Dear Supporter,
Happy(ish) Spring!News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich Gr eetings. Earth Day, 2025!
Please join us at the Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 12, at Oxbow Commons. It is presented by the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County. We’ll have a booth there from 11am-4pm. Come by and say hi to our team members including our student interns.
 Vine Trail Locomotion Fundraiser – Join Our Team!
It’s that time of year again! We’re kicking off the annual Locomotion fundraiser for the Napa Valley Vine Trail, and we’d love you to join the Sierra Club and Friends Team. (Photo: Last year's team members Nick Cheranich, Scott Thomason, and David Mahaffey saved a snake along Devlin Rd. during a ride to American Canyon.)
The Vine Trail is almost finished! Just a few miles left.
Whether you bike, walk, or just want to support the cause, there’s a place for you. We’re also planning a group ride with the Vine Trail folks in mid-May—stay tuned for details!
👉 Join our team or donate here
 AmCan Outdoor Explorers Program
We had the pleasure of joining the American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation’s Outdoor Explorers program for two fantastic days with the fourth graders at Donaldson Way Elementary. It was an inspiring reminder of why we do this work. Be sure to read Scott’s write-up below!
 Welcome to Our New Interns
We’re thrilled to welcome two more Napa High students to our internship program We now have seven total! (Photo: Helena Falk, right).
They actually reached out to us—motivated, passionate, and ready to take action on climate change right here in Napa County. These students are part of the generation that will be most affected by biodiversity loss and climate disruption, and they want to make a difference now. Meet them below!
 Industrial Development in AmCan - Still Invading the Wetlands
Yes, they're back. There’s been another attempt to sidestep the will of American Canyon voters with a development on Green Island Road. Once again, big business (along with our elected officials) is putting short-term profit-driven interests ahead of long-term community values. This cannot stand. Scott has the full story below. (Scott's photo here, shows the Green Island property in question right next to all sorts of wetlands wildlife.)
 Invasive Plant Cleanup in AmCan
Speaking of invading, many of us pitched in for a big invasive plant removal effort in American Canyon—and wow, it made a difference! Read below about the day and see how community action is keeping our ecosystems healthy. (Kate Bit, Arya Adhye, and Natalie Carr worked hard, and had some fun, doing some tough weeding.)
Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be May 19, 2025 at 6:00PM. Please note that we are moving our meetings to every 3rd Monday of every odd numbered month, instead of Tuesdays, which conflicted with several City Council meetings across the County. So, mark your calendars for our next meeting!
If you would like to attend, just click on the RSVP button below and I'll send you a Zoom invite a few days before the meeting. Thank you. - Nick Cheranich, ExCom Chair
napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com
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Wheels of Industrial Development Keep Rolling Along in American Canyon
by Scott Thomason “They paved paradise and put up wine warehouses….”The above line is adapted from an environmental song made famous in the ‘60’s by legendary songwriter and performer Joni Mitchell, who at the time sang, “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” (Photo credit: Scott Thomason) After two recent contentious and highly divided hearings--one in American Canyon, the second in Napa---David Gilbreth, minority owner of a 157-acre property known as Green Island Vineyard (GIV), has been given the green light to sell the land to the highest bidder for possible industrial development. (Left: Map of the vineyard property (green boundary) which buttresses right up to American Canyon wetlands.)On March 18, the City Council voted 4–1 to adopt Minute Order 2025-07, which authorized the mayor to sign a "Letter of Support" for a request submitted by Gilbreth to the Local Agency Formation Commission of Napa County (LAFCO). The request seeks to expand American Canyon’s Sphere of Influence (SOI) to include Gilbreth’s property on Green Island Road. [“Putting warehouses or any development near the wetlands would have a devastating effect on existing wildlife which uses this habitat for food and shelter. The wetlands also protect against sea level rise,” Nick Cheranich, Chair of the Napa Sierra Club, commenting at the LAFCO meeting.] (Photo credit: Connor Wesson)Before the City Council meeting, 21 E-comments were sent to the City Council by American Canyon residents and other concerned citizens in opposition to Gilbreth’s request. Only two were in favor. That night, public testimony was also overwhelmingly against granting Gilbreth an SOI.  Representatives from various environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, Green Belt Alliance, the Audubon Society and the Napa County Wilderness Habitat Conservation Committee all spoke against the SOI as did others opposed to Gilbreth’s request, mostly landing on deaf ears. (Photo credit: Connor Wesson. Bird in flight, right next to the property.)Mark Joseph, former City Manager and current Vice Mayor, was the only Council member who voted against the SOI, pointing out that voters in 2022 had already rejected Gilbreth’s appeal to the voters (Measure J) to allow him to develop this same parcel of land.Despite the continued overwhelming public opposition to Gilbreth’s new approach, City Council members David Oro, Brando Cruz, Melissa Lamattina and Mayor Pierre Washington all voted for the SOI. At the LAFCO hearing, the Sierra Club, Green Belt Alliance and the Audubon reiterated their opposition to allowing development on the piece of land that abuts the Wetlands on one side. Read the entire article here. |
Napa Group Teaches Wetlands Importance
Article by Scott Thomason The Napa Group, headed by student intern Arya Adhye, treasurer Scott Thomason, and chair Nick Cheranich, presented lessons on the importance of Tidal Wetlands to students at Napa Junction Elementary School in American Canyon April 7th and 9th.
“We focused on three key points,” said Thomason. “First, how wetlands are critical in the battle against sea level rise due to global warming. Second, how wetlands sequester carbon dioxide, and third the biodiversity of the plants and animals we find in the wetlands,” he continued.
