: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Location: Sacramento Convention Center

Ballroom Level

1400 J Street, Sacramento, CA 9581

Session Highlights

THE PROS AND CONS

OF DESALINATIONWith recent decreases in costs of reverseosmosis membrane technologies, the prospectof relatively large scale seawater desalinationplants is now on the minds of water districtmanagers throughout California. But, theprocess is fraught with legal and technicalhurdles. Desalination plant proponentsessentially have three arenas within whichregulatory and environmental concerns must be

addressed: Local Government, CoastalCommission, and Regional/State Water Boards.Participants will hear the legal, economic andagency viewpoints of desalination and discoverpossible solutions to adequately mitigatingconcerns over desalination plant environmentalmpacts. MarcoGonzalez, Coast Law Group Steven Kasower, Strategic EconomicApplications Company

KevinWattier, Long BeachWater DepartmentCM I 1.25 I Law

CLE

FROM SEEDLING TO SPRUCE:

GROWING GREEN JOBSIn addition to climate change and otherenvironmental crises, the Golden State currentlysuffers from some of the worst unemployment inthe states history. Many of our low paying jobsare part of the grey economy, damaging theenvironment while exposing workers to unsafeconditions. Growing Californias green jobs isnot a luxury; its an imperative. How do weconvert grey jobs into green jobs? How do wepull people out of poverty and into the greeneconomy? Are we missing opportunities tocreate green jobs in the formulation ofenvironmental policy and vice versa? Threegreen economy experts will discussmechanisms for promoting social equity andenvironmental protection through expandingCalifornias green job supply. Rafael Aguilera, Verde Consulting Group Joshua Bar-Lev, BrightsourceEnergy TimRainey, California Labor Federation

HOW TO... CREATE A TRANSIT

ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTSince World War II, California cities, have given their form -- suburban sprawl -- byhighway system. Now we have a hchallenge: the greener cities of the generation must be shaped by transit. Thegeneration of planners and builders mrediscover the lost arts of shapingregions, cneighborhoods, streets, blocks and buildaround transit. In this session, youll heastory of how one Bay Area city seizedinitiative to re-shape itself around transit. Lhow form-based zoning codes, structured pparticipation and redevelopment finance transform how Californians build their habitat. Youll also hear how neighbors future residents are getting involved in doof planning processes for neighborhoods transit across the Bay Area. Jeff Hobson, TransForm SteveLawton,City of Hercules

CM I 1.25



REGISTRATION FORM

Name

Organization

Address

City, State Zip

Phone

Email

Meal Selection: Italian Stuffed Chicken Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Vegan Dish

RegistrationOption: CLE AICP

Payment Options:

Member Code: ______________ Amount: $_____(printed above the mailing label)

1. Credit Card: register online at: www.PCL.org or fill out thi

form and fax it to: 916-448-1789, ATTN:Amber Schmae

Credit Card # (Visa/MC) Exp. Date

2. Check- make payable to PCL and mail with form to:

Planning and ConservationLeague

Attention:AmberSchmaeling

1107 9th Street, Suite 360

Sacramento CA95814

E-NewslettersAs part of registering for the Symposium you will be subscribed to our free, weee-newsletter, the PCLInsider. Know that you may remove your name from our at any time by following the unsubscribe link provided in the newsletter.

Photographs & Videos: Please be aware that PCLand PCLF will be takingphotographs of the event, which will be used in our publications and on the webmay possibly record videos of the event as well.

CLE & AICP CM Credit

This year AICP members can earn Certification

Maintenance (CM) credits for many activities at this

event. PCL and PCLF certify that this activity has also

been approved for 4.5 hours of CLE credit by the State

Bar of California.

Award Winners

PCL and PCLF will celebrate and pay tribute to the

work of the environmental heroes of 2009 during anAwards Luncheon:

Assembly Member Pedro NavaLegislator of the Year

Bill YeatesCarla Bard Award for Individual Achievement

Mother Lode Chapter, Sierra ClubDavid Gaines Award for Non-Profit Work

Debbie DavisEnvironmental Justice Advocate of the Year

Martha DavisDorothy Green Water Policy Advocate of the Year

Small Business CaliforniaEnvironmental Business of the Year

Event Sponsors (to date)

Kenyon Yeates Chatten-Brown & Carstens AFSCME Local

2428 California Association of Conservation Corps Camp

Lotus DMB Associates East Bay Municipal Utility District

Mogavero Notestine & Associates Laguna Greenbelt, Inc.

Linda & Byron Sher Phyllis Faber Rossman and Moore LLP

Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger Terry Watt Carole & Peter

Clum Community Conservancy International Inland Empire

Utilities Agency Marin Conservation League M.R. Wolfe &

Associates P.C. National Wildlife Federation Tejon RanchCompany Breathe California California Interfaith Power &

Light California Oaks Foundation California Transit

Association Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch FANS Friends of

Harbors, Beaches & Parks Friends of Swainsons Hawk

Green LA Coalition Greenspace-Cambria Land Trust San

Diego River Park Foundation Valley Land Alliance California

Environmental Law Section of the California State Bar Clover

Valley Foundation Sierra Office Supply & Printing

Conservation Clarity Focal Point Images

Registration FeesConference fee covers a continental breakfast, lunch,

refreshments, hors doeuvres, and all Symposium materials.

Fees are as follows:

Before Dec. 31 After Dec.

PCL Member (discount code required) $90 $115

Non-Member $125 $150

CLE $250 $275

Student $40 $50


6/8CALIFORNIA TODAY Planning and Conservation League & PCL Foundation6

Greetings PCL members and

supporters! Hopefully by the time

you read this, the U.S. Senate will

have passed significant climate

change legislation. My fear is that

they havent and there is very littletime to act. Heres where we stand.

