Take Action, Help us Protect California Open Spaces, State Parks, Coastal Areas & Beaches
Sometimes we have to take a few minutes and do something to
save our natural places or we won't have anywhere for hiking & outdoor recreation, at least not in Southern California.
Past efforts to save our natural areas and state parks have been successful. Scroll down to toward the end of
this page and see "Past Campaigns" for results of a few recent efforts. Proof that it works!
Many of the places described on this site are threatened by development. What can you do to help? A
good start is to sign online petitions to save our natural places, a few which you will find links to below. Also make
sure to visit the organization's websites listed on this page for the most current action alerts. Write your local
newspapers, comment on news articles and blogs. Write your local politicians. Let's not forget to make
sure we vote for politicians who don't advocate the destruction of our natural places. Check your candidates or
politicians environmental track record at http://www.lcv.org/.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." --
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma
Gandhi
Once again our California State
Parks are under threat of closure. Sign
California State Parks Foundation's petition at: http://ga3.org/campaign/budget072909 For more information on this issue (including a list of State Parks
to be closed immediately) see California State Parks Foundation website at: http://www.calparks.org/takeaction/. Thanks!
Save Los Cerritos Wetlands Nature finds a way... Hidden away behind the oil fields in Southeast Long Beach & Seal Beach along the San
Gabriel River & Los Cerritos Channel functioning wetlands still exist. But they are threatened by developments. See pictures of unpermitted destruction on 3/20/09 and write letters/make phone calls opposing any type
of development other than natural restoration, click here for contacts and futher information. Also see "Action Alerts"
at the bottom of the Los Cerritos Wetlands page for a complete list of threats & ways you can help this restoration.
12/19/08 the US Secretary of Commerce rules against the toll road! A million thanks to all who participated
to preserve OUR state park and beach!!! Read the story here on the NOAA's site: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081218_tca.html
Here is an example of TCA's work...build a toll road over the habitat
of rare and endangered species and then block access to the trails around the toll road and then blame the mountain bikers
for destruction of that habitat. Don't let this be San O's future too. Read the article here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trail-browne-area-2246181-signs-people
This toll road project would cause 60% closure of San Onofre State Beach, impact water quality and sediment flow to Trestles Beach, cut through San Mateo Campground causing loss of campsites and peacefulness
of the area, destroy wildlife habitat including that of 11 endangered species and pave the way for further development of the San Mateo Creek Watershed and surrounding
foothills. San Mateo Watershed is our last natural watershed left in Southern California, stretching from the Santa
Ana Mountains/Cleveland National Forest to the ocean at San O. Further inland this toll road would cut through Donna
O'Neill Land Conservancy (a natural preserve, mitigation for the Talega development).
The Toll Roads have been failing financially for some
time now, which has been widely publicized. Now TCA is asking for a Federal bailout on their failing
roads! TCA has always claimed their roads are not financed in any way by taxpayer $$$, so this is directly against what
they have been telling the public all along. A federal bailout will hurt other badly needed transportation projects
all over the country! A waste of taxpayer $$$ for roads very few people drive--and we are supposed to give up our preserves,
campgrounds and a state beach for this? This bailout request has hit the news from coast to coast. Read about
it on latimes.com: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/traffic/la-me-tollroad17-2008oct17,0,978532.story
In February 2008, California
Coastal Commission denied the proposed toll road project, The toll road company (TCA) appealed to the Federal Government for
which a public hearing was held September 22, 2008. The Feds (US Secretary of Commerce) must make a decision on the
fate of San Onofre by January 2009. Now we wait...
If you missed the September hearing I've included
videos from YouTube. Toward the end of the video at the top a young man recites his public testimony
speech for the cameras before giving his testimony to the feds. Very good.
San Mateo Camp/creek view toward Trestles. Click picture, see how it would look with a toll road.
If you are not familar with the toll road issue please see the write up at the
bottom of my Trestles page at www.caopenspace.org/trestles.html and make sure to also see the websites listed above.
September 21st, the night before the hearing this article runs in the Orange County Register, written
about TCA's claims that polls indicate the majority of citizens are for the toll road. I have NEVER seen a single
real survery that supports their claim. Read the article here and make sure to browse through the reader comments, some toll
road opponents have made some very good points: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/road-toll-agency-2164118-hearing-coastal
9/17/08, TCA sent out a mailer to residents claiming those who oppose
the toll road want to build it through San Clemente neighborhoods and connect to Pico!!!! NOT TRUE! We oppose all realignments
through housing or state parks! Don't believe these tactics.
