Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)

Blog

EPIC Annual Report 2012

Thursday, May 16th, 2013
By Natalynne DeLapp

2012AR It is with great appreciation and satisfaction that we share with our extended family of supporters the 2012 EPIC Annual Report. This past year has been an amazing year in the history of EPIC! We have increased momentum that has resulted in a series of concrete advances for defending our Wild California.

2012 was very significant for EPIC in that we have confirmed the existence of an exuberant, dedicated, and growing membership and donor base that is willing to invest in innovative legal advocacy for the Northwest California environment. Since the founding of the organization 35 years ago, EPIC has been a power packed organization with broad community support that gets results disproportionate to our size and resources.

Click here to download the 2012 Annual Report

Posted in Blog |

Suit Filed Against Destructive Caltrans Highway-widening Project in Remote Del Norte County

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
By Gary Graham Hughes

Smith River NRA Caltrans Oblivious to Public-safety Concerns, Rare Ecological Values Along Scenic Smith River Canyon

Conservation groups filed a lawsuit today challenging a California Department of Transportation highway-widening project that threatens ancient redwoods, endangered salmon runs and public safety along the wild and scenic Smith River Canyon in remote Del Norte County. Caltrans approved a project to widen existing narrow sections of highways 197 and 199 to provide access for oversized trucks, without adequate environmental review of the impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act.

“For more than five years our organization has been identifying water quality and safety issues with this ill conceived project,” said Don Gillespie of the local conservation organization Friends of Del Norte, “but our comments have fallen on deaf ears. It is really a sign of Caltrans intransigence that public interest organizations have to resort to the courts to protect motorist safety and our treasured Smith River.”

Friends of Del Norte, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) filed suit in state court challenging the $26 million “197/199 Safe STAA Access Project.” The project would increase unsafe heavy and oversized truck use on narrow roadways along the designated “wild and scenic” Smith River Canyon, increasing the likelihood of deadly accidents and toxic spills, especially in dangerous winter conditions. The project would harm old-growth trees and habitat for protected salmon runs and hurt tourism and local residents.

“The North Coast has been under assault by massive Caltrans projects that the agency refuses to examine for their cumulative impacts on local communities and sensitive environments,” said Gary Graham Hughes, executive director of EPIC. “For Caltrans to barge ahead with this huge project on the precious Smith River after the explosion of controversy around the Willits Bypass project in Mendocino County shows that the agency is completely oblivious to concerns of North Coast residents.”

“Another bad idea by Caltrans, trying to jam an unnecessarily wide highway into a narrow canyon despite the impacts,” said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Public distrust of Caltrans is at an all-time high with revelations of Caltrans quality-control issues on the new Bay Bridge, conflict over the massive Willits Bypass project, the need for court and federal intervention to resolve Caltrans problems with the Niles Canyon project, and the agency’s proposal to needlessly vandalize the ancient redwoods of Richardson Grove State Park.”

Caltrans seeks to widen highways 197 and 199 at seven different locations, including major realignment and reconstruction of a bridge at one of the most sensitive sites along the pristine Smith River. Under the California Environmental Quality Act, all the environmental impacts of a project must be publicly disclosed and evaluated, reasonable alternatives with less damaging impacts must be considered, and mitigation measures must be developed to minimize environmental harm.

Caltrans has failed to take into account threats to salmon habitat and water quality along the Smith River, as well as increased safety hazards, and avoided looking at the cumulative impacts of numerous associated Caltrans highway-widening projects in Northern California for oversized truck access. Caltrans refused to consider alternatives besides highway widening, adopted unsubstantiated findings about impacts and mitigation measures, and failed to develop a monitoring program to ensure mitigation measures are actually followed.

Background

Route 199 is a scenic byway along the Smith River canyon, through the Six Rivers National Forest and the Smith River National Recreation Area. It provides access to Redwood National and State Parks, one of only two UNESCO World Heritage sites in California. Route 197 is a country road that parallels the lower Smith River, the only undammed river in California, with the longest stretch of designated “wild and scenic” river in the lower 48.

The project was first announced to the public in 2008. Conservation groups have been fighting misguided Caltrans attempts to widen Highway 101 through ancient redwoods in Richardson Grove State Park for oversized trucks. A lawsuit challenging that project resulted in a federal court sending Caltrans back to the drawing board for basing its project design on “faulty data.” Despite efforts by Caltrans to keep the Smith River project out of public scrutiny, hundreds of letters outlining concerns about impacts of the project on rare ecological resources and highway safety have been submitted.

A Caltrans internal report prepared in 1989 acknowledged the physical constraints of the narrow, steep and rocky Smith River Canyon and concluded that environmental concerns make Highway 199 “a poor candidate for extensive upgrading.” There will be significant threats to motorist and bicyclist safety if oversized trucks are routed to these roadways during winter, when Interstate 5 can be closed by snow and ice. These roadways already have a history of truck accidents. Caltrans is not even proposing operational modifications at the sites of two major recent truck accidents on Highway 199, revealing the inadequacy of the project for addressing motorist safety concerns.

The conservation groups are represented in this legal action by private attorneys Stuart Gross and Sharon Duggan, and the nationally recognized firm of Cotchett, Pitre, and McCarthy.

For more information contact: Gary Graham Hughes, EPIC, (707) 822-7711

Click Here for Official Press Release: Suit Filed Against Destructive Caltrans Highway-widening Project in Remote Del Norte County

Click here to view the Petition for Writ of Mandate and Injunctive Relief

To learn more visit our webpage: Wild and Scenic Smith River, the 197/199 Project

20130315_142554

Posted in Biodiversity, Clean Water, Environmental Democracy, Rein in Caltrans |

EPIC Supports the Creation of Publicly-Owned Forests in the Redwoods

Thursday, May 9th, 2013
By Andrew Orahoske

community forest The vast majority of the Redwood Temperate Rainforest is in private hands. Some of those lands are managed better than others, but ultimately the general public has very little input over the restoration and recovery of California’s great Redwood forests. National and state parks cover a significantly smaller area than private lands in the Redwoods and opportunities for restoration are limited. Every once in a while the public has the opportunity to acquire more forested lands, but rarely does this occur in productive Redwood forests. EPIC is proud to support two recent initiatives that will hopefully result in the creation of two new publicly-owned Redwood forests in Humboldt County.

First, EPIC recently sent a letter to the California Wildlife Conservation Board in support of a grant for the Humboldt State University Forest/Arcata Jacoby Creek Forest Expansion. This project proposes to transfer 10 parcels totaling 978 acres from Sierra Pacific Industries, Inc. to the City of Arcata and Humboldt State University. The tremendous success of the City of Arcata’s community forests and parks in offering recreational opportunities and leading the way in restoration forestry methods is well recognized. This exciting new public forest will be contiguous to existing public lands managed by the City of Arcata and will further solidify protections for the headwaters of Jacoby Creek, a critical watershed for Coho Salmon, Pacific Fisher and Northern Spotted Owl.

Second, EPIC recently attended a meeting with a large number of community members to express support for the creation of a new community forest outside of Eureka, CA in an area locally known as the McKay Tract. The County of Humboldt is beginning a public process that will hopefully result in a strong community supported management plan. The County is maintaining a webpage for posting public documents and is encouraging input from community members. EPIC will be engaged in this process to ensure that the lands to be acquired will be managed in a respectful way, moving the industrial timberlands to a more structurally complex and older forest over time, while providing critical open space for nearby residents. Proposed-HSU-JCF-Expansion-3dviewshed

Posted in Biodiversity, Blog, Clean Water, Environmental Democracy, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl, Public Lands |

CAL FIRE and Water Board to Approve Green Diamond Clearcuts in Elk River

Thursday, May 9th, 2013
By Rob DiPerna

GDclearcut2 The California Department of Forestry (CALFIRE) has recently indicated that it will move to approve Green Diamond’s plans to conduct damaging clearcut logging in the heavily impaired Elk River watershed. Timber Harvest Plan 1-12-113HUM “McCloud Creek East #5” was recommended for approval at the local level on Thursday May 2^nd.

