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Santa Cruz
County will appeal Lompico Timber Harvest Plan
After more than two years of foot dragging, (34 extensions!) on October 30,
the California Department of Forestry (CDF) finally approved the highly contentious
Lompico Timber Harvest Plan. Santa Cruz County has submitted an appeal to the
Board of Forestry which will decide in early December whether or not to hear the
appeal. If the Board of Forestry denies the appeal, the Plan will still have to
go before the Regional Water Board for a Waste Discharge Requirement Permit or
waiver. This Timber Harvest Plan generated the largest public hearing on record
for a local timber harvest. Over 300 letters of opposition were sent to CDF. As
reported previously in The Ventana, one of the reasons for such great concern
is the fact that this 425-acre property is the headwaters of Lompico Creek, which
is the major water source for the Lompico County Water District ... [more]
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The environmental LIES of George W.
Bush
Criticism has been growing about the Bush administration’s interference
in the scientific research and analysis done by federal agencies. Much of that
research involves environmental issues. Bush’s interference has led to false
statements by the President, false statements given to Congress, suppressed reports,
altered web sites ... [more]
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City of Santa Cruz reduces pesticide
use
The City of Santa Cruz hires goats to clear brush around the Bay Street Reservoir,
Newell Creek Dam and the Water Treatment Plant instead of using herbicides. On
city-owned DeLaveaga Golf Course, workers remove invasive English Daisies (masquerading
as golf balls) by hand. And around the city, park employees are using “green-flaming”
with a propane torch to remove weeds from fencelines and other places. It’s
all part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a program which has enabled the
City to substantially reduce pesticide use ... [more]
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Resurrected Eastern Access road would
harm Pogonip
Revival of an old threat to the integrity of the Pogonip Greenbelt in the City
of Santa Cruz has mobilized the Sierra Club and sparked the formation of a new
group, Keep the Greenbelt Green. The Club opposes a paved roadway (known as the
“eastern access”) through the Pogonip. Proponents envision a road
from Hwy. 9 to UCSC which they believe would relieve university-related traffic
on the westside of Santa Cruz ... [more]
Sierra Club heralds environmental wins
in State Legislature | 47 of 48 bills supported by Club signed into law
This was a banner year for the environment in the California State Legislature
with laws passed to protect our watersheds, coastal waters, air quality, and community
environment. One of our highest priorities, SB 810 (Burton) marked the first significant
reform to the State Forest Practices Act in 30 years. This new law gives the Regional
Water Quality Control Boards the authority to block the approval of logging plans
that would violate water quality standards ... [more]
Forest Service studies may help Ventana
Wild Rivers Campaign
As reported in the last Ventana the Club is working with other environmental
groups to achieve “Wild and Scenic River” designation for free-flowing
Central Coast rivers. Currently only the Big Sur River has this designation. A
“wild and scenic” designation would protect additional rivers or river
segments from dams, diversions and new development ... [more]
Big Wine | Club appeals Gallo's proposed
clearcut near Soledad
In our ongoing effort to protect wildlife habitat and special-status trees,
the Ventana Chapter has appealed the Monterey County Planning Commission's approval
of a huge irrigation reservoir near Soledad. The winemaking giant owns a 2,100
acre ranch, about 8 miles southwest of Soledad, which includes open grasslands,
upland chaparral, and oak woodlands. The proposed 8.4-acre reservoir would require
cutting 321 mature native oaks and impact the nearby wildlife corridors. The Club
is calling for the county to require an alternate site analysis for the reservoir
structures, and to uphold its tree protection ordinances which require minimizing
the number of trees to be cut. U.S. Fish and Wildlife has also raised several
concerns about Gallo's threatened and endangered species studies ... [more]
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