 Thomason and Adhye taught three fourth grade classes on April 7th, and Cheranich and Thomason did the same to another fourth-grade class on the 9th. Also assisting was Connor Wesson, a native Napan, birding expert and professional photographer and filmmaker. (Photo Credit: Connor Wesson)
After learning what is causing Sea Level Rise, students were then able to take advantage of the tidal flows and binoculars to see a host of birds, including the Marsh Wren, Song Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Black Phoebe, House Finch, Marbled Godwit, Red-winged Blackbird, Short-billed Dowitcher and the Gadwall.
 They also sampled pickleweed, a plant that is eaten by many of the animals that live in the wetlands. (Photo Credit: Connor Wesson)
“The kids were enthralled with looking through the binoculars and seeing so many species of birds close up,” explained Cheranich. He added, “And they loved the yuckiness from eating the pickleweed. We even got them to chant a couple words that are so important about the wetlands: See-Ques-Stration!, and Bi-o-di-vers-ity!”
 “This is the third year we have worked with American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation (ACCPF) to educate students about Sea Level Rise,” said Thomason, “and we look forward to a long-term partnership,” he added.
The affiliation began several years ago when Rohloff funds were approved for the Sierra Club to focus on Sea Level Rise in teaching students from Napa County how wetlands protect against what has become an international issue due to global warming. |
Please Welcome Our Newest Student Interns by Gemma Roberts and Helena Falk  Hello! My name is Gemma Roberts, and I am a recent Student Intern for the Napa Sierra Club. I was born and raised here in Napa and currently am a junior at Napa High School. Since I can remember, environmental conservation has always been a passion of mine; even at 7-years old I was begging my dad to take me to the park to pick up trash! This passion has continued to develop as I have taken classes like environmental science, and become a member of Napa Schools for Climate Action. I am very excited about this opportunity to be a part of Napa Sierra Club, and to grow my knowledge and interest in environmental advocacy alongside so many incredible individuals!
Hi! My name is Helena Falk, and I’m currently a sophomore at Napa High School. I’ve grown up here in beautiful Napa Valley and am currently taking Choir, Honors Spanish for Spanish Speakers 3, Honors Math 3, and AP Seminar. My passion for the environment started in elementary school through yearly pollinator projects, and it’s only grown since then. I’m especially interested in reducing waste and promoting sustainability. In the future, I hope to study business and environmental management in college and eventually start a business focused on waste reduction and creating a positive impact on the planet. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Napa Sierra Club internship program and excited to learn, grow, and contribute however I can! |
Student Interns Help with Ice Plant Cleanup
Article and photos by Scott Thomason  Three Napa Sierra Club Napa Group student interns are pictured here helping recently in removing non-native ice plants in American Canyon. They were part of a massive ice plant removal at Glass Beach in American Canyon April 5th organized by the American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation. Our students (L to R)—Kate Bit, Arya Adhye, and Natalie Carr —joined a host of adults and other high school students from American Canyon in the effort.  “This removal was a rewarding and fun experience! I got to work with my hands and make a small, yet important difference in American Canyon’s Wetlands, stated Arya Adhye. “I hope to continue to do this again so we can remove all of the remaining ice plants!” she continued. |
Rooftop Solar Is Not the Culprit Behind High CA Electric Bills, Advocates Say
Article by Teri Sforza, courtesy of Orange County Register  That $8.5 billion “cost shift” that regulators say falls on non-solar customers — and is partly responsible for our outrageous electric bills? It doesn’t exist.
No, rooftop solar advocates told the good-government Little Hoover Commission at a recent hearing, rooftop solar doesn’t cost other customers money, it actually saves them money. The real force behind our crazy soaring electricity rates is rapacious utility companies — and the regulators who allow them to collect way too much money, they said.
So rathe r than being the big bad wolf, rooftop solar is more Goldilocks, saving non-solar customers some $1.5 billion per year in avoided costs, they argued. How? Because the big investor-owned utilities haven’t had to build as much expensive infrastructure to meet demand.
RELATED: What’s happened since California cut home solar payments? Demand has plunged 80%
Solar, they said, has been “scapegoated.”
“Why does California have such high rates?” asked Richard McCann, who authored a report for the California Solar and Storage Association refuting the existence of a cost shift. “It’s really the utility spending driving rate increases. The key question, really, is how do we control utility spending, not how do we make everyone pay for uncontrolled spending.”
Arguments refuting the solar cost shift have been presented to — and largely rejected by — the California Public Utilities Commission, the Public Advocate’s Office and many energy experts, but they got their day in the sun at the Little Hoover Commission’s second hearing on the woes of California’s energy system and we might fix them on March 27.
The infuriating backdrop: Our electric bills in California are the highest in the nation, save for poor Hawaii. Rates have doubled over the past decade. They’re about twice the national average and continue to rise, outpacing inflation. The investor-owned utilities (IOUs) — Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric — rake in big profits, even as they seek rate hikes. Article continues here.
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Interested in Making a Difference - Especially After the Last Election? Wondering About What Your Legacy Will Be? Consider Volunteering with Us  Legacy is often defined as the desire to leave the world a better place for future generations.
At the Sierra Club, our mission is to conserve natural ecosystems, promote sustainability in land and water use, and reduce carbon emissions. Our projects focus on issues that matter to Napa, where local action can make a real difference.
We're working to protect the environment for those who will inherit it, but we can't do it alone.
It's not enough to just support the cause financially—real change happens through action.
We’re seeking passionate individuals to join our Conservation and Executive Committees. Whether you bring expertise in research, organizing, or education—or you're eager to learn—we welcome your involvement. If you or someone you know has skills and experience that align with our mission, we need your help.
Prepare to leave your legacy. Take the first step by joining us at our next Conservation Committee meeting (RSVP here).
Let's do it for them!
For further information, email us, in care of Nick Cheranich, at napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com. Thank you! |
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