Unlike other land managers in the Elk River watershed, Green Diamond continues to propose intensive clearcutting, road construction, and potentially the use of toxic chemical herbicides. Clearcut logging as proposed will result in decreased canopy interception and transevaporation, resulting in increased water production and sediment transport to a watershed already suffering from intensive sediment impairment. Please refer to our December 18^th blog post for greater detail about the plight of Elk River and the destructive details of Green Diamond’s new McCloud Creek Timber Harvest Plan.

The recommended approval of the “McCloud Creek East #5” THP comes as a result of the near complete capitulation of the Regional Water Quality Control Board to Green Diamond’s contentions that the Company’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and property-wide waste discharge requirement waiver agreement will ensure that no adverse impacts occur as a result of the proposed logging. The Regional Board’s staff had requested that Green Diamond provide quantitative data to address how the harvest plan will avoid contributing to the ongoing significant adverse and cumulative watershed effects in the Elk River watershed. Green Diamond failed to provide any data, and instead simply provided a narrative argument describing how its HCP and WDR order would avoid significant impacts to beneficial uses of water and water quality.

The recommended approval also comes in light of the impending release of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) document by the Regional Water Board. A TMDL is required by the federal Clean Water Act when water quality and beneficial uses of water are impaired due to some anthropogenic cause. In the Elk River, excessive sediment generated as part of intensive timber harvest and other timber management activities has resulted in significant impairment and has lead to substantial increases in nuisance flooding of downstream residents’ property.

Once again, the State of California and its regulators are found to be complicit to the likelihood that the “McCloud Creek East #5” THP will add to the already impaired conditions of Elk River, and will likely continue to impede the slow recovery of the system.

EPIC will continue to challenge this damaging THP and others like it, and will continue to advocate for restoration and recovery in the Elk River watershed.

EPIC and Humboldt Baykeeper Comment Letter

Posted in Biodiversity, Blog, Clean Water, Environmental Democracy, Eye on Green Diamond, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl |

Action Alert: Protect Trinity Alps Wilderness from Damaging Livestock Grazing

Monday, May 6th, 2013
By Kimberly Baker

Take Action: The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to re-authorize commercial livestock grazing on over 33,453 acres of the Six Rivers National Forest, mostly within the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area. The grazing allotments are located east of the Hoopa Valley within the headwaters of Mill, Tish Tang and Horse Linto Creeks. These Trinity River tributaries are designated as “Key Watersheds” meaning they are critical for salmon recovery. This sensitive area contains wet meadows, lakes and streams that have been degraded, trampled and compacted by grazing for decades.

The Trinity Summit Range Assessment includes an amendment to the Six Rivers forest plan that adds 225 acres to the grazing allotments at Water Dog Lakes within the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area. In fact, over two-thirds of the allotments are within the wilderness. The remaining portion is within Late Successional Reserves, which must be managed to maintain and restore old-growth forests and species that depend on older forests for survival.

Monitoring by the U.S. Forest Service shows a long history of unsatisfactory and degraded conditions in the Trinity Summit Allotments. In order to facilitate the continuation of damaging livestock grazing, the U.S. Forest Service is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement, an admission that the proposed reauthorization is expected to have significant impacts on this critical area.

Science illustrates grazing has a long list of deleterious impacts on the landscape:

Competition with native species such as elk and deer for forage
Degradation of aquatic ecosystems negatively affecting water quality and harming salmon, frogs and salamanders
Damage and elimination of native plants and grasses
Soil erosion and compaction
Spread of E. coli bacteria
Spread of invasive and noxious weeds
Harm to rare bird species, such as Willow Flycatcher, that nest in riparian willow stands
Negative affects to recreational and wilderness values.

The Six Rivers National Forest contains over 250,000 acres that are available for grazing, which is no small amount of our public lands. It is clear that stricter management as well as limiting and retiring some of these allotments, would benefit a multitude of public resources, such as clean water necessary for recovering salmon populations and wilderness values cherished by many recreationists in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

Please act now to protect the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

Click here to submit comments to protect salmon and the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

Emerald_lake_trinity_alps

Posted in Action Alerts, Biodiversity, Blog, Clean Water, Public Lands |

Take Action: Wolves in the Lower 48 Need Your Help

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013
By Natalynne DeLapp

In the next 2-3 months, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may remove Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across nearly the entire lower-48 states. This would be disastrous for gray wolf recovery in the United States.

Help convince the Obama administration to not prematurely delist the gray wolf across the U.S.!

The recovery of gray wolves is an American success story, from their reintroduction in the northern Rocky Mountains to their comeback in the western Great Lakes states. But there are few, if any, gray wolves in the vast majority of their former range. If the Fish and Wildlife Service removes federal protections, wolves in the Pacific Northwest, California, the southern Rocky Mountains, and the Northeast will face even more difficult odds than they do already.

In 2011, Congress stripped federal protections for gray wolves in most of the northern Rockies. The brutal assault on wolves that commenced in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho highlights the increasingly hostile anti-wolf policies of states now charged with ensuring the survival of gray wolf populations.

Idaho, Wyoming and Montana Total Reported Killed This Season: 622
Idaho, Wyoming and Montana Total Reported Killed Since Delisting: 1,170

Maintaining federal protections for wolves across the lower-48 states is important for preserving already limited opportunities for wolves to recover in additional parts of the United States.

Take action now to press for continued federal protections for wolves across the lower-48 states.

CALIFORNIA UPDATE:

California’s famous lone wolf, OR-7—also known as “Journey,” has spent the past six weeks traveling in Oregon before doubling back and returning briefly to California, where he flirted with Interstate 5 near Yreka, California for the first time.

Each time he enters California OR-7 reclaims his stature as the only known gray wolf since 1924.
Without federal protections, and no certainty of state protections, Journey may have a target on his back! In 2012, EPIC joined with several conservation allies in petitioning to add the gray wolf to the list of protected species under the California Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Game Commission voted to move forward with a full status review for the Gray Wolf under CESA, to determine whether to protect the species.

Posted in Blog |

Chasing Ice Film Screening: Two Nights in Arcata

Monday, April 29th, 2013
By Natalynne DeLapp

EPIC presents the award winning film Chasing Ice–a documentary, which shows the dramatic transformation of the world’s glaciers as a means of telling the story of the Earth’s changing climate. This film drives home the true planetary ramifications of deforestation Redwood Country.

MAY 1 in the Kate Buchanan Room at Humboldt State University:
EPIC and the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB-HSU) host renowned forest ecologist and conservation scientist Dominick DellaSala to lead a discussion with the audience about climate change. Reception from 4:30-5:00, followed by a 30-minute presentation from Dr. DellaSala with a question and answer period and then the film at 5:30pm. Suggested donation: $3-5.

MAY 2 at the Arcata Theatre Lounge:
EPIC, Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Conservancy and Humboldt Baykeeper present Chasing Ice in conjunction with Ocean Night at the Arcata Theatre Lounge, 7pm. Suggested donation: $3-5.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chasing Ice SYNOPSIS:

In the spring of 2005, acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic on a tricky assignment for National Geographic: to capture images to help tell the story of the Earth’s changing climate. Even with a scientific upbringing, Balog had been a skeptic about climate change. But that first trip north opened his eyes to the biggest story in human history and sparked a challenge within him that would put his career and his very well-being at risk.

Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet. Within months of that first trip to Iceland, the photographer conceived the boldest expedition of his life: The Extreme Ice Survey. With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog began deploying revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers.

As the debate polarizes America and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Balog finds himself at the end of his tether. Battling untested technology in subzero conditions, he comes face to face with his own mortality. It takes years for Balog to see the fruits of his labor. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Chasing Ice depicts a photographer trying to deliver evidence and hope to our carbon-powered planet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Dominick DellaSala: a brief profile

President and Chief Scientist of the Geos Institute in Ashland, Oregon and President of the Society for Conservation Biology, North America Section.

Dominick is an internationally renowned author of over 150 technical papers, including the award winning “Temperate and Boreal Rainforests of the World” (www.islandpress.org/dellasala). Dominick has given plenary and keynote talks ranging from academic conferences to the United Nations (Earth Summit II) and at HSU’s Biodiversity Conference 2012.

He has appeared in National Geographic, Science Digest, Science Magazine, Time Magazine, Audubon Magazine, National Wildlife Magazine, High Country News, Terrain Magazine, NY Times, LA Times, USA Today, Jim Lehrer News Hour, CNN, MSNBC, “Living on Earth (NPR),” and several PBS wildlife documentaries.

