Box 3357, Bakersfield, CA 93385-3357
(805) 323-5569
E-mail: kern-kaweah.chapter@sierraclub.org
From the Chair I have just returned from training given by
the Sierra Club for it's Chapter Chairs. As a new Chairperson, I was
struck by the awesome size and complexity of the Sierra Club. At the
same time, I was reminded how the theme of protecting our environment
is the glue that holds our members together. Our Chapter is small in
numbers of members, but we are strong because of the number of
activists we have. The challenge for us is to grow our membership and
increase our number of activists. I think activists come as a result
of increased membership. For example, if we gain 100 members, we may
gain 5 to 10 activists. Whoa! Wait-a-minute! Stop! What is an
activist? (You might ask.) Becoming an activist is as simple as this:
Sign a document (personal letter or form) advancing a cause or issue
that you care about, make a call to a government agency or
representative, write a letter to the editor, attend community
meetings dealing with issues which are of concern to you or attend
Sierra Club Group meetings. (If there is no Sierra Club Group where
you live, then this is where "activism" for you might begin. Get a
Group started. You will be glad that you did.) Call your Chapter
representatives for help if you want to take this step. So there you
have it. I was trained to be a Chapter Chair and now I want to build
membership. Well, what did you expect? Catch you next issue. Glenn
Shellcross, Chair, Kern-Kaweah Chapter
Help CalFed solve water problems CalFed, the state/federal
partnership charged with solving much of the infamous California
Water Wars, re-released its draft EIR/S on June 25, 1999 . Please
participate in the 90 day comment period and/or attend a public
hearing.
CalFed is still determined to build more surface storage (dams and
diversions of water from streams to flooded canyons). The 1400 major
dams and more than 4,000 total dams already built in California have
destroyed thousands of acres of wetlands and terrestrial and aquatic
habitat, along with salmon and other wildlife species that have been
pushed to the brink of extinction.
California now uses about 43 million acre feet of water a year.
CalFed’s current analysis of future demand is based on false
data that grossly overestimates our state’s need for additional
water. The Sierra Club advocates alternatives to building more
costly, water evaporating and environmentally-destructive surface
storage, namely:
Water conservation, including more drip irrigation on farms and tier
priced metered water for homes.
Water transfers, if they do not deprive farms and folks in the area
the water is transferred from.
Ground water management. The Kern Water Bank says they will soon
reach their capacity of one million acre feet. We believe
significantly more water can be stored under ground elsewhere in
California than is now being done.
Sierra Club and other environmental organizations turned out in force
at CalFed’s spring 1998 set of public hearings when the first
DEIS/R was released. As a result, CalFed retreated from the idea of a
Peripheral Canal, and has made good progress in planning for
restoration of the Bay/Delta. It is critical that we again attend
these public hearings and push for an environmentally beneficial
solution.
Hearing dates include Stockton August 18, Los Angeles August 24 and
Visalia Convention Center September 14.
Please contact Sierra Club Staffer Jackie McCort, <
jackie.mccort@sierraclub.org >
(415) 977-5702 (CA/NV/HI Field Office), for local training and further
information.
I plan to say a few things in my own name at the Visalia hearing;
they are very similar to the Club’s stance. I hope to see you
there representing yourself or the Sierra Club. Arthur Unger
The Kern Kaweah chapter newsletter is now available at the
Sierra club website. We invite members who wish to view the
newsletter only on the web to instruct us to discontinue mailing them
hard copies. We will save $0.10 mailing costs with each edition we do
not send you, this could come to over $200 for the entire chapter
each year plus printing. We will also save paper. Any one who wants
an extra hard copy anytime should call (661) 323 5569.
LANDSCOPE, News and Views from American Lands - June 25,
1999 Bill Introduced to End Recreation Fee-Demo Program. Rep. Lois
Capps (D-CA) introduced the Forest Access Immediate Relief (FAIR) Act
(H.R. 2295), last week to end the Forest Service’s Recreation
Fee Demonstration Program. The bill plans to compensate for lost
revenue by cutting funding to subsidize timber road construction in
our National Forests, specifically the $37.4 million for engineering
support for logging roads.
Rep. Capps commented, “It’s just not fair that my
constituents must pay extra taxes to hike, picnic, or see a sunset in
our National Forests when big logging companies get subsidized for
their activities on these same public lands.” We couldn’t
agree more. For additional information contact Blake Selzer in Rep.
Capps’ office at 202/225-3601.
Activists Making A Difference on Capitol Hill: Forest activists from throughout the country who flooded Capitol Hill last week educating Members of Congress on why we need to protect our National Forests prompted an immediate response from worried pro-timber legislators. Reps. George Radanovich (R-CA) and Chris Cannon (R-UT) drafted a Dear Colleague letter urging the preservation of the timber program on public lands. The letter, which was signed by only 19 Representatives including Reps. Helen Chenoweth (R-ID) and Doc Hastings (R-WA), asks Members of Congress to oppose the McKinney-Leach bill, to oppose reductions in the Forest Service road system and to oppose any measures that would protect our nation’s remaining wildlands.
