Action Alert: Update for Lehigh Quarry

By Jitze Couperus

Breaking News! End to Lehigh in Sight!

Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisor Simitian’s referral to direct Santa Clara County to prepare a roadmap for the acquisition of the Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry property! This is big news for Cupertino hillsides, where Lehigh has polluted our air and water and violated our landscape for one hundred years.

Thank you to all of our members who submitted public comments in support of this referral! We look forward to continuing our advocacy efforts to help secure and restore 3,500 acres in the Permanente Creek Watershed.

Next Steps:

Santa Clara County staff has 90 days to report to the Board with options for consideration relating to the potential acquisition of the Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry property. We will let you know how to engage when the time is right!

Thank you,
Giulianna Pendleton Environmental Advocacy Assistant, SCVAS

Action Alert: Oppose Electronic Billboards in San Jose

The San Jose City Council has instructed the Airport Commission (for a second time) to review the proposal to allow digital billboards at the San Jose Airport near the Guadalupe River. Though the Commission’s vote is only advisory, a second NO vote by the Airport Commissioners would hopefully help convince the City Council to abandon billboards at the Airport and to reconsider the entire plan to allow 22 or more digital billboards on public property.

Unfortunately the Airport staff is still pushing their narrative in favor of billboards, and wants the Commission to support their recommendation. Your many emails and live comments during the last Airport Commission meeting helped them understand why digital billboards at the Airport are a bad idea. They need to hear from you again. You can weigh in prior to the meeting or during the meeting. Details for each option are listed below.

Why This is Important

• Digital billboards attract attention, distract drivers and are thus hazardous. Installing them at the airport at the 101/87 interchange puts the public at risk. This proposal runs counter to the city’s Vision Zero policy to eliminate traffic fatalities.

• Light pollution is unhealthy for humans and the environment, and interferes with bird migration. The airport billboards proposed adjacent to the Guadalupe River will negatively impact wildlife and the ecosystem.

• The work of the Lick observatory, one of the most respected scientific institution in the known universe, will be disrupted.

• In allowing these first digital billboards at the airport, San Jose may be opening the floodgates for dozens of additional billboards along the freeways.

• Waste of energy - Although LEDs by themselves may be energy efficient, these massive billboards require constant cooling and computer systems to operate continuously, and would be giant symbols of disregard for the City’s Climate Smart and Carbon Neutral 2030 policies.

What You Can Do

• Email the airport commissioners

To: AirportCom1@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom2@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom4@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom6@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom7@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom8@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom9@sanjoseca.gov, AirportCom10@sanjoseca.gov, AirportComCW@sanjoseca.gov, mkazmierczak@sjc.org

Subject: My Opposition to Electronic Billboards at the airport

Email:

(Please say a little about yourself). I oppose the installation of electronic billboards on airport property or anywhere in San Jose. (Please explain in a sentence or two why you are opposed). I encourage the Airport Commission to reject this proposal again and send a clear message to the City Council that the community wants a healthy, safe environment and no electronic billboards.

• Participate in the virtual meeting

When: This Wednesday, January 26, starting at 6pm.

Join by Zoom here

Join by phone: (408) 638-0968, Webinar ID: 958 5104 4793

Agenda: https://www.flysanjose.com/node/8626

Thank you,

Shani Kleinhaus

Environmental Advocate

Action Alert: Lighting of Creekside Bicycle Superhighways - Where is the balance?

When: Wednesday, January 19, 10AM-12PM
What is happening? Santa Clara Basin Watershed Management Initiative is hosting a workshop to discuss Creekside Bicycle Superhighway, lighting and “the many benefits and challenges of implementing these active transportation facilities along creeks and other water bodies in our urban areas.”
Speakers include:

• Lauren Ledbetter, Valley Transportation Authority

• Shiloh Ballard, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

• Shani Kleinhaus, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society

• Liz Sewell, City of San Jose

• Lisa Bankosh, Valley Water

• Rob Stanley and Brenda Blinn, California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

What can you do? Please participate and ask questions about the effects of trails on riparian ecosystems, noise generated from electric mobility vehicles, how to best enjoy nature while protecting wildlife and birds, the adverse effects of lighting on habitat quality, biology, and animal movement in the riparian corridor, and how we should measure successful projects. Use comments to express: What do you use trails for? What does a good trail look like for you? Have you experienced conflicts among users on creekside trails?

Register Here After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Thank you,

Giulianna Pendleton

Environmental Advocacy Assistant

More Protection for Coyote Valley!

On December 14th, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a Climate Resilience Combining District in Coyote Valley. This decision, along with San Jose City Council’s recent zoning protections for Coyote Valley, are critical steps forward to protect this ecological landscape. Thousands of acres now offer opportunities for birds, wildlife habitat and agriculture to thrive. We hope this legacy will persist into the future and provide us all with the resilience our region needs to withstand climate change and the loss of biodiversity. 

This decision follows years of advocacy for Coyote Valley! Read this article from the San José Spotlight, which quotes our Environmental Advocate Shani Kleinhaus discussing the next steps for protecting Coyote Valley and its birds.