He has testified in congressional hearings in defense of the Endangered Species Act, roadless area conservation, national monument designations, forest protections, and climate change among others.

For his efforts to help foster national roadless area conservation and support designation of new national monuments, he received conservation leadership awards from the World Wildlife Fund in 2000 and 2004, the Wilburforce Foundation in 2006, and was twice nominated for conservation awards for his work as a whistleblower while on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service spotted owl recovery team.

His rainforest book received an academic excellence award in 2012 from Choice magazine, one of the nation’s premier book review journals.

Dominick co-founded the Geos Institute in July 2006. He is motivated by leaving a living planet for his daughter and all those to follow.

Posted in Blog, EPIC Events |

Action Alert: Endangered Species Deserve More Time and More Protections on the Mendocino Coast

Monday, April 22nd, 2013
By Andrew Orahoske

Murrelet USFWS Take Action: Federal and state agencies are accepting public comment on a proposal from the Mendocino Redwood Company for an Incidental Take Permit and associated Habitat Conservation Plan. Please take a moment to request that more time be allowed for public participation and review, as well as an increase in protections for endangered species.

In response to receipt of an application from the Mendocino Redwood Company, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are considering the proposed action of issuing an 80-year incidental take permit for nine federally listed species and two currently unlisted species. The proposed permit would authorize “take” (harm and harassment) of individual members of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. The permit is needed because “take” of species could occur during timber harvest, forest management, and related activities within 213,244 acres in western Mendocino County, CA.

Click here to take action now.

Posted in Action Alerts, Biodiversity, Blog, Environmental Democracy, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl |

Northern Spotted Owl Told to Wait

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013
By Andrew Orahoske

NSO

On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, EPIC argued on behalf of the Northern Spotted Owl before the California Fish and Game Commission. Despite the fact that the species has been threatened with extinction since the 1980’s, and listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1990, the Commission has not protected the species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). This significant oversight, and the failure of existing federal and state regulations to promote recovery of the owl, spurred EPIC to file a petition to list the Northern Spotted Owl under CESA in September 2012.

Unfortunately, the Commission delayed action for 90 days on whether to conduct a status review under CESA. The statute clearly obligates the Commission to make decisions in a specific timeframe, and while this delay may be allowed under the law, it makes very little sense. The primary reason given by the Commission for this delay was to further deliberate on the information provided at the last minute by the timber industry. Curiously enough, the purpose of the status review under CESA is for the Department of Fish and Wildlife (and the Commission) to analyze the available information received through an open public process. Clearly, the Commission should have voted to conduct a status review based on the overwhelming evidence before it, and for the very reason given for the delay.

It is well past time for the State of California to recognize its duties under CESA, and to act swiftly to protect the Northern Spotted Owl. Without CESA protections, and a more holistic view of species recovery and landscape-scale conservation that includes private and state owned lands, the spotted owl is likely to go extinct in the foreseeable future. While the current delay is unfounded and frustrating, EPIC will continue to push for accountability and justice for the Northern Spotted Owl. Stay tuned for more updates about this important EPIC Endangered Species and Biodiversity Defense Program initiative.

The Listing Process under the California Endangered Species Act—A Primer for Endangered Species Advocacy

The State of California enacted the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) in order to address and prevent the extinction of native biological diversity. The purpose of CESA is to “conserve, protect, restore, and enhance any endangered species or any threatened species and its habitat….” Fish & Game Code § 2052. The first step under CESA is to identify and list species as “threatened” and “endangered.” A “threatened species” refers to a native species or subspecies of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant that, although not presently threatened with extinction, is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future in the absence of special protection and management efforts. Fish & Game Code § 2067. An “endangered species” refers to a native species or subspecies of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant which is in serious danger of becoming extinct throughout all, or a significant portion, of its range due to one or more causes, including loss of habitat, change in habitat, overexploitation, predation, competition, or disease. Fish & Game Code § 2062.

The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) is the administrative body that makes all final decisions regarding the listing of species under CESA. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) is the expert agency that makes recommendations to the Commission regarding species listings. The listing process may be set in motion in two ways: “any person” may petition the Commission to list a species, or the Department may on its own initiative put forward a species for consideration. “Petitions shall include information regarding the population trend, range, distribution, abundance, and life history of a species, the factors affecting the ability of the population to survive and reproduce, the degree and immediacy of the threat, the impact of existing management efforts, suggestions for future management, and the availability and sources of information. The petition shall also include information regarding the kind of habitat necessary for species survival, a detailed distribution map, and any other factors that the petitioner deems relevant.” Fish & Game Code § 2072.3. In the case of a citizen proposal, CESA sets forth a process for listing that contains several discrete steps.

Upon receipt of a petition to list a species, a 90-day review period ensues during which the Commission refers the petition to the Department, as the relevant expert agency, to prepare a detailed report. The Department’s report must determine whether the petition, along with other relevant information possessed or received by the Department, contains sufficient information indicating that listing may be warranted. Fish & Game Code § 2073.5.

During this period interested persons are notified of the petition and public comments are accepted by the Commission. Fish & Game Code § 2073.3. After receipt of the Department’s report, the Commission considers the petition at a public hearing. Fish & Game Code § 2074. At this time the Commission is charged with its first substantive decision: determining whether the Petition, together with the Department’s written report, and comments and testimony received, present sufficient information to indicate that listing of the species “may be warranted.” Fish & Game Code § 2074.2. This standard has been interpreted as the amount of information sufficient to “lead a reasonable person to conclude there is a substantial possibility the requested listing could occur.” Natural Resources Defense Council v. California Fish and Game Comm. 28 Cal.App.4th at 1125, 1129.

If the petition, together with the Department’s report and comments received, indicates that listing “may be warranted,” then the Commission must accept the petition and designate the species as a “candidate species.” Fish & Game Code § 2074.2. “Candidate species” means a “native species or subspecies of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant that the commission has formally noticed as being under review by the department for addition to either the list of endangered species or the list of threatened species, or a species for which the commission has published a notice of proposed regulation to add the species to either list.” Fish & Game Code § 2068.

Once the petition is accepted by the Commission, then a more exacting level of review commences. The Department has twelve months from the date of the petition’s acceptance to complete a full status review of the species and recommend whether such listing “is warranted.” Following receipt of the Departments status review, the Commission holds an additional public hearing and determines whether listing of the species “is warranted.” If the Commission finds that the species is faced with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, it must list the species as endangered. Fish & Game Code § 2062. If the Commission finds that the species is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future, it must list the species as threatened. Fish & Game Code § 2067.

Posted in Biodiversity, Blog, Environmental Democracy, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl |

Private Cattle Grazing Degrades Public Wildlands

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
By epic

One of many bovine trashed springs on the Big Meadows Grazing Allotment in the Marble Mountains Wilderness

The EPIC Public Lands Program is a core program focus of our public interest conservation advocacy. Monitoring industrial activities and tracking conservation planning on the National Forests in our bioregion is a cornerstone of our landscape scale methodology to promote biodiversity protection and appropriate natural resource management in Northwest California. The following is an overview and an update on the Livestock Grazing Reform Project of EPIC’s Public Lands Program. Thanks to Felice Pace for his labors on this project, and for making this report possible.

For the past 3 years EPIC and our allies have been working to reform livestock grazing on Northwest California’s public lands. Our goal is to reduce, control and eliminate significant negative impacts resulting from private livestock grazing on public land, including grazing allotments located within our region’s wilderness and roadless lands.

We do this by documenting on-the-ground impacts livestock grazing is having on biodiversity, including water quality, riparian areas, wetlands, native vegetation and native species. Staff, interns and volunteers use that documentation to inform EPIC’s participation in environmental analysis and decision making for specific livestock grazing allotments. Where negative impacts cannot be eliminated or reduced to insignificance through active management, we work to eliminate the livestock grazing altogether.

EPIC members and activists have long been disgusted and outraged when they encounter the degradation that is common on Northern California national forests and wilderness areas as a consequence of poorly managed and inappropriate livestock grazing. When EPIC member and longtime forest activist Felice Pace came to us with a plan for reform, we eagerly embraced that plan. Inspired by documented violations of water quality standards in streams below grazing allotments in the Scott River Basin by the Quartz Valley Tribe, Felice – along with EPIC staff, volunteers and interns – began monitoring and documenting the degradation occurring on areas grazed by livestock within the Marble Mountain, Trinity Alps and Russian Wilderness Areas.