This summer, the House of

Representatives passed legislation

that would reduce carbon dioxide

from all major U.S. emitters 17% by

2020 and 83% by 2050 (compared to

2005 emissions). This fall, the Senate

Environment Committee passed a

similar bill at 20% by 2020 and 83%

by 2050 levels that scientists agreeare necessary to avoid the worst

impacts of global climate change.

However, the Senate bill has to go

through three or four more

committees before it can come to a

full vote. As of press time, Senator

Kerry had been pushing for a

Thanksgiving deadline for all

committees to pass their provisions

so that, at the very least, President

Obama can go to Copenhagen inDecember and show the international

community that the U.S. is ready to

take action.

In order to pass the Senate bill,

we need to secure 60 difficult votes to

avoid a filibuster. Getting this done

before Copenhagen would be ideal;

getting this done before we get into

the heat of an election year is

necessary. We must act soon!Luckily, California has two

senators leading the charge.

However, if you have friends and

relatives outside of California, please

tell them to contact their senators to

pass this bill as soon as possi

Regardless of what you think of

and trade, this bill represents

only chance that Congress has to

emissions in the near term.

Because of NWFs work, bbills also include unprecedented s

and federal funding for wild

habitats to cope with climate chan

If we dont pass the bill soon,

latest IPCC report warns that in

lifetime of a child born today, 20

30 percent of the worlds plant

animal species will be on the brink

extinction. That is not an accepta

compromise for inaction. Thank for your assistance on what may

the most significant legislation

this century.

National Climate ChangeLegislationBy: Matt Little, National Wildlife Federation

Every year we need to publish our Statement of Circulation, as required by the United States Post Offic



Its hard to pinpoint when Mike became interested inprotecting the environment or dedicating his life to it,but it seems his story began when he literally ran awayfrom home at 16 years old and joined the CivilianConservation Corps in Michigan. There he planted treesin the wilderness. It was a life altering experience thatsowed a seed which would come to fruition later in

Mikes life. Years later, Mike spent a few months in afoxhole in Northern France during World War II, wherehe pledged that he would never camp out again. But asa father Mike lead his son Larry and his Boy Scout troopbackpacking in Sequoia National Park where he spentmany nights sleeping under the stars and fell in lovewith the High Sierras. Many of us enjoy our outdoorexperiences, but not all of us take action. Mike tookaction.

Mike Jacobs was a long-time Board Member of thePlanning and Conservation League. He and his wife

Grace attended and were active at League boardmeetings for over 20 years. His commitment and actionslead to the League hiring the first environmentallobbyist in the building, something he was very proud of.

Even his business was about the environmentheowned an organic farm in the Santa Cruz area. But thatwas just a small piecehis heart and life were dedicatedto making the environment better. Mike cared aboutpeople and how they live. He cared about communityand the quality of the living environment. He saw what

In Memoriam:Michael Jacobs(June 2, 1916 to October 21, 2009)

mattered, and did the right thing, not caring for retuor attention, but teaching his family and all of us whais to live an extraordinary life.

His son Robbie remembers growing up and helphis Dad on different efforts, most notably AB 147landmark bill to protect Californias coast. Mike andson took to the beach in Santa Monica to colsignatures building support for the legislation. Mike w

also a leader in working to stop a proposed freewthrough Malibu Canyona proposal that would hdestroyed what is now a state park. While his effowere not always successful, Mike was blessed witvision of what was possible and, in his quiet way, alwknew how to go about making it happen.

Mikes wife Grace perhaps put it best. He wouldeverything and anything for the environment. He wasorganization.

Thats a legacy that we would all like to leave.

From the family of Mike Jacobs


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Forest Stewardship Council certified paper containing50% recycled fiber with 25% post consumer waste,elemental chlorine free and printed with vegetable ink.

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION LEAGUELANNING AND CONSERVATION LEAGUE FOUNDATION

107 9TH STREET, SUITE 360 SACRAMENTO, CA 95814

VISIT US ON THE WEB: www.PCL.org or www.PCLFoundation.org

Newspapers up and down California are advising

voters to reject the $11.14 billion water bond that the

Legislature will put on the ballot next November. The

package sets aside $3 billion for new dams and does not

address the over-allocation of water that threatens

Californias fragile ecosystems.

The Orange County Register wrote, The Legislature

and [G]overnor seem oblivious to state Treasurer Bill

Lockyers warning that the annual repayments of up to

$800 million for the water bond will add to the states

annual debt service, now at $6 billion and growing.

Without the new obligation, debt service payments are

projected to escalate from the current 6.7 percent to 10

percent of the states general fund budget by 2015.

In Our View: The bond is full of waste, the Merced

Sun-Star highlighted that, [t]he state will have to pay

hundreds of millions of dollars in interest each year that

could go to education.

And the Stockton Record wrote that they

infuriated by the Governors staggering display

insensitivity and his presumption that this region

such an afterthought that it really doesnt matter whet

its residents swallow the transparent greenwashing

legislative charade

The tally is in and it is not good. After the legisla

all-nighter that forced the water package through,

costly projects added to garner last minute votes

receiving greater attention. At its peak the bond wo

cost the state over $800 million a year in debt service

up to 30 years, taking funding away from Californ

schools, health care, firefighters, police officers, st

parks, prisons and other social services. Califor

already carries $130 billion in debt and the lowest cre

rating in the 50 states.

Next November, it will be up to voters to say no to

taxpayer rip-off and unnecessary projects that se

special interests, rather than the public.

Statewide Rejection of Water BondBy: David Maurier

Shasta Da

December 2009 California Today, PLanning and Conservation League Newsletter

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