New 6/14/08: Apparently TCA has had some private opportunities in the appeal process to the US Secretary of Commerce, for
which the public did not have the opportunity to be present. And Lt. Governor Garamendi is not too happy about it, so
he wrote the US Dept of Commerce a letter, read it here: http://www.ltg.ca.gov/images/toll%20road%20letter%20luxton%206-11-08.pdf
This week TCA also announced they will be
spending $35,000 a month on lobbying efforts. A federal committee has been assigned the task of coordinating an objective
evaluation of alternatives to the toll road extension which TCA has meddled in the process rendering it incapable of being
objective.
So, let's get this straight...the public
only had the opportunity to comment for 30 days. But TCA gets access to US Commerce without the public presence?
And they get the opportunity to influence the alternatives committee? And now they are spending $35K a month to lobby?
Something is wrong here!!!
Thank you Trestles supporters! The
last letter writing campaign to the US Secretary of Commerce asking to uphold the Feb 6th, 2008 California Coastal
Commission ruling disallowing the 241 Toll Road--over 25,000 letters were received by the US Commerce Dept.
New Santiago Oaks action, 11/21/08: Send email to sorptrails@rdmd.ocgov.com see details at the petition link above. All but one trail has now been reopened! One left to go...send an email
requesting this trail that links two sections of the park should remain opened. Thanks!
View of Los Cerritos Wetlands from Gum Grove Park
Support Restoration of Los Cerritos Wetlands
Oppose building a new Home Depot on Studebaker Rd. & Seaport development of the
wetlands areas.
Both a restored
wetlands and reconfiguration of the breakwater returning waves to Long Beach would be a great benefit environmentally and
economically. In addition this would provide educational and recreational opportunities. Click here to see photos and more information about the area. (Also see the Restoration & Preservation page).
Restore
the wetlands in the open space along the San Gabriel River, Studebaker Road, 2nd St/Westminster in the cities of Long Beach
and Seal Beach. More info about this at LCWL website: http://www.lcwlandtrust.org/purchase.htm.
Long Beach
please oppose the construction of Home Depot on Studebaker Road between Loynes Drive and Westminster/Second Street--we don't
want 8,000 more cars driving through our neighborhood everyday and this would be not benefit the wetlands project.
Currenty I believe this project is in the Environmental Impact Report stage, EIR #10-04, source: http://www.longbeach.gov/plan/pb/epd/er.asp Other notes on this page, Seaport Marina, EIR #19-05 near the corner of 2nd St. and PCH, a residential and retail development
proposal--wetland restoration would be much better!
For information about Long Beach Breakwater Reconfiguration
click here.
In San Diego CA, a 150 mile
power transmission line linking fossil fuel plants to LA threatening Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and numerous nature preserves
and rural communities along the way.
New, 11/21/08: Sierra Club campaign
to write Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and tell him what you think about his proposed budget cuts to natural places and open
spaces. Deadline, November 27, 2008, 9am: http://cal-legalert.sierraclubaction.org/takeaction.asp?aaid=3625
Other campaigns & resources to find petitions or campaigns regarding environmental protection:
Defenders of Wildlife, campaigns to protect our wildlife List of most current campaigns (not limited to just California). Wilderness areas would not be very interesting without
these creatures! You can help protect them by participating in these campaigns at: http://www.defenders.org/take_action/current_actions/index.php
Surfrider Foundation: Action Center: http://actionnetwork.org/surfrider/home.html List of all Surfrider's take action campaigns or find the elected officials for your area and write them your own
letter.
New 6-19-08: Please ask your Members of Congress to
support full funding for two vital initiatives -- the Green Jobs Act and the Green Block Grant Program: http://www.1sky.org/support-green-programs
Also see our Links page for a list of great organizations working to protect the environment, open spaces and wildlife.
Go to these sites and look for "take action" links.
Mining by removal of mountain tops. Disturbing. This
process literally buries creeks and streams and pollutes watersheds, see video.