Bovine trashed stream: Upper Bear Lake Valley, Elk Creek Key Watershed, Marble Mountain Wilderness

Staff, interns and volunteers take our documentation to the responsible Forest Service managers as well as to state water quality managers. We ask them to require that livestock grazing permit holders ride the range at least weekly to move cattle away from sensitive areas and wetlands. When herding and other active management is ineffective – and where grazing permit holders are not willing to put in the necessary time and effort – we ask that grazing permits be canceled or moved to less sensitive lands.

Currently, EPIC is focusing special effort on two grazing allotments within the Marble Mountain Wilderness. Last year the Forest Service attempted to reauthorize these two allotments and others throughout the West without adequate environmental review. EPIC and its partners challenged that decision and won in federal court. This year we will participate in formal assessment by the Forest Service of the environmental impacts of livestock grazing in these two allotments. That assessment will lead to Forest Service decisions on whether or not to reauthorize grazing for another 10 years.

Intern Victor Reuther examines a bovine trashed trail in the Trinity Alps Wilderness

As in much of the Klamath Mountains Bioregion, most available livestock forage in the Marble Mountain Wilderness is found within wet meadows, riparian areas and other wetlands. On-the-ground monitoring has convinced us that many of these areas cannot be grazed without causing unacceptable impacts to water quality and biodiversity in violation of the Clean Water Act, National Forest Management Act and other laws. Where that is the case, we will continue to use on-the-ground monitoring, advocacy, administrative and legal challenges to eliminate livestock grazing.

EPIC and its partners are making progress. This year Forest Service managers on the Klamath National Forest are bringing in the BLM’s national riparian team to work with grazing permit holders and all interests to reform grazing management. We have a long way to go, however, in our quest to eliminate the sacred cows from places in Northern California where they just do not belong.

If you are interested in helping as a volunteer or intern with EPIC to reform grazing practices and eliminate grazing in Klamath Mountains wilderness areas, we want to talk to you. Please contact Public Land Advocate, Kimberly Baker kimberly@wildcalifornia.org or call the EPiC office at 707-822-7711. Working together in a sustained manner with our partners throughout the West, we can and will reform public land grazing.

Posted in Biodiversity, Blog, Clean Water, Environmental Democracy, Public Lands |

Thank you for EPIC Spring Gala

Monday, April 15th, 2013
By Natalynne DeLapp

THANK YOU to EVERYONE who came out to support EPIC at the Spring Gala!!

The entire Board and Staff of EPIC would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all of the people who were a part of our Spring Gala for the dedication of their time, energy, and resources to this incredibly successful event. This ingenious celebration of our environmental advocacy was possible due to the contributions of the artists, musicians, performers, and spectacular cooks who were responsible for the dinner and show. The event came off with breathtaking ease due to the generosity, stamina, and commitment of all the volunteers who were involved. Thank you all for expressing the craftsmanship intrinsic to serving as the guardians of your wild California!

Special thanks to ALL of the MORE than 70 VOLUNTEERS!

Tryphena Lewis for taking on the unbelievable role of coordinating and planning the entire event, including creating the delicious dinner and bar menus!

Natalia Boyce and the entire kitchen crew for making the amazing food & desserts;

Brandi Winch and the Humboldt Fire Girls who served up the hors d’oeuvres and dinner with such style;

Chakeeta Garabenian, the Circus of the Elements and the Ink People for their spectacular fire dancing;

Andrew Goff for being such a fun and engaging emcee;

To BOTH BANDS Petunia and the Vipers & Sour Mash Hug Band for their years of dedication to their craft and gracing us with their musical talents;

To ALL THE ARTISTS who supported the event and donated so generously to the silent auction–Joan Dunning, Megan Sandstrom, Thomas Dunklin, Patricia Sennott, Laurel Skye, Augustus Clarke, Sierra Martin, Peter Carlson, Joyce Jonte, Jacob Brauning, and Marcy Stein;

To Shawnee Alexandri, and his crew, for their talent, patience and hard work creating and installing the tent-like structure, and to Mike and Ed of the Arcata Community Center for all their help;

To all our friends and community who traveled from afar to bring their support (from Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Oregon) it meant a lot to have you there, thank you!

And to the EPIC Board (Dian, Noah, Josh, Heather, Joan, Hezakiah, Shawnee, Bruce…) THANK YOU!

This event was a wonderful mix of art and entertainment, and for those of us in the intimate circle of EPIC it was particularly exciting to express the artistic side of our technical advocacy that combines law, science, and politics to defend native ecosystems and endangered species. This art is the creative spirit that will accompany us as we design a sustainable and ecologically wise relationship with our bioregion. Thank you for being a part of this celebration with us.

EPIC 2013 Spring Gala Business Supporters and Silent Auction Donors:
David Gray of Total Beverage Solution (Humboldt Hemp Ale, Red Nectar Ale & Nectar IPA)
Mad River Brewery
Lost Coast Communications (KHUM, KSLG, & Lost Coast Outpost)
KMUD
Signature Coffee
Whitethorn Winery
Garden Gate
Vintage Avenger
Baroni
B&B the Color Salon
Water Planet
Pleasure Center
Old Town Coffee
Pacific Paradise
Tall Tree Designs
Arcata School of Massage
Tomo Sushi
Dell’Arte
Belle Star
Shoshana Redwood Raks
Morning Star
Soul to Soul Foot Bar
Clothing Dock
Little Shop of Hers
Jamie Bellermann
Dana Hope
Redwood Curtain
David Sandercott
Couple Cups
Greenwired Renewable Energy Solutions
Libation
Circus of the Elements
Marjo Ribeiro
Tracy Rain
Redway Feed
Beneficial Tea Company
Cornerstone Computers
Global Village Gallery
3 Fold Design
Arcata Pet Supply
Humboldt Connection
Danielle Donaldson
Yi Fang
Bead Supply
Abraxas
Henderson Center Bicycles
Many Hands Gallery

Posted in Blog, EPIC Events |

EPIC to Participate in HSU Earthday Symposium to Examine Marijuana’s Environmental Impact

Monday, April 15th, 2013
By Gary Graham Hughes

EPIC Collaborates with Humboldt State University Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research in Organizing 2013 Earthday Symposium on Industrial Cannabis Agriculture and the Environment

An undeniable point of fact is that industrial cannabis agriculture is having an increasingly quantifiable affect on local and global environments. In the United States there is a significant and worrisome increase in energy intensive and climate damaging indoor grow operations associated with the legalization of recreational and medical marijuana in a variety of states across the country. In Northwest California, both indoor and large scale outdoor grows are having more of an impact on public trust resources with every passing year. EPIC is engaging on this issue under the fundamental premise that the development of policy regarding marijuana on both a national and local level must take environmental ramifications into consideration in order that a sane, healthy, and ecologically sustainable marijuana agriculture paradigm be established. It is clear that marijuana agriculture, as with the flower bulb industry, wine and grape industry, the timber industry, the dairy industry, the tourism industry, and many other iconic North Coast economic motors, is here to stay; to plan otherwise is to ignore four decades of adaptation by an industry whose benefits, and costs, have had an undeniable impact on rural Northwest California.

EPIC is committed to contributing to a level headed engagement on this complex and important human economic activity on the North Coast, with the goal of contributing to the design and implementation of solutions that respect civil liberties as well as protect human and natural communities from the environmental degradation that can be associated with industrial grows. Cannabis agriculture on the North Coast of California has recently been gaining national attention due to the publicizing of graphic evidence describing large-scale egregious and destructive industrial cannabis agriculture operations that are putting decades of community based watershed restoration activities at risk. At the same time, state of the art rural residences featuring homesite grow operations demonstrate a high level of ecological literacy that integrates agricultural production with forward looking water conservation, forest management, and agricultural practices that exemplify core community values of land stewardship. With an increasingly acute tension between “Green Rush” growers looking to make a fast buck regardless of the environmental consequences of their activities and the many local residents committed to a healthy environment and sustainable cottage industry, our communities and our landscapes truly are in the balance.

