Santa Lucian • Feb. 20171

SANTA LUCIAN Feb. 2017

Volume 54 No. 2T h e o f f i c i a l n e w s l e t te r o f th e Sa n ta L u c i a C h a p te r o f t h e S i e r r a C l u b ~ Sa n L u i s O b i s p o Co u n t y, C a l i f o r n i a

IIIII n s i d en s i d en s i d en s i d en s i d eSupervisors go fact-free on marine sanctuary 2

First Polluters: The Greeks had a word 3

The Trump resistance 5

Diablo has two ways to go 6

Classifieds 7

Outings 8

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Santa LuciaChapter

Phillips’ proposed projectthreatens some of California’smost treasured ecosystems.

- Devorah Ancel, Sierra Club attorney

Sierra Club, Communitiesfor a Better Environment,Environmental DefenseCenter, Center for Biologi-cal Diversity, SurfriderFoundation, and Stand.earthwere granted permission onJanuary 12 to intervene in alawsuit brought by Phillips66, challenging the SanLuis Obispo County Plan-ning Commission’s denialof the company’s proposalto construct a crude oil trainterminal in Nipomo. The terminal would haveallowed the company toimport and unload crude oilat the refinery via up tothree trains per week. Eachtrain would be approxi-mately 5,190 feet long,consisting of up to 85 carstransporting a total of ap-proximately 2,190,000 gal-lons of crude oil. The likelysource would be the tarsands oil fields of Alberta,Canada, some of the dirtiestoil on Earth.

protected under the Califor-nia Coastal Act and theCounty’s local policies andordinances. State law re-quires that such decisionsbe challenged through theagency appeals processbefore an applicant can goto court. In this case, Phil-lips did appeal the PlanningCommission decision to theBoard of Supervisors(whose decision may beappealed to the CaliforniaCoastal Commission), butalso inexplicably filed alawsuit at the same time. In our application to inter-vene, we expressed concernnot only about the potentialenvironmental risks, butalso the integrity of thepublic review process. In granting the motion tointervene, the court ruledthat our groups have aninterest in protecting theenvironment as well as aninterest in participating infurther hearings on the

lowed to participate in thecourt proceedings as well,”said Linda Krop, ChiefCounsel for the Environ-mental Defense Center(EDC). “Phillips 66’s at-tempt to reverse the Plan-ning Commission’s decisionto protect environmentallysensitive habitats should behandled through the normalagency appeal process, notthe courts.” “Phillips 66’s prematurelawsuit against the Countythreatened to silence notonly the local community,but also the several rail-linecommunities, environmen-tal, environmental justice,public and worker healthand safety and academicgroups, and elected officialsthat have so far expressedconcern with this tar sandscrude by rail project,” saidRoger Lin, Staff Attorneywith Communities for aBetter Environment. “Weare pleased with the Court’sdecision to allow ourgroups to represent thoseinterests in this proceedingand stop Phillips 66 fromshort-cutting an essentialpublic process.” “Phillips’ proposed crudeby rail project and its chal-lenge to the County’s pro-tection of sensitive speciesand habitat threatens someof California’s most trea-sured coastal and riparianecosystems as well as drink-ing water sources and airquality for communitiesacross the state,” statedDevorah Ancel, attorney forSierra Club. “As a party tothis litigation and any ap-peal of the County’s deci-sion, Sierra Club and itsallies can continue to advo-cate for the protection ofthese critical resourcesagainst the threat of mil-lions of gallons of dirty,

volatile crude rail ship-ments.” If built, the Phillips 66oil train terminal wouldallow more than seven mil-lion gallons of crude oil tobe shipped via rail throughour coastal communities toits local refinery eachweek. The project wouldmake it possible for Phil-lips 66 to refine volatileand carbon-intensive tarsands crude from Canadaand elsewhere in the UnitedStates. Tar sands crude,when prepared for trans-port, is thinned with anunstable blend of chemicalsthat have been known toexplode in derailment inci-dents, which have becomeincreasingly frequent inrecent years and threatenmillions of Californianswho live in the blast zone— the one mile evacuationarea in the event of an oiltrain derailment or explo-sion. Trains servicing thePhillips 66 project wouldtravel from the north andsouth through hundreds ofmajor California cities andsmaller communities, in-cluding Santa Barbara,Ventura, Los Angeles, Sac-

ramento, Davis, Berkeley,Oakland, and San Jose. Thetrains would jeopardizenumerous ecologically sen-sitive areas including theSan Francisco Bay andCalifornia’s central coast. The environmental groupsplan to file a motion askingthe court to dismiss the caseas premature. The hearingon that motion is scheduledfor February 16. Meanwhile, the CountyBoard of Supervisors willhold a special public hearingbeginning on Monday,March 13, at 9 a.m. to con-sider appeals of the CountyPlanning Commission’sdecision to deny a permitapplication for the Phillips66 project. Due to “signifi-cant public interest on thistopic,” County officialsexpect the hearing to lastmore than one day. “If the previous hearingsare any indication, wewould not be surprised if thehearing lasts several days,”said County AdministratorDan Buckshi. “However,anyone interested in provid-ing public testimony willwant to attend on March 13at 9 a.m.”

The Planning Commissiondenied the project in Octo-ber, following nearly a yearof hearings in which com-munities throughout thestate raised concerns aboutpublic safety and environ-mental harm. Our interven-tion will give voice to themore than 20,000 Califor-nians who opposed theproject. Phillips 66’s lawsuit chal-lenges the Planning Com-mission’s determination thatthe site for the proposed oiltrain terminal contains rareand valuable habitat that is

project. The court allowedthe environmental groups tojoin the lawsuit so that theycould “continue to partici-pate in and protect the envi-ronmental review process”as it relates to the Phillipsproject and the determina-tion that the project wouldimpact environmentallysensitive habitat. “Because the publicplayed such a critical role inconvincing the San LuisObispo County PlanningCommission to deny theproject, it is important thatour organizations be al-

CoastalCommissionLitigationProceeds

In the year since the Feb-ruary 2016 firing of Califor-nia Coastal CommissionExecutive Director CharlesLester, the need for reformof Commission practicesthat allow for undue influ-ence by development inter-ests has not been met bylegislative or electoralmeans. All meaningful re-form bills were defeated inthe state legislature. Gover-nor Brown failed to removehis appointees despite astatewide outcry after theymade coastal developers’dreams come true by sack-ing the Executive Directorin a direct assault on theindependence of the Com-mission. That leaves the avenue ofjudicial remedies, whichappear to be making head-way. The lawsuit Spotlight onCoastal Corruption v.Kinsey alleges that CoastalCommissioners SteveKinsey, Erik Howell,Martha McClure, WendyMitchell and Mark Vargasviolated several proscrip-tions on ex parte communi-cations, defined in state lawas “any oral or written com-munication between a mem-ber of the commission andan interested person, abouta matter within the commis-sion’s jurisdiction, whichdoes not occur in a publichearing, workshop, or otherofficial proceeding, or onthe official record of theproceeding on the matter.” The complaint seeks civilfines against the defendantcommissioners per viola-tion, as follows:

Kinsey: $5,250,000.00Howell: $3,600,000.00McClure: $3,150,000.00Mitchell: $4,500,000.00Vargas: $5,625,000.00

Sierra Club Intervenes in Phillips 66Oil Train Terminal Lawsuit

Coastal Commissionersstart vanishing

LITIGATION continued on page 6

California’s NewCoastal MonumentsBy the California Resources Agency

On January 12, President Barack Obama expanded theCalifornia Coastal National Monument. The original monument protects unappropriated or unre-served islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles withintwelve nautical miles of the California shoreline. The ex-pansion adds six new areas totaling approximately 6,230acres in Humboldt County (Trinidad Head, Waluplh-Light-house Ranch, Lost Coast Headlands), Santa Cruz County(Cotoni-Coast Dairies), San Luis Obispo County (PiedrasBlancas) and Orange County (Orange County Rocks andIslands).