Uncertainty Regarding Weyerhaeuser: Weyerhaeuser’s purchase of
British Columbia logging company MacMillan Bloedel has
environmentalists from both the US and Canada in a state of nervous
anticipation. MacMillan Bloedel has signed an understanding with
environmentalists and Canadian Indians not to log in pristine forest
areas in British Columbia, following their year-old plan to phase out
clear-cutting on old growth forests. Rainforest Action Network (RAN)
is calling on Weyerhaeuser to honor these commitments. “Whether
you approach the issue economically, ecologically or ethically,
it’s just not a sound business practice to cut down old growth
forests,” said RAN.
Lottery Dollars Down the River: The Oregon Legislature is violating
Ballot Measure 66 that dedicates 15% of the state’s lottery
revenues, about $80 million, to finance investments in state parks
and salmon restoration programs, reports the Oregonian. Half of the
$80 million is supposed to go to salmon programs, for both capital
expenditures and operations costs. Instead, money is being shifted
from the salmon budget to backfill shortfalls in natural resource
agency budgets. Lawmakers have attempted to cover their tracks by
redefining “capital expenditures” to include management
costs for watershed councils and soil conservation districts already
involved in recovery work.Campaign Coordinator American Lands, 726
7th Street, SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 202/547-9105,
202/547-9213 fax wafcdc@americanlands.org or
www.americanlands.org
REUSE YOUR OLD SIERRA MAGAZINES Creative uses: Donate them to
your local library or school; pass them on to friends; save them for
those who people our Kern-Kaweah booth at neighborhood festivals.
Children love the pictures and often can use them for class projects.
Many children do not have reading materials in their homes. If you
have already explored the above options, give them to an Ex-com
member who will get them to a booth person.
Forest Habitat Must Be Protected NOW! For decades, the Forest
Service has fragmented National Forests with three times more logging
roads than other forest lands. National Forest logging now costs the
taxpayer more than a Billion Dollars annually. Scientific evidence
implicates logging and roadbuilding as major causes of species
decline, habitat loss and increased wildfire severity and intensity.
Forest Service actions put more species like the California Spotted
Owl, Pacific Fisher and American Marten at risk of extinction.
Spotted Owl population is declining by 7 to 10 percent a year.
Sequoia National Forest has the best remaining viable Fisher/Marten
habitat. The California Condor has returned to Sequoia, but if
logging continues Condor habitat will be degraded. Habitats of forest
species must be protected NOW, or the forest will have little left to
visit for future generations of fisherman, hunters, and other
recreationists.
If logging is ended, the “Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes” federal
funding law will off-set loss of the 25% payment to counties. Cash
flow to community businesses increases annually from celebrations of
local biodiversity.
Congress is voting on proposed legislation to delay habitat
protection, allow continued destruction of the National Forests and
benefit the powerful timber lobby. Congress will weaken or eliminate
the Endangered Species Act and other laws, which protect forest
habitats from destructive actions, unless you speak out. Do not let
them change these laws to justify damaging habitats or we will all be
the losers. CALL your Congress persons and TELL them to protect
National Forest habitats and to STOP logging National Forests. Ara
Marderosian P.O. Box 988 Weldon, CA 93283-0988 (760)378-4574
"Hazard Tree" Removal is Another Name for LOGGING. Sequoia
National Forest (SNF) Districts propose "hazard tree" removal
projects, they say, for "public-safety" reasons. In some districts,
dead OR DYING (injured or deformed) trees within 300 feet of
public-access roads, campgrounds or structures can be designated as
"hazard trees" and logged. Trees that shade and cool streamside
habitat areas will be logged. Because logging removes trees and
forest "canopy cover", which cools the forest and reduces growth of
flammable weeds and brush, excess fuels will grow where trees once
stood. There is no budget for brush clearance, so these openings
could contribute to the cause of future wildfires.
SNF contains 1.138 Million acres of forest and 1,038.9 miles of
public-access roads, an average of 16.5 feet wide. These roads caused
2,036 acres of trees to be logged during construction. If 616.5 foot
wide "hazard tree" removal projects are approved each year for 10 to
15 years, they could eventually log 76,090 acres of forest or 37
times more acres than current SNF roads.
There are more than 26,000 mile of roads in the entire Sierra Nevada
range, where other National Forests are also implementing hazard tree
removal projects. If the Forest Service logs hazard trees along these
roads in a 616.5 foot wide swath, this Sierra Nevada-wide logging
project would cover 1.853 Million acres, which would be 1.6 times
larger than the entire acreage of Sequoia National Forest.