On
the campaign below the US Commerce Dept says over 25,000 letters from the public have been received: New Campaign started 4/28/08, ends 5/28/08 From
Surfrider Foundation: email the US Secretary of Commerce & ask to
uphold the Feb 6th, 2008 California Coastal Commission ruling disallowing the 241 Toll Road to be built though San Onofre
State Beach, San Mateo Campground & Trestles:
On the action alert below, fortunately
SB 1295 did not pass. See the Vote the Coast website at: http://www.votethecoast.org/Vote_the_Coast_web_site-4/index.html and write thank you letters to Senators Steinberg, Kehoe, Kuehl, Migden and Machado who all voted against SB 1295.
This action alert was
Tell the California Legislature that you oppose weakening of the Coastal Commission’s
oversight role--Please oppose Senate Bill 1295 Letter opposing SB 1295: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/cccauthority08
On the campaign below
1,277 thank you letters were sent to the Coastal Commission:
Save Trestles: Thank You Letter to California Coastal Commission for no toll road vote--February 6, 2008, the California Coastal Commision denied the requested permit to build
a toll road through Donna ONeill Land Conservancy, San Mateo Campground and San Onofre/Trestles Beach based on the fact the proposed development was not consistent with the California Coastal Act.
One more battle won in the on-going struggle to Save Trestles and San Mateo Campground. Please let them know their ruling
is apprecated. To see pictures of what we are saving please visit our Trestles Page and our Donna ONeill Land Conservancy Page.
On the campaigns earlier this year to write the California Coastal Commission and ask them to Save Trestles
prior to the February 6th California Coastal Commission hearing in Del Mar was a success. Feb 6th hearing was held
specifically to decide if the toll road permit was consistent with our coastal protection laws. After an 11 hour hearing
the Coastal Commision decided it was not and denied the permit to build the 241 Toll Road Extension. This hearing
was originally scheduled to be held in Oceanside but had to be moved to Del Mar due to the large number of citizens against
the toll road who planned to attend. Thousands of people against the toll road showed up, this hearing had one of the
largest citizen attendance in history.
The Save Trestles letter writing campaign asking the US Secretary
of Commerce grant a public hearing for the toll road's appeal to the Federal government was a success! The Public
Hearing was granted, to be held sometime in summer '08, exact date and location to be determined.
Tejon Ranch, Castac Lake
Tejon Ranch, future site of new city "Tejon Mountain Village". Click photo for enlarged view
May 10, 2008: Just last week a deal was made with Tejon Ranch to preserve the majority of the ranch but
the two new cities would still be developed, a total of 26,400 new homes. See LATimes article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tejon8-2008may08,0,25201.story. In trade for 178,000 acres to be set aside for preservation with an option to purchase 62,000 more acres to preserve.
A 49,000 acre state park will be created and 10,000 acres will be used to realign a 37 mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. More information on the preserve can be found at http://www.tejonpreserve.com/
The past campaign: The entire Tejon Pass area is a very unique
biological habitat, very well known for it's wildflowers. See our Tejon page for pictures of this area. The California desert, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Southern California region and Central
Valley all join here, a combination of four geographic regions with a unique habitat of plants and animals found literally
no where else. And they plan to build a huge pre-planned city on the whole thing. Prevent more urban sprawl, please
take a moment to send these two letters below supporting preservation of the area instead. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/action/alerts/index.html
Note: AB 1991 email campaign ended 4/30/08 and this bill is now
dead, see www.votethecoast.org
Protect Southern California Rivers, send a letter to support
the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, campaign from Friends of the River
The Desert and Mountain Heritage Act protects nearly 210,000 acres of public lands
and rivers in Riverside County, 31 miles in the San Jacinto Mountains as Wild & Scenic Rivers and expands wilderness protection
for sensitive watersheds throughout the region, just to mention a few protections provided by this act. For more info click here.
Gorman hills will be surrounded by two new cities & may become the Gorman Post Ranch development.
To view more photos of the Gorman area see our Gorman Wildflowers page. Gorman Post Road is just on the other side of the hills from Quail Lake and the future city of
Centennial. Gorman is just South of Fort Tejon and Tejon Ranch off the I5 which is the site of future city
Tejon Mountain Village. These two new cities also call for an expansion of a nearby coal burning power plant.
It is said the City of Centennial will include houses on the wildflower field covered hilltops along Gorman Post Road.
UCLA College students proposed to make the Gorman Post Road wildflower fields into the "Gorman Wildflower Preserve".
Google search the words "Gorman Wildflower Preserve for more information.