What is the effect of the President’s proclamation?The President’s proclamation expands California CoastalNational Monument by adding six new areas, comprisedentirely of existing federal lands. The designation directsthe Bureau of Land Management to manage these areas forthe care and management of objects of scientific and his-toric interest identified by the proclamation. The areas gen-erally may not be disposed of by the United States and areclosed to new extractive uses such as mining and oil andgas development, and subject to valid existing rights. Thedesignation preserves current uses of the land, includingtribal access, hunting or fishing where allowed, and graz-ing.

Will there be an opportunity for local input in the man-agement planning process?The BLM’s planning process for the expansion areas willinclude opportunities for public input, consistent with therequirements of the National Environmental Policy Act andthe BLM’s planning regulations and policies. The BLMwill coordinate with state, local, and tribal governments aspart of the planning process.

What kind of public process took place before thisexpansion?In 2015, former Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), formerRepresentative Lois Capps (D-24-CA), and Representa-tives Anna Eshoo (D-18-CA) and Jared Huffman (D-2-

MONUMENT continued on page 6

Oddfellows Hall, 520 Dana Street, SLOSaturday, May 67 -11 p.m.For more info: karen@karenmerriam.com

Dancing for Democracy

Save the date

with the Sierra Club

2 Santa Lucian • Feb. 2017

The Executive Committee meetsthe second Monday of every monthat 2:00 p.m. The ConservationCommittee meets the secondFriday at 1p.m. at the chapter office,located at 974 Santa Rosa St., SanLuis Obispo. All members arewelcome to attend.

Denny Mynatt PRINT MEDIA COORDINATOR

CommitteesPolitical David BouquinMembership/Development Marcia Alter Stephanie Gong Nancy J. ColeConservation Sue Harvey

Nuclear Power Task Force Rochelle Becker Linda SeeleyVolunteer Coordinator Karen Merriam karen@karenmerriam.com

Printed by University Graphic Systems CalPoly, San Luis Obispo. Mailing servicescourtesy of the Silver Streaks.

Office hours Monday-Friday,1 p.m. - 7 p.m., 974 Santa RosaStreet, San Luis Obispo

Facebook Admin. Kim Ramos

Santa Lucia ChapterP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406805-543-8717

CNRCC Delegates Lindi Doud, Patrick McGibney John BurdettWildlands Stewardship Group OpenCalendar Sales Bonnie Walters 805-543-7051Outings Joe Morris

Webmaster Monica Tarzier

CHNMS campaign coordinator Nancy J. Cole cole.nancy.j@gmail.com

Trail Guide Gary Felsman

Chapter Director Andrew Christie

Santa Lucian

EDITOR

Lindi DoudSandy SimonEDITORIAL COMMITTEE

The Santa Lucian is published 10 times ayear. Articles, environmental information andletters to the editor are welcome. Thedeadline for each issue is the 13th of theprior month.

send to:Editor, Santa Lucianc/o Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra ClubP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406sierraclub8@gmail.com

Santa Lucia Chapter

2016 Executive CommitteeKaren Merriam (12/18) CHAIRChuck Tribbey (12/19) VICE-CHAIRLindi Doud (12/17) TREASURERStephanie Gong (12/17) SECRETARYChristine Mulholland (12/18) MEMBERSue Harvey (12/17 MEMBERMarcia Alter (12/19) MEMBER

Karen Merriam COUNCIL OF CLUB LEADERS

Andrew Christie

dpj1942@earthlink.net

kimlramos@yahoo.com

monica@tarzier.org

Supervisors Embrace AlternativeFacts, Oppose Marine SanctuaryBy Andrew Christie, Chapter Director

On January 22, Trumpadviser Kellyanne Conwayclaimed that White Housepress secretary Sean Spicerhad not lied to reportersabout the size of the crowdfor the Trump inaugural;rather, he had presented“alternative facts.” Two days later in SanLuis Obispo, after a five-hour public hearing on theproposed Chumash Heri-tage National MarineSanctuary and the receiptof some 15,000 petitionsignatures in support of thesanctuary, SupervisorsLynn Compton, DebbieArnold and John Peschongdirected staff to prepare aresolution opposing thesanctuary and made it clearthey were basing their voteon their own set of alterna-tive facts, rather than thesimple facts of what na-tional marine sanctuariesactually do. The two coastal supervi-sors, Bruce Gibson andAdam Hill, noted the proforma nature of the pre-ordained vote – i.e. theirthree colleagues hadclearly made up theirminds before goingthrough a charade of pub-lic testimony. That resolu-tion will now head back tothe Board for another pro-forma vote. The ChumashHeritage National MarineSanctuary has providedanother demonstration ofthe degree to which theultra-conservative, anti-environmental board ma-jority is out of step withthe majority of our citizensand the County’s own Gen-eral Plan, which expresslycalls for marine sanctuaryprotections. But as Supervisor Arnold put it, the fishing industry asked her to do it so she did. At the hearing, alterna-tive facts were on parade.Opponents:

said a marine sanctuarywould “greatly restrict”activities on the ocean andregulate discharges of wa-ter from ag operations. (Itwould do neither.) routinely confused na-tional marine sanctuarieswith California state ma-

rine protected areas.(MPA’s regulate fishing.Marine sanctuariesdon’t.) said the sanctuaryproposal is a plot tocontrol salt water “sowe’ll have to pay [theChumash] to do desal.” said the sanctuaryproposal is part of“Agenda 30” whichstates the “the wholeEarth should be run bybureaucrats.” (Agenda30, one may assume, isalmost 50% worse thanlongtime conspiracy faveAgenda 21.) and repeated perhapstheir biggest and most cher-ished canard: A nationalmarine sanctuary will causeus to lose “local control.”

Supervisors Gibson andHill pointed out that theCounty has no “local con-trol” over the state and fed-eral waters that would bewithin the proposed sanctu-ary, and invited their boardcolleagues to define exactlywhat “local control” wewould lose in the event ofdesignation of a sanctuary.No answer was forthcoming.Opponents continued torepeat their second-favoritealternative fact-based mantra(after “we’ll lose local con-trol”): We have plenty oflocal, state and federal regu-lations that protect every-thing already so we don’tneed a marine sanctuary. TheSierra Club submitted a1981 report and findings ofthe U.S. General AccountingOffice helpfully entitled“Marine Sanctuaries Pro-gram Offers EnvironmentalProtection and BenefitsOther Laws Do Not.” The50-page report was preparedby the GAO at the request ofthe Congressional Commit-tee on Merchant Marine andFisheries to determine“whether the [sanctuary]program is providing, or hasthe potential to provide,marine environmental pro-tection over and above thatwhich is or can be providedunder other Federal statutoryauthorities.” They found thatit does. In 2008, the inter-vening 27 years had notaltered this conclusion whenthe Inspector General of the

Department of Commercereaffirmed the finding bythe GAO that the nationalmarine sanctuary program“effectively complementsother federal, state, andlocal resource protectionefforts by offering benefitsother laws or regulations donot.” These facts sailed pastsanctuary opponents at thehearing, who continued torepeat the “everything’sprotected” mantra, nor didthey disturb the alternativefact-filled universe of Su-pervisors Compton, Arnoldand Peschong, who contin-ued to cite that talking pointwhile holding the GAOdocument in their hands. All three were likewiseimpervious to suggestionsby Hill and Gibson that theysimply accompany theirproposed resolution with astatement of continued op-position to offshore drilling,or amend the resolution tostate that they will opposethe sanctuary if it regulatesfishing. This curious reluc-tance strongly suggestedthat their opposition wasactually based on marinesanctuary prohibitionsagainst new offshore oil andgas development; a sugges-tion not dispelled whenBoard Chairman Peschongensured that a pair of fossilfuel cheerleaders battedclean-up, giving them thefinal two speaking slots ofthe hearing. Featured mostprominently in this gambitwas his old corporate con-sultancy stablemate, AmberJohnson — who, at thispoint, may have loggedeven more time working onbehalf of oil company inter-ests than Peschong has.(See “Anti-Marine Sanctu-ary Mystery Solved,” June2015.) The SLO board troika is trying to head off the desig-nation process for the Chu-mash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, which will serve to initiate an ex-tended dialog in which all stakeholders and members of the public will be able to give their input and have any concerns fully ad-dressed. Their “oppose” resolution means that they’d rather not let the people know the facts, and they’d rather not let the people decide.