The public has been operating safely with trees near roads. Have you
ever heard of a person being killed or injured by a tree? Should we
permit the Forest Service to log in 6.5 percent of SNF because of
hypothetical threats from so-called "hazard trees"? Do you want more
logging in your National Forests? Call and write the Forest Service,
your Senators and Representative to stop logging in your National
Forests. Report to me, sightings of suspicious logging of large,
healthy trees from roadways. Ara Marderosian P.O. Box 988 Weldon, CA
93283 (760)378-4574
LOCAL SIERRA CLUB OUTINGS & EVENTS
These are local Kern-Kaweah Chapter, Sierra Club outings, except
as noted. Everyone is welcome; you need not be a Sierra Club member.
Space on some outings may be limited by the leader. So as not to hold
back the other participants, you should be in appropriate condition
and have appropriate expertise for the outing you choose. Note that
Sierra Club outings rules are in effect! Call (661) 872-2432 for
information about future outings.
If you know of an interesting walk or hike that you know of or have
experienced that you would like to see initiated or repeated, please
call Gordon Nipp, Outings Chair, 661-872-2432
Regular Events:
Thursday Evening Conditioning Hike: 4-5 mile conditioning
hike in the northeast Bakersfield area every Thursday evening
to keep us in reasonable shape. Meet at 7pm at the Cadillac Ranch
parking lot, just east of Mesa Marin. Call leaders, Eva or Gordon
Nipp, at (661) 872-2432, or Larry Wailes at (661) 873-8060 for
details.
Tuesday Morning Birding in the Bakersfield Area. Every
Tuesday from 7:30 to noon, at various local birding hot spots. Novice
to expert birders are welcome! For locations, call Brenda Kyle at
Kern Audubon Society, 661-871-4867. Please note this is not a
Sierra Club event.
Special Events:
July 3, Saturday. Peak to Peak (Mt. Pinos to Mt. Cerro
Noroeste) Hike. Mt. Pinos Disrict, Los Padres. More details in future
editions of Roadrunner.
July 3-5 Sat-Mon CNRCC Desert/Toiyabe Chp Blue Lakes/Pine
Forest Mtns WSA Backpack, NW Nevada. Easy backpack (1 mi) to basecamp
at beautiful, spring & snowmelt-fed, high elev. (7,968 ft) Blue
Lakes located just E of Sheldon Nat’l Wildlife Refuge. Backdrop
of Duffer Peak (9,397 ft). Glacial moraine areas/willow, aspen,
whitebark & limber pine, mtn mahogany forests. Wildflowers should
abound. Sun either cross-country climb Duffer Peak or wildlife
watching at all five Blue Lakes, Outlaw Meadows, or nearby Onion Vly
Reservoir. Birdwatch opps for Pine Grosbeaks & Red Crossbills;
also Pronghorn Antelope & Bighorn Sheep. Send lg SASE, h&w
phones, rideshare info to Co-ldr : Sharon Kiel, 50 Suda Wy, Reno, NV
89509, (702) 322-2465. Co-ldr: Lelia Heading, (775) 331-5631
Lheading@aol.com.
July 9-11 Mountain Home State Forest Car Camp with Kern River
Valley Hiking Club. Giant sequoias and luxurious green understory
plants at about 6000 ft. elevation. Camp in Methuselah Group. Bring
your water, more water available at other campgrounds. Potluck dinner
Sat. night. There is a nature walk and small museum at nearby Balch
Park and many beautiful areas to explore besides the two hikes. You
can arrive Friday afternoon. Saturday hike: Leave campground at 12:30
Shake Camp Loop ESS:WS T80 1.8 miles loop. 450’ gain. Easy. (Not
a Sierra Club Outing)
Aug 6-8 Fri-Sun CNRCC Desert, Toiyabe Chapter Santa
Rosa/Paradise Pk Wilderness Area Expl Car Camp, No Nevada.
Explore little known wilderness N of Winnemucca, NV. Car camp Fri eve
at Singas Crk trlhd nr Paradise, NV. Sat am, long all-day expl hike
(11.5 mi rt, 2,100 ft elev gain, mostly on trail). Trail passes thru
lush vegetation, alternating between aspen/willow &
grass/sagebrush country, with panoramic views of Paradise Vly below.
Grand finale places us on Abel Summit (8,750 ft) for a grand vista.
Wildflowers & birds should abound in this Bighorn sheep
habitat.
Aug. 8-14, Sun-Sat. &endash; Big Bird Lake Backpack
&endash; This is a seven-day backpack in the Sequoia National Park
backcountry. We will visit the Tablelands, Big Bird Lake, Deadman
Canyon, and elsewhere. There will be some cross-country hiking; this
is a trip for a limited number of experienced backpackers in good
condition &endash; no beginners. Call leaders Gordon and Eva Nipp at
(661)872-2432 for details and reservations.
