YOU Can Make a Difference; Read How in This eNewsletter
► Read about our win with the Permanente Creek Restoration Project.
► Join us to educate the public at Foster City Summer Days.
► Save the date for Environmental Stewardship Program 2025 - 2026.
► Learn about the mechanisms contributing to sea level rise and join our Bay Alive watchdog network.
► Take a hike! See the comprehensive list of Chapter activities available through mid-August.
Ribbon Cutting for Start of Permanente Creek Restoration Project, finally!
On July 23, Heidelberg Materials invited a few dozen involved parties to celebrate the start of construction to restore Permanente Creek within their property. The restoration is required by a 2013 Consent Decree between the Sierra Club and Lehigh Southwest Cement Company (the previous owner of the quarry and cement plant) requiring the company to stop releasing toxic levels of selenium into the creek, and to fix damage caused by dumping overburden and waste into the creek. The restoration will remove mining-related fill and sediments, remove man-made barriers, restore the creek bed and streamside slopes, plant riparian vegetation, and install gravel and woody debris for fish habitat. Read more about the ribbon cutting, and our press release.
Help Inspire the Public about Local Environmental Issues; Training Provided.
Join other Loma Prieta Chapter volunteers at Foster City Summer Days, August 16th and 17th, to inform the public about environmental issues and local Sierra Club activities. Volunteering by tabling at a community event is an opportunity for environmental activists to talk and interact one-on-one with people to ask about their environmental concerns, to educate them about important local environmental issues, and to encourage them to learn and take action to combat climate change.
(Photo: tabling at Foster City Earth Day Celebration. Pictured, left to right: Inna Magner, Susan Lessin, and Eileen McLaughlin.)
Celebrate Environmental Leadership: Garnetta Annable at 2025 Guardians of Nature Benefit
We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 Guardians of Nature Benefit will honor Garnetta Annable, a pioneering local land conservationist and a founding member of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. Join us on Friday, October 10th at 6:00 pm at Mitchell Park Community Center to celebrate Garnetta's inspiring legacy and to empower regional environmental advocacy. Sponsorships and tickets are available. Read Garnetta's full biography and learn more about how you can become involved and attend the event for free.
Environmental Stewardship Program 2025 - 2026 Starts in October
If you are curious about environmental issues and would like to take action to protect our environment, this is the program for you.
At our in-person Environmental Stewardship Program you will learn about critical environmental issues, learn how to be an activist, enjoy nature through connections to optional outings and receive a certificate of completion. These goals will be accomplished through screenings of award-winning environmental documentaries, discussion, presentations and learning to work with legislators.
Previous program participants have afterwards played integral roles in various environmental organizations, both grassroots NGOs and government agencies, including elected officials, and have ranged in age from high school students to senior citizens. They are continuing to work toward building a better world.
"Trish was an environmental champion of monumental proportions. She was instrumental in the success of a host of water-related local and regional projects that have had profound and long-lasting impact in the communities along our creeks and the bay. Though a passionate and outspoken advocate, Trish always remained calm and steady, never losing her patience. She was a model for us all trying to make our world a better place." - Jerry Hearn, long standing Sierra Club member and Loma Prieta Chapter supporter. Learn more about Trish Mulvey.
We Know Seas are Rising, But How?
Respected climate organizations and government agencies have been researching the phenomenon for decades and have concluded that there are several different mechanisms that contribute greatly to global sea level rise.
Thermal expansion: As water molecules in the ocean warm, they expand.
Ice melt: Ice melt from glaciers and ice sheets are the dominant contributor to rising sea levels
Groundwater depletion: USGS estimates half of the nation’s drinking water comes from underground aquifers.
Subsidence: Not only is the sea rising, the land is also sinking.
Do you want to learn more about sea level rise planning in the San Francisco Bay? This summer, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) is holding a four-part webinar series showcasing their plan for our region to address sea level rise, the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). Our Bay Alive Campaign has been heavily engaged in the RSAP process since its conception and continues to advocate for proper implementation of the plan, highlighting its emphasis on natural and nature-based solutions (NNBS), environmental justice and shoreline contamination concerns. Register for BCDC's next webinar on August 13th to get up to speed on the RSAP, and then contact us to get involved, and advocate for strong RSAP implementation in your community!
Join our Bay Alive Campaign Watchdog Network!
Now that the Bay Area has approved region-wide guidelines for shoreline community sea level rise plans, it's now for us, at the grassroots, to ensure that all of the local plans are the strongest they can be and developed as quickly as possible.
If you couldn't make our webinar and still want to learn how you can join our watchdog network, you can watch the webinar recording, complete our volunteer interest form, and we'll be in touch!
Watch our sea level rise videos to learn the threats that come with sea level rise, what's at risk, and solutions we can use to adapt and protect the Bay.
Why are Sea Levels Rising?
NOAA reports modern rates of sea level rise started as long ago as 1863, as evidenced by rudimentary tide gates (source). This change coincides with the start of the Industrial Revolution, when humans rapidly accelerated the burning of fossil fuels, leading to an increase in greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Learn more about why sea levels are rising.
Sea Level Rise Webinar Series
Learn how nature can help us fight sea level rise with cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Watch recordings of our webinar series with SF Bay experts and please share with your local elected officials.
Sign the Petition to Save San Bruno Mountain
A massive threat looms over one of our most cherished natural treasures. San Bruno Mountain is not just any mountain, it is a sanctuary for endangered butterflies, a haven for rare plants, and a refuge of unparalleled ecological significance. The proposed project threatens to unravel the delicate balance of this natural treasure, and we urge you to take action to protect it.