I wanna be like her! SupervisorsPeschong, Arnold and Compton inthe ideological flow chart from thenew alternate reality.

National ClubElection ComingThis Spring The annual election for the Club’s Board ofDirectors is now underway. Those eligible tovote in the national Sierra Club election willreceive in the mail (or by Internet if you chose

the electronic delivery option) your national Sierra Club ballot. This will include informa-tion on the candidates and where you can find additional information on the Club’swebsite. The Sierra Club is a democratically structured organization at all levels. The Club re-quires the regular flow of views on policy and priorities from its grassroots membership inorder to function well. Yearly participation in elections at all Club levels is a major mem-bership obligation. Your Board of Directors is required to stand for election by the mem-bership. This Board sets Club policy and budgets at the national level and works closelywith the Executive Director and staff to operate the Club. Voting for candidates who ex-press your views on how the Club should grow and change is both a privilege andresponsibility of membership. Members frequently state that they don’t know the candidates and find it difficult to votewithout learning more. You can learn more by asking questions of your group and chapterleadership and other experienced members you know. Visit the Club’s election website:http://www.sierraclub.org/board/election This site provides links to additionalinformation about candidates, andtheir views on a variety of issuesfacing the Club and the environment. You should use your own judgmentby taking several minutes to read theballot statement of each candidate.Then make your choice and cast yourvote. Even if you receive your elec-tion materials in the mail, please go tothe user-friendly Internet voting site tosave time and postage. If necessary,you will find the ballot is quitestraightforward and easy to mark andmail.

OntarioRidgeRedux

You gotta fight for your right to hike On January 22, 2014, Anita Bylsma tried and failed tohike from Pirates Cove to the Ontario Ridge thanks to Rob McCarthy’s fences, blocking trailaccess for the first time in sixty years. The Coastal Commission ordered the fences taken down.A proposal to return six-foot view-blocking fences and sever the trail’s connections to the localtrail network went to the Planning Commission on January 26.

When Robert and Judy McCarthyof Bakersfield applied to build ahome overlooking Pirate’s Cove,they challenged the right of the pub-lic to hike the trail up to the ridge onthe property and proceeded to erectsigns and fences to keep them out.The County Planning Departmentsomehow lost track of the publicrecreational easement that gave thepublic the right to access the land,and then misinterpreted the County’sLocal Coastal Plan as green-lightingthe fence construction. The SierraClub, the public and the CaliforniaCoastal Commission had to step into enforce access rights, take downthe fences and reopen the trail,which finally happened when theCoastal Commission made it clearthe McCarthy’s would be facingdaily fines for knowing and inten-tional violations of the CaliforniaCoastal Act. (See “No Fence,” Nov.2014.) The McCarthy’s now propose torelocate and privately maintain thetrail, and install another fence block-ing views on Ontario Ridge. Theproposal first went to the Board ofSupervisors on March 8, 2016, seek-ing consent to apply for a permit torelocate the trail. The County told the McCarthy’sthey must meet three conditionsprior to submitting an application:

1. The proposed trail shall provideviable separate utility and connectiv-ity to public access and points ofinterest;2. The proposed trail shall have afunding source identified for ongo-ing maintenance that is not depen-dent on County Parks’ funds;

3. The proposed trail shall beconstructed in a sustainablemanner that meets trail designstandards.

On January 26, theMcCarthy’s went to the PlanningCommission to request a permitwithout meeting two of thosethree requirements, a fact thattrail advocates succeeded inputting front and center for plan-ning commissioners. The sound of square pegs at-tempting to slam into roundholes was evident at the January26 hearing. The staff report re-vealed that there will not beconnectivity between the new

ONTARIO continued on page 5

trail and the Sycamore Canyontrail or the trail to PismoBeach. (“Connection to Sy-camore as well as the Pismotrail would be ideal, however

Santa Lucian • Feb. 20173

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The First Polluters

Community Choice Energy is set to change the way we produce and consume electricity on the Central Coast. Is SLO ready?

With the federal govern-ment now openly hostile torenewable energy and theneed to cut carbon emis-sions, the role of state andregional clean energy ef-forts now looms larger thanever. That’s why, for residentsof SLO County, makingsure the County remainspart of the effort to create aregional Community ChoiceEnergy program (CCE) isthe most important thingthose of use seeking a fossilfuel-free future can do. That effort is being spear-headed by Central CoastPower, the consortium of 27local governments in Ven-tura, Santa Barbara and SanLuis Obispo Counties thathas formed to explore thefeasibility of a CCE pro-gram to empower localcommunities with thechoice of how and where

our electricity is created andenhance the sustainabilityand economic vitality of thetri-county region. That feasibility study isscheduled to be completedand released for public re-view by late spring or earlysummer. Although we don’tknow the details or alterna-tive scenarios it will in-clude, all CommunityChoice programs have sev-eral things in common thatwould be expected to beincluded in any feasibilitystudy for a CCE program: Historically, communi-ties have no choice as totheir provider of electricalpower and the sources ofthat energy. CommunityChoice creates competitionand spurs the developmentof local energy resources A CCE program is ac-countable to local citizens,not distant utility sharehold-

erational statewide. Thesuccess of Marin CleanEnergy, Sonoma CleanPower, Lancaster Choice,Peninsula Clean Energy andClean Power SF is hard toargue with. Most offer cus-tomers 50% renewableenergy, in line withCalifornia’s RenewablePortfolio Standard, or theoption of 100% renewablesfor a slight premium. There’s no question thatCommunity Choice Energyis the wave of the future forenergy production in Cali-fornia. There is a very realquestion as to whether SLOCounty will catch that waveor make a political choiceto drift with the fossilizedstatus quo. The differencewill depend on what ourcitizens demand. Go to CAcommunityenergy.org

Here’s the good news Jennifer Cregar, Project Supervisor for Santa Barbara County’s Energy andSustainability Initiatives, fields a question at a January 19 update meeting on the regional CommunityChoice Energy feasibility study.

by Vicki León

Get Ready, Get Set…

Make Paso Robles andAtascadero Foam FreeBy SLO Foam Free

SLO FOAM FREE is a grassroots effort working ongetting each city in SLO County to have an ordinance toeliminate “Styrofoam.” Four cities have passed a Polystyrene Ordinance. Weare still waiting on Grover Beach, Paso Robles andAtascadero. The Board of Supervisors wants the supportof the incorporated cities support before they will con-sider making it countywide. We addressed Grover Beach on Jan. 9, 2017; so nowonto Paso Robles & Atascadero. If you live in PasoRobles or Atascadero and would be willing to speak toyour city council for 2 or 3 minutes at their Februarymeeting about why you are interested in this ordinance,please contact Janine Rands at 704-0148 or j9rands@gmail.com (please like our Facebook: SLO Foam Free).Janine will help you with a speech and any questions. NOTE: this is a repeat effort to both city councilsfrom Nov. 2015. We need to blitz the councils and letthem know we are serious. Feb 21 6:30p.m. @ Paso Robles City Council Feb 28 6:30p.m. @ Atascadero City Council

Americans often assume that awareness ofenvironmental damage and theinterconnectedness of life on our planet is a21st century discovery. We also take it forgranted that the vocabulary we use, from “pol-lution” to “ecology,” was coined in our mod-ern era. Wrong, and wrong again. More than 2,500 years ago, the Greeks had aword for almost everything, thanks to theirloquacious crop of philosophers and earlyscientists. “Pollution,” for instance, which theydefined as a major crime against the gods.They were firm believers in balance. In theirminds, trifling with Mother Nature would en-rage one or more deities. For instance, when the Greeks of Cnidusbegan digging a canal through land connectingthem to Asia Minor (Turkey today), the work-ers were plagued with serious injuries. Thecrew sent an urgent message to the famedoracle at Delphi, asking for advice. The oraclepromptly replied: “Do not dig! Zeus wouldhave made an island, had he willed it.” Pollution, called “miasma” in Greek, con-veyed a sense of wrongdoing, a moral blood-stain. Miasma often referred to a careless actthat physically defiled or degraded something.Greek temples, for example, invariably hadsacred groves. If someone chopped down those trees, they were soon punished. Defilingrivers and streams with human sewage had similar penalties.