To further this discussion, and with the intent of seeing regulatory frameworks for the cannabis industry be constructed upon the best available science in order to reduce and/or eliminate the negative environmental consequences of this economic activity, EPIC is honored to participate in the April 19-20 Earthday 2013 HSU Earthday Symposium on Marijuana and the Environment titled “Communities and Landscapes in the Balance: The Crossroads of Environmental Protection and Marijuana Agriculture.”

Stay tuned for more updates from EPIC on this critical issue, and check out the videos posted below from last October’s symposium at HSU.

HSU Press Release from Feb 14 2013: HSU Forum Probes Marijuana’s Environmental Impact

This spring Humboldt State University will host its inaugural Earth Day Symposium on Marijuana and the Environment, centering on a key issue often ignored in mainstream analysis: marijuana’s environmental effects.

The first annual symposium, sponsored by HSU’s Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) and the Department of Sociology, is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20, in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building and other campus locations to be announced later.

The two-day symposium is titled “Communities and Landscapes in the Balance: The Crossroads of Environmental Protection and Marijuana Agriculture.” It is outlined in full on the new HIIMR website (http://humboldt.edu/dee/hiimr/) and will comprise numerous panels, workshops and multimedia presentations. The symposium will bring together leading policymakers, grassroots environmental organizations, activists, scientists, students and community members.

Panelists will share their expertise about a broad spectrum of marijuana issues, including land use policy, water quality, forest degradation, northern California fish and wildlife protection and the climate damage inflicted nationwide by indoor grows.

Among the tentative topics to be addressed (subject to change) are:

Public Lands and Trespass Marijuana Grows — Prevention and Cures
Ecological Data – What We Know and What We Need to Know
Private Timberland Impacts: Trespass, Conversion and Solutions
Legislative Updates on Marijuana Policy and the Environmental Implications
Public Health Impacts of Smoking Toxic Weed
The Ecological Footprint of Indoor Marijuana Agriculture
Indigenous Land and the Marijuana Industrial Complex
Environmental Impacts and the Marijuana Industry: Worst-Case Scenarios
Threats to Fish from Marijuana Agriculture

“We expect the symposium to enhance the understanding of the many ways marijuana cultivation impacts the environment,” say HIIMR Co-Directors and Professors Erick Eschker and Joshua Meisel. “It also will contribute to California’s efforts to develop ecologically sound and economically sustainable policy.”

Registration is available online at http://humboldt.edu/dee/hiimr/.

Video from Autumn 2012 Symposium at HSU now available on line:

Last October 2012 EPIC participated in a previous symposium on these topics. Last falls symposium “Environmental Challenges of Marijuana Agriculture in the Age of Prohibition” brought together community members, grassroots environmental activists, elected officials, and agency representatives to address the impacts of cannabis agriculture, and offer insights into the opportunities and challenges involved in addressing these problems. Video of that symposium is now available on line: http://vimeopro.com/todu/environ-challenges-of-marijuana-ag-in-the-age-of-prohibition

Fall Symposium Video 1 of 4

Posted in Biodiversity, Blog, Clean Water, Public Lands |

Action Alerts: Give Two Hoots for Northern Spotted Owls

Thursday, March 28th, 2013
By Andrew Orahoske

As we move into spring and celebrate the blossoming of flowers and return of vibrant life in our region, so too are Northern Spotted Owl pairs beginning their yearly nesting endeavors. This year, owls have some things to be happy about as two major initiatives advance in EPIC’s Spotted Owl Self-defense Campaign.

Hoot One

First, the EPIC petition to list the Northern Spotted Owl under the California Endangered Species Act that was filed last September received a positive evaluation from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in February, recommending candidate listing and full status review. The listing petition will now be heard by the California Fish and Game Commission on April 17th, and EPIC will be there to advocate on behalf of the owl. It is now time for the State of California to recognize its duties, and based on the overwhelming evidence, act swiftly to protect the Northern Spotted Owl.

Click here to take Action #1: Contact the California Fish and Game Commission and let them know that you support EPIC’s petition to list the Northern Spotted Owl under the California Endangered Species Act.

Hoot Two

Another major initiative in EPIC’s Spotted Owl Self-defense Campaign is reforming antiquated rules at the California Board of Forestry. On February 6, 2013, EPIC filed a rulemaking petition before the Board of Forestry to remove regulations that have resulted in harm to owls and significant loss of owl habitat. Existing state regulations have allowed intensive logging of spotted owl habitat within known owl territories resulting in the abandonment and loss of hundreds of historic nesting sites. Updating state regulations to reflect the most current scientific and regulatory guidance is necessary to conserve and recover owls and their habitat. In addition, changing existing state regulations will also serve to streamline review and approval of timber harvest plans, and save valuable public resources. Thanks to positive public comments and the participation of EPIC membership, on March 6th the Board voted to accept EPIC’s rulemaking petition and initiate a formal rulemaking process. Now we need the support of EPIC members and the public to ensure that the Board finalizes the rulemaking.

Click here to take Action #2: Contact the Board of Forestry and let them know that you support EPIC’s petition to remove outdated and harmful regulations that damage Northern Spotted Owl habitat

Posted in Action Alerts, Biodiversity, Blog, Environmental Democracy, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl, Public Lands |

EPIC Vigilance and Legal Action Cancels Harmful Logging Project in the Mad River Watershed – Adios “Nacho Libre”

Thursday, March 28th, 2013
By Rob DiPerna

SPI1-300x231-2 Life can be precarious for imperiled species and old trees on an industrial forestry landscape, particularly on lands managed by Green Diamond Resource Company (GDRC) and Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI). Even though these gigantic, privately-held companies spend massive amounts of capital on marketing schemes and public perception management, they are still teaming up to log old-growth redwoods and harm the few remaining imperiled denizens of the redwood temperate rainforest.

GDRC and SPI plotted, joined forces and filed the “Nacho Libre” timber harvest plan (THP) in late 2012, curiously choosing a name from a Jack Black movie without any explanation or due credit. Unlike the movie, however, the “Nacho Libre” THP was a cynical attempt at humor that fell flat in the face of ecological reality and clear legal precedent. The plan proposed to target old-growth trees for removal and to directly harm a breeding pair of Northern Spotted Owls by destroying important habitat within their immediate nesting territory. EPIC sounded the alarm over the “Nacho Libre” THP earlier this year and mobilized available resources to contest the plan.

The public trust agencies tasked with reviewing this timber harvest plan (the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife) all recognized the rare and unique values of this remnant stand of old-growth in a watershed that has been severely and repeatedly logged. The Department of Forestry and Department of Fish and Wildlife were in agreement that the forest stand was likely “late successional forest” habitat with a substantial old growth component within the meaning of the California Forest Practice Rules. According to the Water Quality inspection report, old growth redwoods of six to ten feet in diameter were observed in the stand and threatened with felling. Due to these facts, not only were Northern Spotted Owls in harm’s way, but the structural components of the forest stand are also suitable for the extremely imperiled Marbled Murrelet, a seabird that only nests in old-growth forests.

In the face of this impending threat, on March 18, 2013, EPIC filed a formal letter to GDRC and SPI notifying the companies of violations of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and requesting that “Nacho Libre” THP be withdrawn immediately. Under the relevant laws and regulations, the proposed plan would have resulted in illegal “take” of Northern Spotted Owls and Marbled Murrelets in violation of Section 9 of the ESA. In clear violation of the law, GDRC and SPI attempted to skirt around disclosure requirements and use an outdated incidental take permit to harm wildlife on the brink of extinction.

The very next day, on March 19, 2013, GDRC and SPI officially withdrew the “Nacho Libre” THP. Caught in the act, GDRC and SPI had no other choice but to abide by the law, however, the companies reserved the right to re-file the harmful plan, but likely under a different name next time.

Today and during this breeding season, a productive pair of Northern Spotted Owls living up in the Mad River watershed can rest a little easier—for now anyway. The withdrawal of the “Nacho Libre” THP comes on the heels of another recent victory for owls and murrelets after SPI withdrew the “Hiker’s Parade” THP in the Redwood Creek watershed. EPIC’s continued vigilance in monitoring and commenting on industrial timber operations is absolutely essential to upholding the law and recovering endangered species.