Aug 27-29 Fri-Sun CNRCC Desert, Toiyabe Chapter Inyo Mtns
Study & Car Camp. Friday: estab dry basecamp at Badger Flat
(8,000+ft elev) off Mazourka Cyn Rd, explore old mines &
surrounding pinyon/limber/bristlecone pine forest, with eve potluck.
Sat: strenuous, steep up & down (8 mi rt, 1,500-2,000 ft elev
gain) hike to cowcamp inside Inyo Wilderness, where grazer wants
continued vehicle access (assess situation) in outstanding country
w/typical Great Basin flora. Potluck Sat nite. Sun: sleep in, then
slowly make way down mtns to Independence & finish w/Owens Vly
water history, around noon. Trip ltd to 6 vehicles. Send lg SASE,
h&w phones, rideshare info to Ldr: Michael Prather, Drawer D,
Lone Pine, CA 93545, (760) 876-5907 (before 8:30 pm),
prather@qnet.com.
Sept. 20 Mon, 7:30 PM. Owens Peak Group Monthly Meeting,
Ridgecrest. Hector Villalobos, new manager of the local BLM field
office, will discuss his plans for dealing with issues of interest.
Meet at Maturango Museum, 100 E. Las Flores. Call Dennis aat
(760) 375-7967 or Jeanie at (760) 375-8973 for details.
Nov. 14-21, Sun-Sun. &endash; Fundraiser Cruise to
Mexican Riviera &endash; Carnival Cruises is offering this cruise
from San Pedro to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas at
50% off brochure prices to Sierra Club members with a 5% rebate to
the Chapter. Prices start at $689. Reserve early since there are a
limited number of discounted cabins. Call Gordon Nipp at
(661) 872-2432 for more information, or call directly to Montrose
Travel at (800)301-9673.
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPEOPLE
All but noted area codes are (661)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair: Glen Shellcross 832-3382
Vice Chair: Neil Fernbaugh 559-798-0343
Secretary: Bonnie East 832-9775
Treasurer: Mel Rubin 831-3333
AT LARGE:
Arthur Unger, Ara Marderosian, Mary Ann Lockhart, Richard Garcia,
Gordon Nipp
RCC Delegates: Bonnie East, Glenn Shellcross
Alternates: Neil Fernbaugh, Lorraine Unger
Committee Chairpeople
Membership: Lorraine Unger 323-5569
Political Committee Chair: Harry Love
S.C. Council Rep: Arthur Unger
Outings: Gordon Nipp 872-2432
KAWEAH GROUP (Porterville, area code
559)
Chair: Theresa Stump 781-0594
Vice Chair: Dianne Jetter
Conservation: Carla Cloer
Outings: Jim Clark
MINERAL KING GROUP (Visalia &
Hanford, 559)
Chair: Neil Fernbaugh 798-0343
Vice Chair: Brian Newton
Secretary: Nina Stone
Conservation: Mary Moy
Outings: Brian Newton
Treasurer: Janet Wood
Membership: Patty
Environmental Education & Computers: Harold Wood
Fundraising: Richard Garcia
Social: Bev Garcia
OWENS PEAK GROUP (Desert area code,
760)
Chair: Dennis Burge 375-7967
Vice Chair: Steve Smith
Conservation: Jeanie Haye
Treasurer: Dolph Amster
At Large: Dorothy Vokolek
Outings: Don Peterson 375-8599
CONDOR GROUP: (Frazier Park & Pine
Mountain area)
Chair: Chester Arthur
Membership: Barbara Matthews
Outings: Ray Albridge & Harry Nelson
Historian: Marion Knapp
Conservation: Kevin Royle
Hospitality: Elsbeth Feldman
Publicity: Karen Cotter
Treasurers: Jean & Ed Rustvold Ast Treas M Albridge
Newsletter: Mary Ann Lockhart
At Large Marta Bigler
Acting Content Editor: Larry
Wailes (661) 873-8060
Contributions of news, articles, press releases, opinion, art and
photographs (black & white), letters to the editor, should be
sent to:
lewailes@lightspeed.net.
Want to submit an article for the Road
Runner or express opinions? Suggested length: 650 words or less.
That's about a column or 2 1'2 pages double spaced.) Deadline:
15th of the month BEFORE desired month of
publication-mail
Copyrighted articles, graphics and photos can only be reprinted with
the owner's permission.
Published 12 times per year by the Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra
Club, Bakersfield, CA. All non-copyrighted material printed in the
Roadrunner may be reprinted in any Sierra Club publications with
acknowledgement.
SIERRA CLUB KERN-KAWEAH CHAPTER
Send To: P.O. Box 3357
Bakersfield, CA 93385
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