In addition, miasma had an eerie physical manifestation. Greeks were convinced that thenight air contained countless polluting particles, causing illness. They were terrified of it,especially the fumes from wetlands and the stench of rotting materials. To combat miasma,the Greeks even invented a miasma-fighting goddess called Hygeia—who later becameour word “hygiene.”

The Greeks said it first

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana

The Greeks weren’t thatfar off the mark.In fact, theirsporadic effortsto drain swampsand haul awaymanure did ridthem of malaria-carrying mos-quitoes andgerm-laden fecalmatter—butonly tempo-rarily. In general,their sunnyMediterraneanclimate and

daily bathing habits pro-moted health. The Greekpreference for living insmall communities waslikewise helpful. Beingintensely attached to theirbirthplaces, Greeks consid-ered themselves Athenian orSpartan or Ionian—and soon—and got quite huffywhen referred to as

GREEKS continued on page 5

ers, and canreinvest rate-payer funds inlocal renewableenergy and effi-ciency CCE fundsinvested in localrenewable en-ergy generationmean a signifi-cant boost to thelocal economy

Ask your city council to agendize a presentation onCommunity Choice Energy.

The SLO County Planning Department is offering publicinformation sessions on Community Choice to any citythat requests them. Go to your next city council meetingand ask the City to contact Chris Read, County PlanningDept. EnergyWise Program Coordinator, at 781-1172,cread@co.slo.ca.us.

TAKE ACTION

and job creation. Eight CCE programs arescheduled to launch thisyear, and five are now op-

Do not dig When the Oracle spoke, Greekslistened.

“Pyt

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TAKE ACTION

4 Santa Lucian • Feb. 2017

ResistHim

The country’s environmental programs are being handed over to people whowould frack their grandmother’s old gray head if they thought there was a buckto be made in doing it. They need a front man who is both unintelligent enoughnot to get in the way, and enough of a freak show to distract the public fromwhat they’re really up to.

- Charles B. Pierce, Esquire, Jan. 26, 2017

sierraclub.org/resist

Donald Trump is alreadyproving to be the dangerousthreat to our climate wefeared he would be. Butthese pipelines are far frombeing a certainty. From theplains of Nebraska andNorth Dakota to the streetsof New York to the halls ofCongress, millions ofAmericans and hundreds ofTribes have stood up toblock these dirty pipelinesand their voices will not besilenced. We will continueto fight these dangerousprojects. The Keystone XL pipelinewas rejected because it wasnot in the country’s interest,and the environmental re-view of the Dakota AccessPipeline was ordered be-cause of the threats it posesto the Standing Rock Sioux. Nothing has changed.These pipelines were a badidea then and they’re a badidea now.

When we work together,our voices can add up - andthey’ll have no choice butto listen. Let’s get started.

Fight Trump’sRevival of theKeystone andDakota AccessPipelines

The fossil fuel industryhas few better allies thanScott Pruitt, the AttorneyGeneral of Oklahoma,whose own bio describeshim as “a leading advocateagainst the EPA’s activistagenda.” He’s spent histime in office working toallow big polluters to dowhatever they want, ratherthan protecting the health,clean air and water of hisconstituents. Americans count on theEnvironmental ProtectionAgency to ensure our air issafe to breathe and ourwater is safe to drink, butScott Pruitt is an extremistwho will put those safe-guards at risk. As AttorneyGeneral of Oklahoma,Pruitt was a key architectof unrelenting attacks onour bedrock, lifesavingclean air and clean waterprotections. He has also ledthe fight against climateaction and the Clean PowerPlan, doing the bidding ofthe fossil fuel industry. Make no mistake, noth-ing less than our children’shealth is at stake right now.An EPA run by Scott Pruittmeans more pollution,more asthma attacks, morepremature deaths, andmore mercury poisoning.And if Trump is able toconfirm Pruitt for EPA andExxonMobil (a PrivateEnterprise Council Mem-ber of ALEC) CEO RexTillerson for Secretary ofState, the result would notonly put our local air andwater at risk, but wouldalso cripple U.S. climateleadership and put the sta-bility of our planet in dan-ger.

Tell Your Sena-tors to OpposeScott Pruitt’sNomination toHead the EPA

Update:ProtectingPrice CanyonBy Ash Lauth, Center for Biological Diversity

Ask Senators Feinstein and Harris to stand up for California,people and the planet by strongly opposing Scott Pruitt’s nomi-nation to head the EPA.

Show Trump that we will not back down, we will standwith our allies and fight him every step of the way. — sendthe Tweeter-in-Chief a Tweet now at #NoKXL, #NoDAPL,then send a message directly to the White House:

February is a big month forour work together to protectSLO’s water. I’ll start with the badnews. Last month, we gotnotice that DOGGR will beblowing through its Febru-ary 15 deadline to shutdown wells illegally inject-ing into protected Califor-nia aquifers, essentiallystating that they’re not go-ing to make the deadlineand don’t really have agood plan to replace it with.This is infuriating, and be-yond the pale. If that wasn’t enough, theshutdown deadlines aregetting challenged by BigOil. They’re demanding alldeadlines and shutdownsbe cancelled. Bogus! But here’s the good news:Protect Price Canyon is

growing - gaining steamwith over 250 new memberssigned up at the January 21Women’s March and withnew moves to get otherorganizations on board. February is a great oppor-tunity for us to make bigwaves because it’s the 1-year anniversary since theaquifer exemption applica-tion was submitted to theEPA, and it’s still the dead-line that state regulators andBig Oil were supposed tomeet to protect our water. At our last meeting, folks

decided that we shouldmark this event with anaction or event. A lot ofpossible ideas came up,including a rally,march or petition delivery.Folks also felt jazzed aboutcoordinating with other

communities across thestate facing exemptions justlike this one. There aremany people joining youacross California, andnow’s the time to build our

collective power. This is really big. So Iinvite you to come to thenext Protect Price CanyonMeeting on Monday, Feb-ruary 6, in the Commu-

nity Room at Whole FoodsSLO (the east end of thestore, nearest Los Osos Val-ley Road.)

Lift Trump’s GagOrders onFederal Agencies

Sign the petition:tinyurl.com/trumpgag

tinyurl.com/trumpoiltinyurl.com/trumpEPA

TAKE ACTION

TAKE ACTION

TAKE ACTION

Mere days in to DonaldTrump’s presidency, mul-tiple agencies were bannedfrom speaking to the press,public officials and thepublic. Ask CongressmanCarbajal to do everythinghe can to get these anti-democratic gag ordersreversed and to hold theadministration accountable.

The American people didnot vote to pollute ourdrinking water, cloud ourair with toxins, or defileour environment. We stillhave allies in the Senateand the House. Thesefriends need your supportright now to fight back,resist, and defend our envi-ronment and our health.

- Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club

Whole Foods Market community room, 1531 Froom Ranch Way, SLO

Santa Lucian • Feb. 20175

“Greek.” When the phi-losopher Diogenes impishlyreferred to himself as “cos-mopolitan,” meaning a citi-zen of the world, it scandal-ized everyone.

Despite mild climate andother advantages, theGreeks of long ago wereregularly felled by thegerms of long ago: not justkillers like tetanus and ty-phoid, but also by minorwounds, war injuries, andinfections. Likewise bymalaria, which persistedbecause no one recognizedthe mosquito as the vector.

It’s understandable. Earlyscientists had no micro-scopes, no first-handknowledge of the internalworkings of the body tohelp them understand theworld they lived in, whichswarmed with as many bio-hazards and unpleasantmicroorganisms as ourworld today.