Posted in Blog |

Statewide Coalition Opposes Caltrans’ Environmentally Damaging Highway-Widening Projects

Thursday, March 21st, 2013
By Natalynne DeLapp

Northern Calif. Groups Call on Caltrans to Halt Construction on Willits Bypass

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Two-dozen conservation and community organizations are joining together to take on irresponsible and damaging highway-widening projects around the state by the California Department of Transportation. The Caltrans Watch coalition cites wasteful spending, institutionalized disregard of environmental regulations designed to protect natural resources, and a pattern of refusal to address local community concerns. A dozen of the groups are calling on Caltrans to halt construction on the controversial Willits Bypass project in Mendocino County.

“With devastating budget cuts to education, health and social services and the state park system, how can Caltrans squander $350 million on five unnecessary highway widening projects in Northern California, with severe environmental impacts?” asked Jeff Miller of the Center for Biological Diversity. “Someone needs to give ’em a brake. Where’s the oversight and accountability to rein in the pervasive problems at Caltrans, like refusal to consider reasonable alternatives to massive highway projects, shoddy environmental review, no transparency, faulty data and disregard for public input?”

“The Willits community is coming to realize what a disaster the Willits Bypass will be for our environment and our town,” said Ellen Drell of the Willits Environmental Center. “The project should be stopped until Caltrans adequately evaluates less damaging alternatives. We want our transportation dollars and construction jobs directed toward locally appropriate infrastructure that doesn’t bankrupt the state, further trash our natural resources or ignore the $300 billion highway maintenance backlog.”

“From the wild canyons of the Smith River, through the redwood parks of Humboldt, to the wetlands headwaters of the Eel River at Willits, Caltrans is running roughshod over the North Coast,” said Natalynne Delapp of the Environmental Protection Information Center. “Local communities are trying to engage the agency to develop appropriate transportation solutions, but Caltrans continues to bulldoze us with archaic projects straight out of the 1950s, that benefit only a limited group of economic interests.”

Despite a pending lawsuit filed by conservation groups challenging the Willits Bypass — a proposed four-lane freeway to be built through sensitive wetlands around the community of Willits — Caltrans has stated its intention to cut down mature oak forests, remove brush and destroy riparian vegetation along critical salmon streams before the case can be heard in federal court this summer. State Sen. Noreen Evans earlier this month sent a letter to Caltrans echoing community concerns over whether there is a need for a four-lane project, why other alternatives or routes were not seriously examined, and if less environmentally destructive solutions to address local traffic congestion were feasible. For now, protestors and a tree-sitter in the path of Caltrans’ proposed superhighway have prevented tree and vegetation removal.

Background
The Caltrans Watch coalition includes: Alameda Creek Alliance, Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters, Campaign for Sensible Transportation, Center for Biological Diversity, Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, Environmental Protection Information Center, Friends of Coyote Hills Committee, Friends of Del Norte, Friends of the Eel River, Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont, Mendocino Group of the Sierra Club, Northcoast Environmental Center, Pacificans for Highway One Alternatives, Piercy Watersheds Association, Redwood Chapter of the Sierra Club, Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment, Save Little Lake Valley, Save Niles Canyon, Save Our Sunol, Save Richardson Grove Coalition, Tri-City Ecology Center and Willits Environmental Center.

Caltrans has consistently refused to consider less expensive and ecologically damaging alternatives to highway widening projects that could accomplish safety and transportation objectives, and has ignored public concerns, input and opposition. The coalition points to half a dozen highway-widening projects being pursued by Caltrans that are not needed to achieve the stated safety or transportation access purposes:

* The $10 million Richardson Grove project to widen and realign Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park in Humboldt County, damaging prized old-growth redwoods to supposedly increase access for large commercial trucks;
* The $210 million Highway 101 superhighway the size of Interstate 5 around Willits, not needed for local traffic volumes, requiring the largest wetlands fill permit in Northern California in the past 50 years and running through headwaters of salmon-bearing streams and habitat for endangered plants;
* The $19 million Highway 197/199 widening projects in Del Norte County along the “wild and scenic” Smith River to accommodate oversized commercial trucks, with impacts to old-growth redwood trees;
* The $76 million Niles Canyon highway-widening project in Alameda County, a “safety” project stopped by a citizen lawsuit. Caltrans now admits the widening is not needed and the Federal Highway Administration recently concluded it is not warranted by the state’s safety data. It would have cut 600 riparian trees and added four miles of cement retaining walls and rip-rap along a regionally significant stream for steelhead trout;
* The $50 million Calera Parkway project to double the width of Highway 1 in Pacifica, in San Mateo County, with impacts to endangered frogs and garter snakes.

The coalition supports safe roadways and sensible transportation planning. For each of these projects the organizations have expended considerable effort through the available public review processes to encourage Caltrans to pursue reasonable and effective safety or access upgrades that would avoid needless environmental destruction. These efforts have largely been frustrated by Caltrans’ refusal to even evaluate viable alternatives proposed by the affected communities.

The pattern of flawed decision-making and inadequate environmental review by Caltrans has forced community organizations to resort to litigation as the only remaining avenue to seek redress. The coalition cites systemic problems within Caltrans, beginning with the manner in which transportation infrastructure needs are identified, the proposed solutions to address those needs, incomplete and inadequate review of environmental impacts, and disregard for concerns of local communities.

For more information on the Willits Bypass project (Mendocino County):
Environmental Protection Information Center web page
Save Little Lake Valley
For more information on the Richardson Grove project (Humboldt County):
Save Richardson Grove
Center for Biological Diversity web page
Environmental Protection Information Center web page
For more information on the Smith River project (Del Norte County):
Environmental Protection Information Center web page
For more information on the Niles Canyon project (Alameda County):
Alameda Creek Alliance web page
Save Niles Canyon
For more information on the Calera Parkway project (San Mateo County):
Pacificans for Highway 1 Alternatives

Posted in Blog, Environmental Democracy, Rein in Caltrans |

EPIC Spring Gala featuring Petunia and the Vipers & Sour Mash Hug Band

Thursday, March 14th, 2013
By Natalynne DeLapp

Saturday April 13, 2013 at the Arcata Community Center.

This second annual event promises to please, with two great knee-slapping dance bands, gourmet comfort-food dinner, silent art auction, specialty cocktails, the ever-delightful Humboldt Fire Girls serving it all up, along with fire dance performances by Circus of the Elements and more. The Arcata Community Center is where all the fun and magic will take place and is once again being transformed, this time taking you back to the good-ole days of the classic Americana Era.

Petunia and the Vipers is roots Americana music at it’s best, blending sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rock and roll and bluegrass. “Road dogs Petunia and the Vipers play upbeat, hillbilly honky tonk that sounds like it took at least a 70-year time machine voyage from its birthplace to your ears. Taking traditional country sounds — the Vipers present a knowing sendup of their legendary influences and translate them into a boot-tapping live experience that’s anything but dated. They brings the hootenanny.“–Andrew Goff, North Coast Journal

Sour Mash Hug Band is a modern day Jug band with a twist! “Sour Mash Band evokes an era that never quite existed. Paris in the 30s, Harlem in the 20s, New Orleans in the 90s, its hard to say. An irresistible mix of old-time, gypsy, bluegrass, jazz, Irish, and ragtime.” –The San Francisco Chronicle

The evening begins at 6pm with specialty cocktails, delicious hors d’oeuvres, followed by a gourmet dinner served to your table by the Humboldt Fire Girls!

Dinner includes a drink of your choice, a New Orleans style feast with a delicious Andouille Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya, Braised Collard Greens, Corn Bread Muffins, Organic Salad, and more. A vegetarian option is available and all dinners are gluten free. Desserts to be announced!

In order to provide a quality dinner experience for our guests, there is limited reserved seating only. Individual tickets for dinner and the music show are $40, or you may reserve an entire table of eight for you and seven of your friends for $300.

Purchase your advanced reservations for dinner and the music show here. Tickets purchased before April 5th are $40.00, and thereafter are $45.00. Reserve a table for eight for $300.

Doors open for the concert at 8pm, with beer, wine & cocktails being served by the Humboldt Fire Girls as well as special guest dance performers. Tickets are $15 in advance for general admission, $20 at the door.

Purchase your advance sale tickets to the music show here.