The City of Brisbane is considering a plan to build a massive 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse, 100 feet tall, right in the heart of San Bruno Mountain, at the historic Guadalupe Quarry. This industrial facility would bring hundreds of workers (1,500!) and an incredible amount of traffic through our city and into the heart of sensitive habitat. Sign the petition today.
FOREST PROTECTION
Fix Our Forests Act
The Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) passed the House and was reintroduced in the Senate. Sierra Club is opposed to the bill.
If passed, FOFA could open millions of acres of federal public forestland to virtually unchecked logging. Excessive logging can diminish our water supply, deplete biodiversity, and destroy habitat. When overdone, logging can expose forest floors and leave numerous slash piles, making forests more dry and flammable.
In our last eNewsletter, the treatment of Zone 0, the “zero combustible” (immediate) zone to achieve maximal defensible space around a home or structure, was discussed. To reduce wildfire risk, defensible space also requires a well-tended (intermediate) Zone 1, which encompasses the area 5 - 30 feet away from a home or structure, and an (extended) Zone 2, which stretches to an additional 70 feet for a total defensible perimeter of 100 feet around a home or structure. Do these zones also need to be devoid of living greenery, and must the aesthetics and beauty of plants and trees be sacrificed?
While having little to no vegetation is necessary for an ideal Zone 0 (and, in California, may soon become mandatory), this is not the case for Zones 1 and 2. It is, however, important to consider removing highly flammable vegetation, especially non-native species, in Zone 1. Learn more about Zones 1 and 2.
Dr. Chad Hanson will revisit the topic of the relationship between giant sequoias and high-intensity fire. Currently, disinformation about this relationship is being used as a primary political talking point to promote destructive logging measures and environmental rollbacks, including national bills and policies that mostly pertain to non-sequoia forests. A group of scientists funded by federal agencies is actively promoting the disinformation that is helping Donald Trump and the current Congress advance their logging agenda. Dr. Hanson will dispel the latest round of myths and falsehoods about high-intensity fire in giant sequoia groves.
San Jose Spotlight: "San Jose Landmark Project Dropped"
On June 21st, San Jose Spotlight ran an article called "San Jose landmark project dropped," announcing the "Breeze of Innovation" project has been dropped.
Loma Prieta Chapter volunteers and staff have advocated since 2018 to keep the Light Tower Corporation from building in environmentally sensitive areas and to reduce the amount of artificial light at night, which is damaging to humans as well as wildlife. Read more about our advocacy.
COMMENT LETTERS
San Mateo County Southern Bayside Cities Shoreline Resilience Plan
"We strongly support the development of a multi-jurisdictional sub-regional shoreline adaptation plan that will include nature-based adaptation solutions, keeping Bay ecosystems healthy, and include meaningful engagement of local residents and community stakeholders, while considering the appropriate adaptation strategies for the varying shoreline. We understand that the project will update vulnerability assessments and develop a sub-regional adaptation plan that will align with the guidelines required by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC) Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP)."
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) 2050. We commend Valley Water staff and the Board of Directors for making many updates that improve upon the WSMP 2040. Still, we see many opportunities to provide additional contextual information. We also have some suggestions for future Monitoring and Assessment Program topics. Our comments are as follows."
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action’s San Jose Youth Climate Action Team are local environmental organizations committed to conservation and climate action and are broadly supportive of the Climate Smart San Jose and Carbon Neutrality by 2030 goals. We are writing this letter to provide comments and questions on the draft Climate Smart San Jose Plan Update."
Advocacy in Action: Fighting for Climate Smart San José
Loma Prieta Chapter staff member, Conservation Coordinator Dashiel Leeds, collaborated with the San Jose Youth Climate Action Team (SJYCAT), helping them give public comments and build ties with local environmental organizations. Dash and SJYCAT gave public comments at a recent hearing on San Jose's Budget. Read more and see photos: Dash is far right in the first photo and far left in the second (used here).
Cleanup (August 3rd, 9th, and 12th), and Restoration (August 17th) from our friends at Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful.
One of the best ways to safeguard a thriving and just future is by ensuring that your Loma Prieta Chapter remains a champion for the environment of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Benito Counties. Naming us as a beneficiary in your bequest will provide meaningful and enduring resources that will allow continued local and powerful environmental activism.
Please contact our Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman for the specific language for your estate planning and/or read more here. For additional information about planning a bequest please contact Julia Curtis, (800) 932-4270.
Photographers, see the great images in our Chapter Annual Summaries and help protect local nature with your images! Share with us your high-resolution photos of local nature, with or without people, to inspire local residents to support Loma Prieta Chapter work. Please contact Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman.
In History
July 12th 1817, Henry David Thoreau's birthday Aug 2nd, 1924, James Baldwin's birthday
"The point is to get your work done, and your work is to change the world." "The paradox of education is precisely this, that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated." "I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain." - James Baldwin
2017.01.20: Chapter Director's first hike with Loma Prieta Day Hiking Section, 19.4 miles, 3,415 ft elevation gain, in Enid Pearson - Arastradero Open Space Preserve. This park inspired my search for any parks in our chapter that were named for other conservation activists, not just land owners; I found only one other, the Emily Renzel Marshlands. Enid and Emily became our 2019 Guardians of Nature Honorees. Join us this year to honor another local conservation leader, Garnetta Annable.