Nevertheless, early Greekthinkers had insights aboutthe universe that soundastonishingly contemporary. Take Empedocles of Sic-ily. To him, the world re-cycled endlessly. As he putit, “There is no birth in mor-tal things, and no end inruinous death. There is onlymingling and in-terchange ofparts, and it isthis we call‘nature.’” On the otherside of theMediterranean,a prickly 6thcentury B.C.philosophernamedHeraclitus cameto a similar con-clusion, saying, “Everythingflows, nothing abides.”

Students of early sciencetend to swoon overAristotle, but he was farfrom the only pioneer tostudy the natural world andits living creatures. Hardlyanyone gushes overTheophrastus, a brightyoung guy who studied withAristotle, doing fieldworkthat went far beyond hismentor’s efforts. His in-sightful writings detailedthe animal and plant king-doms and their relationshipsto each other. Theo not onlydefined habitats, he de-scribed plant competitionand organized plants intothe first ecosystem proto-type.

Speaking of words that

begin with eco: ecologyalso had a homey, homelyside to its origin. The word“oikos” (pronounced ee-kos) meant “house” and themaintenance and well-beingthereof. Given that Greekwomen clothed and fedtheir households and werein charge of the oikos (al-though pretty much con-fined to it), they becamehistory’s first economists,so to speak. The ecosystemof the oikos was duly appre-ciated by Greek males, in-cluding Theophrastus, whosaw its parallels in the natu-ral world.

Today, when speaking ofclimate change and environ-mental pros and cons, wetend to fling the words“scapegoat” and “hubris”around with abandon. Mil-lennia ago, however, thesewords conveyed very differ-ent meanings.

The Greeks ofold were madabout things wemight find inex-plicable today—one being a seri-ous attachmentsto goats. Notjust to providemilk, meat, andlawn-mowerservice, either.Their word

“tragos,” meaning goat,somehow inspired them tocreate Greek tragedy, whichliterally means “goat song.” Perhaps after a centuryor two of witnessing theenvironmental degradationthe average goat is notori-ous for, the Greeks thendreamed up (or borrowedfrom early Jewish tribes)the concept of a “scape-goat.”

The Greek version ofscapegoat had much cruelerrepercussions than it doestoday. It could mean exilefor an individual who hadcommitted pollution oranother crime. Often, how-ever, it meant a ritual deathcarried out to expiate thecommunity.

Numerous places, such asLeucadia and Chareonea,

carried out yearly rituals ofscapegoating, to cleansetheir community of sinscommitted that year or tocover future transgressions.The appointed scapegoatswere ritually flogged withplants thought to havemagical powers.

Athens took a tougherline with its scapegoats. Thecity maintained at publicexpense a handful of indi-viduals (some criminal,some not) declared uselessand/or degraded. Whenfamine or another majorcalamity hit, the city offi-cials sacrificed two asscapegoats by stoning themto death. Athens was by nomeans the only Greek city-state or colony to do this,either. Various communi-ties around the Med shedscapegoats’ blood at annualfestivals, such as theThargelia, as sources likeFrazer’s Golden Boughattest.

Way back when, “hubris”wasn’t just a plot device forGreek tragedy, either. Tothe ancient Greeks, hubriswas not merely excessivepride—it was mean-spiritedrevenge. Aristotle had agood one-liner about hu-bris: “As for the pleasure inhubris, its cause is this:naïve men think that by ill-treating others they maketheir own superiority thegreater.”

According to Athenianlaw, verbal hubris was con-sidered a much more seri-ous crime than physicalabuse. (Is there a messagehere for the verbally abu-sive 21st century? Couldbe.)

We haven’t even tackledthe pollution of ancientcivilizations in our modernsense: contamination ofwaters, poisonous air, slagfrom mining, and the sur-prising history of green-house gases. Never fear,you’ll be getting a gimlet-eyed look at them in futurecolumns.

Until then, here’s to morejoy and less CO-2 in ourlives.

Greekscontinued from page 3

On January 21, the dayafter Donald Trump’s inau-guration, over five millionwomen and their supportersworldwide—including morethan 400,000 who came toD.C. for the Women’sMarch on Washington—joined forces and marched,carried signs, sang songs,and spoke out against theracism, fraud, conflicts ofinterest, homophobia,transphobia, white su-premacy, misogyny, andignorance that are coursingthrough the new president’sagenda. The Sierra Club was rep-resented at more than 60marches across the country,with hundreds of Sierransjoining the D.C. march.Club staff and volunteerscarried signs readingWomen’s Rights = HumanRights, Sierra Club for Gen-der Equity, Resist Trump’sHate, and We Support Im-migrants’ Rights. In an article that he wrotefor The Huffington Post,Sierra Club Executive Di-rector Michael Brunequoted Barack Obama:“Our Constitution is a re-markable, beautiful gift. Butit’s really just a piece ofparchment. It has no poweron its own. We, the people,give it power—with ourparticipation, and thechoices we make, whether

or not we stand up for ourfreedoms.” Brune then writes,“Donald Trump’s ability towield power will depend onus and, as President Obamaput it, how we choose toparticipate.” He asks, “Willwe stand up to a presidentwho denies the reality ofclimate change and openlyattacks women, people ofcolor, immigrants, Muslims,people with disabilities,LGBTQ people, workers,and so many more? Or willwe grimace and look theother way until it’s toolate?” With an estimated 616marches in 70 countries, itappears that people are notplanning to “look the otherway” and are prepared totake responsibility as globalcitizens, international watch-dogs, and if necessary, hu-man barriers to preventTrump from carrying out hisdetestable agenda.In an article for Ms. Maga-zine’s blog, A. TiannaScozzaro, director of theSierra Club’s Gender, Eq-uity and Environment Pro-gram, shares her reasons formarching. “I am marching asan environmentalist, seeingthat climate change andnatural disasters hit womenfirst and worst.” She citesthe example of post-KatrinaNew Orleans, revealing that

80 percent of people leftbehind in the Lower NinthWard were women. The Sierra Club’s marchslogan, Women’s Rights =Human Rights, hits homewith women across theplanet who recognize thatall people should begranted the right to cleanair, clean water, and astable, safe climate. Formany, marching on January21 represented a call forthe gender justice andequality that are prerequi-sites for climate justice toflourish. For many others, march-ing was an opportunity tofeel a sense of communityand support in an uncertain,fearful time. The Women’sMarch provided a chanceto confirm the solidarity,harmony, and strength thatwill be needed in the poten-tially harrowing days tocome. For one mother anddaughter, Noelle andMelanie Shahin from SanJose, California, marchingon Washington was achance to show unity withimmigrants and concern forthe environment. Theywere also present inmemory of their motherand grandmother, who wassent to a Japanese-Ameri-can internment camp dur-ing World War II. “I look at

Women Unite! A March on Washington Goes GlobalBy Annika Kristiansen, The Planet, Jan. 27, 2017

At the SLO March Santa Lucia Sierra Club activists and Chumash National Marine Sanctuary proponents sharedspace and shelter from the pouring rain at the Jan. 21 SLO Womens’ March in Mitchell Park.

the faces of mychildren—theyare of Japaneseand Iraqi de-scent,” Noellesaid. “How canI not march?” One outcomeof the day’sprotests wasthe image of awide range ofprogressiveissues, beliefs,and motiva-tions comingtogether insupport of oneunderlyingcommonality:women’srights. In herspeech to pro-testers in D.C.,NRDC presi-dent Rhea Suhemphasizedthat “today isjust the begin-ning of whatneeds to be asustained col-lective effort to

Steinem said of the diversecrowds gathering as one, infront of her and around theworld: “This is the upsideof the downside.” Aerial images and on-the-ground footage reveals defi-ant and festive crowds,energized by the feeling ofpower that unity provides.Colorful signs read I’mWith Her, with arrows radi-ating outward in all direc-tions. Others read, LoveAmerica? Save the EPA!,Make America Think Again,My Body My Choice,Women for Climate Justice,and much more. On many signs and t-shirts the mantra “nastywoman” was incorporatedas women proudly re-claimed the term afterDonald Trump used it todescribe Hillary Clintonnear the end of the finalpresidential debate. In herrecitation of 19-year-oldNina Donovan’s poem,Ashley Judd fired up a seaof pink hats as she said, “Iam a nasty woman, a loudvulgar, proud woman. I’mnot nasty like the combo ofTrump and Pence beingserved up to me in my vot-ing booth. I’m nasty like thebattles my grandmothersfought to get me into thatvoting booth.”