Specialty cocktails such include the Whiskey Corpse Reviver, Good Ole Margarita, Vodka Lavender Lemonade and the Dark & Stormy, along with local beer and wine available throughout the evening.

Tickets may be purchased in person at Wildberries Marketplace, Redway Liquor, or at the EPIC Office (145 G Street Arcata) and online at wildcalifornia.org.

All proceeds from the evening benefit the Environmental Protection Information Center-EPIC. EPIC works to restore and protect ancient forests, watersheds, coastal estuaries, and endangered species in Northwest California. For more information please contact EPIC at 707-822-7711.

Thank you to Circus of the Elements, a DreamMaker Project of The Ink People for sponsoring the event!

Posted in Blog, EPIC Events |

Act Now to Stop Destructive Post-Fire “Salvage” Logging on the Mendocino National Forest

Thursday, March 14th, 2013
By Kimberly Baker

Dozerline backburn on the Southern end of Mill fire. Credit Reuben/Feather River Hotshots

The Mendocino National Forest has released an Environmental Analysis for post-fire logging on 985 acres in the Mill fire area, outside of the town of Stonyford. Public comment is due by March 25^th. Please Act Now to stand up for forests, wildlife and watersheds.

Although a vast majority of the forest marked as timber sale units actually burned at moderate and low severity, with many live trees remaining within these stands, the agency claims the stands are in a “deforested condition” and are not functioning “normally.” This claim is used to justify removing most of the trees in the units, including live green trees, totaling nearly 1000 acres of ecologically unnecessary post-fire salvage logging.

The Emergency Situation Determination (ESD) that the Mendocino planners are seeking streamlines environmental review, reduces public recourse, and would allow logging to begin immediately after a Decision by the Forest Supervisor despite an appeal or pending lawsuit. Now is the time for the public to speak up and voice their opposition to this undemocratic decision making process.

It is clear that timber volume is driving this project running over ecology and the best available science. One statement made in the ESD letter after land managers met with timber industry representatives: “It was concluded that the sale would need to contain enough volume to cover move in move out costs of logging operations as well as high haul cost from this remote area of the forest.”

The project is within the Blue Slides Late Successional Reserve (LSR). The reserves are set aside to preserve old growth forest and species like the Northern Spotted Owl that depend on big old trees for survival. Damaged and dead trees (snags) are important structural components of late-successional forests and are key habitat for numerous species. They provide forage, cavities for nesting and protection, perch sites, and den sites. Large snags are considered to be one of the distinctive features of an old-growth forest.

Fire and tree mortality are natural elements in a forest ecosystem. Logging of large snags does not contribute to recovery of forest habitat; in fact, the only activity more antithetical to the recovery process would be removal of surviving green trees from burned sites, which the Mendocino timber planners are proposing to do in this project. Much of the area is already naturally regenerating. Logging with ground based equipment such as tractors and bulldozers on fragile soils will inhibit and kill natural growth.

Post-fire landscapes and snag forests are alive and vibrant. They are more biologically diverse than unburned forest, and provide for an array of plant and animal species. Post-fire landscapes are considered to be one of the most rare, endangered, and ecologically important forest habitat types in western U.S. forests, and the stand-transforming fires that create this habitat are not damaging the forest ecosystem. Rather, they are advancing ecological restoration.

Act now to protect your public lands! Please ask Mendocino National Forest to cancel destructive post-fire logging within the Blue Slides LSR.

North Pass Fire Update- You made a difference!

A step in the right direction.

The North Pass post-fire logging project was recently rescinded due to serious watershed concerns. The canceled 900-acre project area was proposed within the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Eel River, a key watershed that is critical for salmon recovery. This watershed is also listed as being “impaired” under the Clean Water Act.

Due to the destructive effects of logging activities on fragile post-fire soils, in combination with the documented negative effects from the fire suppression activities such as “backburns” or “burnouts,” along with the excessive firelines created by bulldozers, the proposed salvage-logging project was predicted to increase sediment and disturb soils to an unacceptable level. In short, it would have choked streams and harmed Steelhead trout and Salmon.

Mendocino land managers also received a flood of concerns from EPIC’s last Action Alert. Thanks to all of you who took action! Your taking action makes a difference in protecting your public lands!

While it is not clear that land managers will totally abandon the idea of logging the fire area, they have indicated that future plans may be significantly reduced to focus on roadside cutting.

Your actions make a difference—take action on the Mill Fire salvage-logging project today!

Posted in Action Alerts, Biodiversity, Blog, Environmental Democracy, Northern Spotted Owl, Public Lands, Returning to a Natural Cycle of Wildfire |

Green Diamond and SPI Team Up to Log Old Growth Redwood and Harm Spotted Owls

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013
By Rob DiPerna

SPI Clearcut

It is said that politics makes for strange bedfellows. However, in the instance of the timber industry on the North Coast of California, it is not surprising to our team at EPIC to find Green Diamond Resource Company and Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI), two of the state’s worst industrial timber sector actors, joining forces to destroy old growth redwoods and harm native species. Despite all the green-washing rhetoric spewing from the public relations and perception management departments of each company, both are revealing their true nature as they hold hands conspiring to violate the law and harm spotted owls and native forests in the recently filed “Nacho Libre” THP.

Timber Harvest Plan (THP) 1-12-114HUM “Nacho Libre” was recently filed jointly by SPI and Green Diamond. The property is located in the Cannon Creek state planning watersheds high up in the Mad River basin. SPI owns the land, but Green Diamond recently bought the timber rights. The THP covers 87.4 total acres, including 58.8 acres of proposed clearcutting.

Of particular concern is Unit A of the plan, a proposed 38.1-acre clearcut threatening to eliminate a Northern Spotted Owl activity center. Spotted owl activity center HUM0301 “Freeman” is contained within this unit. This owl site has been active since the early 90’s with several nesting trees located in the clearcut unit. While the individual nest trees will be left, the rest of the unit is to be clearcut, which will result in “take” of spotted owls as admitted in the THP itself.

How is this possible, you ask? The answer is quite insidious. Since Green Diamond bought the timber rights to the unit, they and SPI are claiming that the Green Diamond Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) can be employed in order to invoke the company’s Incidental Take Permit (ITP), thus allowing the companies to “take” the owl site. Activity center HUM0301 “Freeman” to this point has been protected from outright “take” by SPI, as SPI has never complied with federal law to develop a Habitat Conservation Plan for their extensive properties in California. Now, SPI intends to use Green Diamond’s ITP to drive the birds from its property.

If this weren’t bad enough, a pre-harvest inspection conducted by CAL FIRE discovered that Green Diamond and SPI hid the fact that there is a substantial old growth component to the unit. In fact, CAL FIRE indicates that the unit in question likely qualifies as “Late Successional Forest” under the Forest Practice Rules definition. It also turns out that the unit may provide suitable Marbled Murrelet habitat in addition to providing essential habitat for Northern Spotted Owls.

Logging of old growth and “taking” Northern Spotted Owls is completely contrary to the public statements made by Green Diamond indicating that the company would not log old growth and that they are committed to maintaining owls on the landscape. Furthermore, teaming up with the likes of SPI further damages the public credibility of Green Diamond and shows the true “profit by any means necessary” philosophy of both companies.

EPIC staff will continue to monitor the progress of the “Nacho Libre” THP as a key element of our work to expose the green-wash hypocrisy and underhandedness of Green Diamond and SPI’s behavior. Stay tuned for more updates as we involve our members in protecting wild forests and endangered species on the North Coast of California.

Posted in Biodiversity, Blog, Environmental Democracy, Eye on Green Diamond, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl |

EPIC Spotted Owl Rulemaking Petition Advances at the Board of Forestry

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013
By Rob DiPerna

NSO self defense EPIC’s rulemaking petition to the Board of Forestry aimed at deleting Forest Practice Rules that are harmful to Northern Spotted Owls was heard on March 6, 2013 in Sacramento, resulting in a favorable vote accepting the petition. The acceptance of EPIC’s petition is a large step forward for the Board, and for the protection of Northern Spotted Owls in California.

EPIC staff was afforded 20 minutes to state our case before the Board, followed by an extensive question and answer session. After the EPIC presentation, the Board asked to hear from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). Much to our surprise, CAL FIRE reiterated many of the points we made, and stated that they believed the entire rule section pertaining to Northern Spotted Owl should be revised in addition to deleting the infamous subsection “option g.”

After hearing from CAL FIRE, the Board then heard public comment on the petition. Not surprisingly, there was some opposition from the industry. However this opposition seemed to be a matter of principle rather than true concern over the technical merits of the petition.

The Board then held a discussion of the rulemaking petition. After this discussion, a motion was made to accept EPIC’s petition and to initiate the formal rulemaking process. An amendment was offered to the motion that would require the entire Rule section pertaining to spotted owls to be remanded to the Forest Practice Committee for a complete overhaul. The Board adopted the motion by a vote of 4-3. Not surprisingly both industry representatives currently seated on the Board voted against the motion. However, other members surprised us with their favorable votes.

EPIC’s petition will now be converted by the Board into a formal 45-day notice of proposed rulemaking, with the intent to adopt the changes after the notice period. There will be another hearing on the rulemaking petition after the 45-day notice is issued and expires.

EPIC’s attempt to improve Forest Practice Rules related to the protection of spotted owls is occurring with the back-story of the EPIC California Endangered Species Act (CESA) petition to list the species under the state law. The Department of Fish and Wildlife has recommended that the Fish and Game Commission accept this petition and initiate a full status review for spotted owls in California. The potential listing of spotted owls under CESA will have wide-ranging implications for the Board of Forestry as it navigates the process of updating and improving existing Forest Practice Rules to provide for greater protections of indicator species like the Northern Spotted Owl. It is crucial to remember the conservation strategy behind pursuing protection for spotted owls—as an indicator species for forest ecosystem health, protections for the Northern Spotted Owl will result in improvements for the forest ecosystem as a whole.

The acceptance of EPIC’s petition to delete “option g” is a large step forward for the Board, and for the protection of Northern Spotted Owls in California. Deletion of antiquated and harmful Forest Practice Rules will help improve conditions on the ground for the species, and will contribute to moving the argument away from permitting and regulating harm to the species, and instead toward forward looking mechanisms for recovery.

Posted in Biodiversity, Environmental Democracy, Industrial Forestry Reform, Northern Spotted Owl |

Pisces Party Tradition Celebrates Work of Richard Gienger

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013
By Rob DiPerna

The 11th Annual Pisces Party will be held Friday, March 8, at the Beginnings Octagon in Briceland. The Pisces Party tradition has become an EPIC community ritual and harbinger of the coming spring. The event is an annual fundraiser to honor and support EPIC adviser and mentor Richard Gienger’s ongoing work restoring the forests and watersheds of the region.

Doors will open at 6 PM for a dinner prepared by Sue’s Organics, with cocktails, beer and wine to be served through the evening. Entertainment for the evening will feature one of our favorite local songwriters Jan Bramlett, and a rousing and rocking headline performance by Casey Neill and the Norway Rats. Dinner and the show is $25, while the show is only $10, with tickets available at the door. You can purchase tickets in advance by clicking here, or if you are unable to attend the party, but would like to support Richard’s work, you can make a secure online donation by clicking here.

RICHARD6 Richard Gienger is without question one of the State of California’s most authentic and dedicated restoration experts and advocates. His efforts were recognized in 2010 with the presentation of the EPIC Sempervirens Award for Lifetime Achievement–an award that now carries with it Richard’s name. Richard is a rare talent who has been able to make restoration happen on the ground as well as moving policy in the halls of power in Sacramento. Sometimes controversial, and at other times a key facilitator in the resolution of conflict, Richard has been making contributions to the recovery and stewardship of the watersheds in our bioregion for four decades.

EPIC staff recently caught up with Richard to run some questions by him about his work to reform the analysis of cumulative watershed effects and the organization and availability of critical information. We asked Richard to explain and simplify the concept of cumulative effects and how they are currently analyzed. The following Q and A is an excellent window to the essence of Richard’s work that will be supported through the funds raised at this year’s Pisces Party.

Q1) Can you explain the concept of cumulative effects?

A1) Cumulative effects are those effects which are a combination of single effects which may affect a given area or situation in ways that are capable of significantly altering conditions such that entire established relationships and conditions for that area or situation are transformed. For instance, to use a common example for forested watersheds: One failed road stream crossing is likely to not overwhelm the productive capacity of fish habitat in a given watershed, but a number of failed stream crossings in that watershed (which can happen over time) could contribute levels of sediment that could impair the productive capacity of the fish habitat in the whole watershed – a significant cumulative effect. Usually cumulative effects are assumed to be adverse, although that isn’t necessarily the case – for instance the cumulative replanting of conifers in conifer depleted riparian zones could lead to improved water temperatures and fish habitat. Cumulative effects can happen, and do happen, over a range of space and time. An example of adverse cumulative effects on wildlife would be the case of the Marbled Murrelets which depend on very large branches of old growth forests relatively close to the ocean for their nesting habitat. The logging of such old growth, if scattered in location and size and over long periods of time may not significantly threaten the overall populations of Marbled Murrelets, but at a certain point, if the old growth removal is extended over large areas in a relatively short period of time, the cumulative effect will be to jeopardize the reproduction and survival of the species – taking their habitat needs beyond the threshold of conditions necessary for the species to thrive or even survive.

Q2) Can you summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the current assessment methodology?

A2) The strengths of the current assessment methodology include the requirement in Section 916.4 of the Forest Practice Rules for the forester (or their designee) to walk every watercourse and describe and/or map features that adversely affect that watercourse and riparian zone in the area of a submitted Timber Harvest Plan (THP). Another strength is that the evaluation of cumulative effects is required covered all past, current and foreseeable seen future cumulative impacts – impacts of all kinds, not just logging effects, as they affect the appropriate evaluation area. Cumulative Watershed effects are almost always required to be, and justifiably so, evaluated at the CalWater Planning Watershed scale – usually an area of 5,000 to 10,000 acres. This is the same scale that the Department of Fish & Wildlife recommend that recovery plans, determination of limiting factors, and organization of information be done at in the 2004 Coho Recovery Strategy.

The weaknesses of the current assessment methodology include, but are not limited to:

The failure to have a Planning Watershed scale evaluation that appropriately incorporates the Section 916.4 type of evaluation required for THPs.
There are no standard templates (specific maps at specific scale, specific descriptions in a specific framework etc.) required for the necessary information that would give a credible cumulative effects evaluation that.
Information is not currently organized by Planning Watershed but is by county. CalFire is trying to gradually get information at that scale, but all the stakeholders need to be able to ‘click’ on the Planning Watershed number and get the information they need on their computer screen.
Most landowners lack the kind multidisciplinary expertise, access to information, and funds to adequately consider and respond to significant adverse cumulative effects.
Even the best “consideration” of cumulative effects required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) seldom, if ever, respond with what needs to be done to reduce those effects to insignificance.

Q3) Can you talk about the nuts and bolts of capturing and organizing information?

A3) A “nuts and bolts” way of doing this, that I have been pushing on for more than two decades is through having multidisciplinary, multiagency, and multistakeholders to conduct pilot projects that determine what information is needed and how it should be organized. A central part of this is to have that information be “user-friendly’ and electronically accessible to all stakeholder – from the THP submitter to the reviewing agencies and to the public.

Q4) How do you anticipate that the gathering of this information will inform or influence decision-making?

I think this information – if adequate in content, organization, standardization, and accessibility – will make for better decisions that can actually lead to correction of adverse cumulative effects, better forestry, and recovery of wildlife, fisheries, and human communities duet to legacy and current impacts on forestland. Of course this information will only provide a foundation on which better decions can be made. The actual right decisions will be difficult and painful, but without adequate information one would be unable to gain “a toe-hold” to leverage the kind of changes that are needed.

Q5) What is your ideal outcome?

A5) My ideal outcome is the right decisions will start being made through the multidisciplinary, multiagency, multistakeholder processes described above. Check out a current attempt in the California Legislature, AB 875 – go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html and put in the bill number. Let’s get solutions into the “light of day”.

Q6) What are your feelings about the Pisces Party?

A6) I feel great about the Pisces Party — always an inspiration with good, music, food, fellowship, community fun & goodwill. Thanks EPIC and friends!

Posted in Blog |