In the days to come, theSierra Club and its partnersin the People’s ClimateMovement are organizinghundreds of actions that willtake place around the coun-try in the first 100 days ofTrump’s presidency. Plansare in motion to rally inWashington on April 29 forwhat is envisioned as thebiggest U.S. climate marchever. As Brune writes, “We arejoining to build a movementthat is bigger than anysingle issue—a movementunited behind principles ofequity, justice, and humanrights. If we want to defeatnot just Trump but also hisallies and would-be succes-sors, this is what we need todo: Take a stand together,march together, and wintogether.” The consensus of vastnumbers of people aroundthe globe seems to be this:As a result of this election,we will never be the same.A challenge has been pre-sented to us: a presidentthat neither hears us norsees us. This reality isbringing us together in un-imaginable ways. We aremarching and we are notgoing home. We are stand-ing together and, at last,making change.

counter theTrump admini-stration’s de-structive

agenda and to advance eco-nomic, social, and environ-mental justice.” Feminist icon Gloria

Scapegoat

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Ontariocontinued from page 2

the property owner does notown nor have access tothese properties. This isbeyond the scope of theproject.”) So the conditionset forth by the Board ofSupervisors regarding con-nectivity to other trails hasnot been met, and, per thePlanning Department, itcan’t be – hence, presum-ably, the struggle to turn arequirement into an “ideal.” Trail advocates alsopointed out that McCarthy’spromise to maintain the trail

is not the same thing as thecreation of a designatedfund to pay for those prom-ises. County Parks and Rec-reation Director NickFranco made it clear thatCounty Parks will not acceptthe new trail without con-nectivity and an establishedfund for maintenance. “McCarthy must provide asource of funding for thecounty to use for mainte-nance,” said Tarren Collins,proprietor of the SaveOntario Ridge Trail Face-book page and former SantaLucia Chapter Chair. “There

is no way to enforce themaintenance as it is cur-rently proposed. The publicwill suffer if this trail re-places our current trail,because it will be subject toclosure.” At the January 26 hear-ing, Planning Commission-ers expressed concernsabout the proposed fencingand conveyed the wish tostaff that the new trail bedesigned in such a way thatCounty Parks would beable to accept it. The hearing was contin-ued to March 23.

6 Santa Lucian • Feb. 2017

Litigationcontinued from page 1

Kinsey has since steppeddown. McClure was oustedby the voters of Del NorteCounty in November. In ahighly unusual move, Com-missioner Wendy Mitchell,widely identified as theringleader in the firing ofLester, attended the firstcourt hearing in the case inDecember. She resignedfrom the Commission im-mediately thereafter. At that hearing, the lawyerfrom the Attorney General’soffice attempted to get thelawsuit dismissed by argu-ing that the citizens whobrought suit did not havelegal standing to sue. Thejudge responded to thisargument by asking howenforcement was going tohappen if the public didn’tbring suit, then spent about20 minutes ripping into theAttorney General’s officefor not itself bringing suitagainst the named CoastalCommissioners for the al-leged violations. The judge allowed thelawsuit to proceed. TheAttorney General is at-tempting to negotiate asettlement.

On June 21, 2016, PG&E announced it had reached an agreement with Friends of theEarth, Natural Resource Defense Council, IBEW Local 1245, Coalition of CaliforniaUtility Employees, Environment California and the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility tocease operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant by 2024-25 and start thelengthy decommissioning process. That Joint Proposal has been submitted to the StatePublic Utilities Commission for approval and implementation. More than fifty organiza-tions, NGOs, and local agencies, including the Sierra Club, Alliance for Nuclear Respon-sibility, Mothers for Peace, the County of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Coastal UnitedSchool District and several local municipalities have filed to intervene in the PUC pro-ceedings.

How Long, CoastalCommission? The California Coastal Commission met in San LuisObispo on January 12. On the agenda that day: A review ofthe Coastal Development Permit for the Oceano DunesState Vehicular Recreation Areas, and the compliance ofthe Department of Parks and Recreation with that permit,or lack thereof. It was a follow-up to a January 2015 meeting of the Com-mission in Pismo Beach, where the Commission took noaction on three decades of violations and non-compliance,instead directing staff to converse with the Department ofParks. At this year’s meeting, Santa Lucia Chapter Director An-drew Christie delivered “an abridged version of what wesaid at the 2015 permit review. I have added 2 years to allthe cited chronologies to bring them up to date: “A program of more study, evaluation, and guidance ofState Parks at the ODSVRA has produced the followingresults: “Thirty-five years out of compliance with their CoastalDevelopment Permit, which required designation of a per-manent entrance and staging area within 18 months of re-ceiving their permit in 1982. “Twenty-nine years of nonconformity with the LocalCoastal Program, which requires designation of the LaGrande Tract as a buffer between the riding area and theDunes Preserve. “Sixteen years since “interim” vehicle limits were set andnever adjusted— part and parcel of the failure to conduct acarrying capacity study to determine how many vehiclesthe dunes ecosystem can withstand without long-term dam-age. “Seventeen years of promises to create a Habitat Conser-vation Plan to protect the listed species on site – whichParks has assured your staff is almost ready for release,which is what they told us when we signed a consent decreewith them thirteen years ago. “Fourteen years of refusals to heed the advice of scien-tists to study a year-round closure of the snowy plover nest-ing area to vehicle traffic. “And six years of failure to reduce the dust plumes trig-gered by off-road vehicles, particulates that blow off thedunes and settle in the lungs of the residents of the NipomoMesa, victims of the worst air quality in the county. “The suggestion in the staff report to remove vehiclelimits in favor of self-monitoring and reporting is a causefor concern. We appreciate the six-month deadline staff isproposing for the study of a permanent entrance and stag-ing area. Based on history, we suggest it would be worth-while to add a provision spelling out exactly what will hap-pen in the event that Parks does not meet that deadline.” Staff has resumed discussion with State Parks and is ex-pected to come back to the Commission with suggestedactions to take at the ODSVRA at their September meeting.

Diablo’s Fate

When dealing witha utility that has sixfelony convictionson its rap sheet, it’salways a good ideato get a promise inwriting.

The Sierra Club’s role in the complex PUC negotiations has been to advocate that theplant’s closure not result in a spike of carbon emissions;the power from Diablo Canyon is replaced with renewableenergy, conservation andenergy efficiency; andthe coastal lands aroundthe plant are protectedfrom development. Our land use concerncenters on the potentialdevelopment of the9,000 acres of coastalland around the plantowned by PG&E, mostparticularly Wild CherryCanyon, already in the cross-hairs of a massive proposedresidential development project. PG&E had made severalvague and elusive verbal public statements about its goodintentions regarding this land after announcing the shut-down agreement. When dealing with a utility that has sixfelony convictions on its rap sheet, it’s always a good ideato get a promise in writing. After we laid out the concernsin our filing, forcing PG&E to make more explicit state-ments in response, the PUC Administrative Law Judgeruled “PG&E has committed to take no action with any ofthe lands and facilities, whether owned by the utility or asubsidiary, before completion of a future process includinga public stakeholder process.... PG&E is directed to abideby that commitment.” On the issue of energy replacement, we are focused onclosing loopholes in the agreement and making sure com-mitments are actually additional -- i.e. ensuring that re-newable energy and efficiency measures claimed byPG&E would not have happened anyway under statepolicy, with or without Diablo Canyon’s closure. The first hearing will be held in April and a decisioncould be forthcoming in June.

CEQA trial set for July 11 Meanwhile, another approach is unfolding in court. The California State Lands Commission leases the tide-lands, upon which the infrastructure for Diablo Canyon’sonce-through cooling system (OTC) is built, to PG&E.The lease was due to expire in 2018, and Lands Commis-sion staff had been emphatic in its opinion that a Califor-nia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliant studyshould have to be performed on the effects of once-through cooling on the environment before a new leasecould be signed. Once-through cooling at Diablo Canyonaccounts for almost 80% of the loss of sea life along theCalifornia coastline and at least six endangered specieslive in the near vicinity of the outfall. An environmentalassessment of the effects of OTC has never been done. On June 28, the State Lands Commission met in MorroBay and voted to grant PG&E a new outfall lease ex-tended to 2025. The Commission, appearing to bow topolitical pressure, granted the new lease without any envi-ronmental review or compliance and a tortured interpreta-tion of its public trust responsibilities. The Santa Barbara-based World Business Academy andthe Immaculate Heart Community of Los Angeles, both“down-winders” from the plant, filed a petition in the LosAngeles Superior Court on August 2. The suit alleges thatthe State Lands Commission failed in its duty to thepeople of California by allowing another nine years ofoperation before a nuclear plant built on at least thirteenearthquake faults finally shuts down, without fulfilling itsobligation under CEQA. An approximately 17,000-page administrative recordthat will form the basis for the hearing of the case wasfiled with the clerk of the court on December 20, 2016.The petitioners’ opening briefs are due on February 27.Opposition briefs are due on April 24. Petitioners’ repliesto the State Lands Commission’s opposition must be filedby May 22. The trial date is set for July 11 in LosAngeles. The Petition asks that the Court order the State LandsCommission to set aside its decision of June 28, 2016;terminate the new lease; require the Commission to pro-ceed with environmental compliance under CEQA; bringthe project into full compliance with the Public Trust Doc-trine; and enjoin operations under the existing lease unlessand until the Project complies with CEQA and the PublicTrust Doctrine. Shandon-based Biodiversity First! has entered a motionto join the petition filed by World Business Academy andthe Immaculate Heart Community, with emphasis on pro-tecting the biodiversity and habitats of plants and wildlifeon the State Lands leased by PG&E, many of which areendangered or threatened, rendering the Commission’sattempt to exempt the project from environmental compli-ance ineffective and illegal.

CA) introduced the Califor-nia Coastal National Monu-ment Expansion Act (S.1971 and H.R. 3565 in the114th Congress), whichwould have expanded themonument to include thesame six new areas. In Sep-tember 2016, BLM DirectorNeil Kornze joined Repre-sentative Capps and stateofficials in attending a publicmeeting on the expansionproposal in Cambria, CA. Infront of a standing room-only crowd at the publicmeeting, speakers from areatribes, local government, theconservation and recreationcommunities, and local resi-dents spoke almost entirelyin support of the proposedexpansion.

Where are the expansionareas?* Trinidad Head, a promon-tory in Trinidad Harbor,contains 13 acres managedby the BLM.* Waluplh-LighthouseRanch, twelve miles south ofEureka, contains 8 acresmanaged by the BLM.* The Lost Coast Head-lands, thirteen miles furthersouth, contains about 400acres managed by the BLM.* Cotoni-Coast Dairies,contains 5,785 acres outsideDavenport managed bythe BLM* Piedras Blancas LightStation Outstanding NaturalArea, contains 25 acresmanaged by the BLM andwas designated by Congressin 2008.* Rocks and islands off thecoast of Orange County,managed by the BLM andreserved by Congress in the1930s for park, scenic, andpublic purposes as well asthe possibility of future light-houses.

Who supports the expan-sion?Beyond support from theCalifornia Congressionaldelegation, many diversevoices have spoken out infavor of permanent protec-tion of these areas. Localgovernments supporting themonument expansion includethe City of Trinidad, City ofCapitola, City of Scotts Val-ley, City of Watsonville, andthe San Luis Obispo Boardof Supervisors. GovernorJerry Brown is also a sup-porter. Local tribes includingthe Wiyot Tribe, Cher-Ae

Heights Indian Communityof the Trinidad Rancheria,Northern Chumash TribalCouncil, Northern ValleyYokut/Ohlone/Bay MiwukTribe, and Amah MutsunTribal Band have all en-dorsed the expansion. Morethan 90 local businesseshave written in support ofthe expansion, along withtwelve local chambers ofcommerce, more than eightbusiness alliances and tour-ism boards, and 20 outdoorrecreation businesses basedin California. Numerousnational, state, and localconservation groups haveendorsed the expansion.

How does the expansionimpact public access?The expansion allows forpublic access, such as forhunting or fishing whereallowed, which continue tobe managed by the State ofCalifornia. It also ensuresthat tribes will continue tobe able to access sacredsites and cultural sites fortraditional cultural and cus-tomary uses. Visitors mayuse motorized vehicles ondesignated roads and non-motorized mechanizedvehicles (e.g. mountainbikes) on designated roadsand trails, consistent withthe care and management ofmonument objects. Cur-rently the Cotoni-CoastDairies unit is largelyclosed to public access, andthe proclamation providesthat it will be opened to thepublic upon completion of amanagement plan, consis-tent with the care and man-agement of monumentobjects.

How does the expansionimpact grazing?Authorized grazing withinthese monument additions,including grazing as a man-agement tool, will continueto be governed by the samelaws, regulations, and poli-cies as are generallyapplicable on other landsadministered by the BLM,consistent with the protec-tion of the objects identifiedin the proclamation.

Monumentcontinued from page 1

Sorry, Nuke Fans: EvenNew Ones Are a Bad Bet Among all the responses to PG&E’s announcement ofthe closure of Diablo Canyon by 2025, perhaps the sad-dest and strangest was the effort by nuclear power advo-cates to browbeat the utility into keeping it running foranother twenty years, and/or beseech the governor and thestate legislature to force PG&E to continue operating aplant it had deemed no longer financially viable. The“green nuke” contingent bemoaned the loss of a low-car-bon power source and again tried to depict nuclear powerplants as key to the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions. On January 11, Leonard Hyman, an economist and fi-nancial analyst specializing in the energy sector and utilityequity research, posted the story “Toshiba Loses BillionsOn U.S. Nuclear Write-Offs” at Oilprice.com. It detailedhuge cost overrnuns at two nuclear construction sites, V.CSumner and Vogtle in Georgia. Toshiba, the owner ofWestinghouse, designers of Diablo’s reactors, had to tellshareholders in December that it had lost several billiondollars, ten times its principal investment, on an asset thatit bought for $220 million. Westinghouse informed itscorporate parent that the cost to complete the projects“will far surpass the original estimates.” The plant wassupposed to cost $14 billion. It will actually cost $21 bil-lion. Hyman concluded: “If a firm of this size and expertise is surprised by thecost of nuclear construction, that is not a good sign. Butfrom a financial perspective, if a firm of Toshiba’s size,and one of the premier nuclear engineering firms in theworld, is in financial straits due to nuclear overruns, justhow big and how accurate in project costing does a firmneed to be to take on the risks of nuclear construction?Due to the size of the projects, no small firm can ever takethem on. But will the point come when not even largefirms execute a nuclear project unless an even larger en-tity, such as the federal government or the ratepayers overa wide area, guarantees payment of all cost overruns? “Toshiba’s difficulties may reverberate beyond Tokyo’sfinancial district. They call into question the ability of themost expert of firms to evaluate the risks of what has be-come bespoke nuclear construction.” Those difficulties also underline the point that nuclearpower is too expensive to ever be part of an “all of theabove” energy policy, or an effective way to combat cli-mate change.

Santa Lucian • Feb. 20177

ClassifiedsNext issue deadline is February 16. To get a rate sheet or submit your ad and payment,contact: Sierra Club, P.O. Box 15755, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 orsierraclub8@gmail.com

CYNTHIA HAWLEYATTORNEY

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONLAND USE

CIVIL LITIGATION

P.O. Box 29 Cambria California 93428Phone 805-927-5102 Fax 805-927-5220

Tell NOAA:Designate the Chumash HeritageNational Marine Sanctuary! Go to:

tinyurl.com/CHNMSpetition

Stay informed and active! Send your e-mailaddress to sierraclub8@gmail.com and askto be put on our e-alert list for upcomingactions and events.

8 Santa Lucian • Feb. 2017Outings and Activities CalendarSeller of travel registration information: CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

All our hikes and activities are open to all Club members and the general public. Please bring drinking water to all outings andoptionally a lunch. Sturdy footwear is recommended. All phone numbers listed are within area code 805 unless otherwisenoted. Pets are generally not allowed. A parent or responsible adult must accompany children under the age of 18. If you haveany suggestions for hikes or outdoor activities, questions about the Chapter’s outing policies, or would like to be an outingsleader, call Outings Chair Joe Morris, 549-0355. For information on a specific outing, please call the listed outing leader.

This is a partial listing of Outingsoffered by our chapter.

Please check the web pagewww.santalucia.sierraclub.org for

the most up-to-date listing ofactivities.

(805) 549-0355

Last chance to get the

2017Sierra ClubCalendar

Accept no substitutes. Yourdesk will thank you. Your wallwill thank you. Your friendsand family will thank you. Andwhen you buy direct from theChapter, you support the SierraClub’s conservation work inSan Luis Obispo County. Wethank you.10% off!wall calendar: $13.50desk calendar: $14.505 or more: 15% off!

To order, call:805-543-7051

Sun., Feb. 5th, 2 p.m.Historic Walk: Victo-rian-Age San LuisObispo. Guided stroll past21 stately century- oldhomes and churches in theOld Town Historic Dis-trict, concluding with abrief inside tour of St.Stephen’s. See residencesof past mayors, newspapereditor, and Cal Polyfounder. Eavesdrop on thelives of the newly richwho dominated SLO in thehorse-and-buggy days.Duration about 1 1/2 hrs.Meet in front of the JackHouse, 536 Marsh St.,Leader: Joe Morris, 549-0355.

Sat., Feb. 11th, 8:30 a.m.Rinconada to Big FallsHike. Visit an especiallyscenic area in the SantaLucia Wilderness aboveand below upper Big Falls.Past rains will make thisstrenuous 12-mile, 1400 ft.gain, hike even more beau-tiful and productive ofearly wildflowers. Bring

lunch, water, and sturdyhiking shoes. Some poisonoak and two minor creekcrossings on the trail. Meetin front of Pacific BeverageCo., Santa Margarita. Rainpostpones hike to anotherday. For more info, callLeader: Carlos Diaz-Saavedra, 546-0317.

Fri-Mon., Feb. 24th-27th,Death Valley NationalPark Car Camp. Car camptour of Death Valley withprimitive camping and easyto moderate hikes. MeetFriday noon at primitivecampsite near Shoshone andhike Amargosa Canyon inafternoon. Saturday tour ofBadwater, Natural Bridge,and Golden Canyon in Parkand camping at FurnaceCreek. Sunday tour otherstops and camp in northpart of park. Monday a.m.hike of Mesquite SandDunes and then home. Forsignup and more details,contact Leader: CarolWiley, earthlingwiley2000@ yahoo.com or 760-245-

8734. Mojave Group/CNRCC Desert Committee.

Sat., Feb. 25th, 10 a.m.Eagle Rock Trekking-PoleNature Trail Hike. Learnand see modeled use oftrekking poles on this 2.2mile, 720 ft. gain hike at ElChorro Regional Park, withgreat views of morros.From SLO, take Hwy 1 tofirst of two right turn sig-nals to the Park (acrossfrom Cuesta College), andfollow signs to Day UseArea. Pass ball fields andBotanical Gardens until youreach a locked gate andpark there. Rain cancels.Contact Leader: DavidGeorgi at 458-5575 orhikingpoles@gmail.com.

Sun., Feb. 26th, 9 am.Plant ID Dune Hike atMontana De Oro StatePark. Botanist-led, 2.5-mile walk through coastalscrub and maritime chapar-ral habitats and dunes toidentify trailside species,picking out species that

interest you. Duration 2.5hrs. Bring water andsnacks. Sturdy shoes, sun-screen, hat, and jacket rec-ommended. Also paper andpencil for notes and camera,if wished. If a preprintedcopy of plant listdesired, contact leader atleast 24 hrs. in advance.Meet at Sand Spit Rd. park-ing lot, at end of Sand SpitRd. in MDO Park. Moreinformation, contactLeader: Bill Waycott, 459-2103 or bill.waycott@gmail.com. Rain cancels.

Sun., Feb. 26th, 1-3 p.m.Stadium Park Scenic Hikein Atascadero. Join us onan easy two-mile, 200 ft.gain hike, starting with abotanical garden and loop-ing through a pine and oakforest. Please no dogs.From Hwy 101 inAtascadero, head east onHwy 41, then turning left onCapistrano Ave. and driving0.1 mile to park and parkingarea at end of road. Leader:Debbie Roller, 610-0458.

Sierra Club’s full 2017 international trip roster—featuring over 300 itineraries spanningthe states and across the globe—is now complete and ready for reservations. Whetheryou’re seeking soft adventure, rugged journeys, or something in between, you can be surewe’ve got the unique outdoor experience that’s right for you. This year we have again planned some special trips for younger adventurers. Some aredesigned specifically for younger people, while others will appeal to a wider audience.Scholarships are available, but funding is limited, so don’t delay! Read on for a list of featured trips or head straight to content.sierraclub.org/outings/trip-search for the full lineup by activity, destination, date, or price. You can place yourreservation online or by calling 415-977-5522.

Public Park Service in Philadelphia, the Birthplace of Independence, PennsylvaniaMay 14–20, 2017

Lake Michigan Bike and Hike, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MichiganJun 4–10, 2017

Western Brooks Range Ramble, Noatak National Preserve, AlaskaJun 12–23, 2017

Natural and Geologic Wonders of the Eastern Sierra, CaliforniaJul 2–8, 2017

Mountain Medley, Tahoe National Forest, CaliforniaJul 9–15, 2017

An Active Adventure in Quebec City: History, Culture, and More, QuebecJul 9–14, 2017

Green River Family Rafting Through Desolation and Gray Canyons, UtahJul 10–15, 2017

Audubon Acres: Bird Rescue and Service in Chattanooga, TennesseeAug 20–27, 2017

Beginner Backpack on North Manitou Island, MichiganAug 21–25, 2017

Hut-to-Hut Traverse of the Presidential Range, New HampshireSep 10–15, 2017

A Gold Medal Adventure in Whistler, British Columbia, CanadaSep 10–15, 2017

Waterfalls in the Fall: Kayaking and Hiking the South Carolina UpcountryOct 8–14, 2017

2017 National Outings

April 2-4 May 7-9 June11-13 July 16-18August 20-22 September24-26 October 22-24

Join us for a 3-day, 3-island,live-aboard cruise toCalifornia’s Channel Is-lands! Hike wild, wind-swept trails bordered withblazing wildflowers. Kayakrugged coastlines. Snorkelin pristine waters teemingwith colorful fish. Swimwith frolicking seals and sealions. Look for unusual seaand land birds. Watch forthe highly endangered is-land fox. Or.....just relax atsea! All cruises depart fromSanta Barbara. The cost,$650, includes an assignedbunk, all meals, snacks andbeverages plus the services

Island Hopping in Channel Islands National Park 2017

of a naturalist-docent as-signed by the nationalpark to help lead hikes,point out items of interestand give evening program.For more informationcontact leader: Joan Jones

Holtz; 626-443-0706;jholtzhln@aol.com. Tomake a reservation send a$100 check, written to Si-erra Club, to leader, 11826The Wye St., El Monte, CA91732.

Thanks to CarolynAsh for her donationin celebration of thebirthday of ChapterOutings Chair JoeMorris. (Happybirthday, Joe!)