October Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner

Our sponsored Light Pollution Bill, AB 2382 was vetoed by the governor. In his veto letter, the governor referred to existing (and in our opinion, grossly inadequate) building codes, cost and safety (which we believe to have been addressed in the bill as proposed). We are greatly disappointed, and will consider trying again in the future.

Read more about light pollution in this recent article in the Los Angeles Times and in this recent opinion in The Mercury News, written by Travis Longcore, a speaker at our symposium below.

SAVE THE DATE: Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and the Sierra Club are organizing a symposium titled, “Light at Night: A Glowing Hazard,” to focus on light pollution and bird friendly design on the afternoon of November 16. You will have a chance to learn and to ask questions of the leading experts in the field! Please stay tuned.

Our friends at Green Foothills are currently accepting applications for their Leadership Program for 2023. This program is for Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Benito County residents. The Leadership Program is an 8-month training program preparing participants for leadership roles at nonprofits, public agencies, companies, and community-based groups where they advance initiatives for environmental conservation, justice, and inclusive public processes. Scholarships are available. Application and more information.

ADVOCATES MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Success story from Sunnyvale: Rani Fischer, our new Environmental Advocacy Assistant wrote a letter to the editor regarding light invading her home from an adjacent development. Her letter prompted the City of Sunnyvale to contact the polluter and require that lighting be projected downwards, without spilling into neighbors homes and property. Here is Rani’s letter:

Stop light pollution in Sunnyvale

Every night bright lights pour into my living room from the Fortinet building a half mile away here in Sunnyvale. I shield my eyes when I go to the kitchen to get a drink of water so that I can fall back asleep.

Since I live on the edge of a residential area that abuts office parks, the lighting ordinance (SMC 19.42.050) for residences doesn’t apply to me. The spotlights are an unjustifiable source of light pollution and waste of energy. Also, they disorient the hundreds of thousands of birds that migrate every spring and autumn as well as the insects upon which the birds feed. In humans these high-spectrum lights, especially LEDs, suppress melatonin, causing insomnia which damages neuroendocrine and cardiovascular systems, and even exacerbates cancer.

Light pollution is a dangerous problem with an easy solution. Sunnyvale should follow Cupertino and Salt Lake City and create a dark-sky ordinance.

September Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner

Important state bill to control light pollution

SCVAS is a sponsor of AB 2382, Light pollution control (authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee and joined by Senator Ben Allen) which aims to reduce light pollution on state government properties. Please watch for alerts, we may need all our members to ask the Governor to sign this bill.

Action Alert: Sargent Ranch Quarry

Comments on the Environmental Impact Report for the Sargent Ranch Quarry are due September 27. SCVAS will submit comments, and if you would wish to add your own, directions for writing comments are provided on the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band call for action (or contact advocate@scvas.org).

Rally for Juristac on Saturday, September 10th, 1:00-4:00 p.m., on the plaza in front of the County administrative building at 70 W. Hedding in San Jose.

Please consider signing the Juristac petition.

600 Trees

SCVAS submitted comments on Environmental Quality Act documents for several projects in San Jose, highlighting creek corridors, lighting and glass facades. In our most recent comment letter, we focused on a plan to kill over 600 trees in order to make room for 4 warehouses and wide sidewalks on Qume Ave. The Environmental Impact report was riddled with errors, such as the requirement for surveys for bird nests in midwinter (instead of the nesting season), and an error in tree numbering that could result in the destruction of a centuries-old valley oak tree deemed “irreplaceable”. In our comment letter, we pointed out these and other errors as well as the bad design (why should 10-ft sidewalks be prioritized over mature shade trees? Why cannot the project footprint be modified to save the trees?) and inadequate mitigation that only required planting small trees and allowed paying a fee to mitigate the tremendous loss at this site.

What is wrong with these pictures?

These trees slated to be removed to make room for a sidewalk!

This centuries-old “irreplaceable” Valley Oak tree is at risk due to clerical errors (misnumbering) and lack of proper protection over time.

Announcements

Hellyer Park Bioblitz: Join BioBlitz Club and Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful for our seasonal series of BioBlitz events at Hellyer Park in San Jose on Aug 28, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week (Oct 8 - 14) at Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Come celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week, this year from October 8 through October 14 at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. On October 14, drop by the refuge to celebrate nature by exploring your creative side.

Palo Alto Foothills Park Annual Pass: Do you frequent Foothill Park? Annual passes may be purchased at the Lucie Stern Community Center on Tuesdays from 9 A.M. -5 P.M., by phone at 650-463-4900, or online. There are several discounts and free annual passes available for people who qualify.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is hiring a Conservation Biology Intern. The job will provide training in a broad range of natural resource management techniques, environmental analysis, habitats, and tools.

Valley Water 2022 Water Summit (Hybrid event): Valley Water is hosting a Water Summit on Friday, August 26, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., to bring together Silicon Valley leaders to discuss our current water supply challenges and how we can better partner together to find solutions.

August Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner

Alviso Hotel consumes open space and habitat

When the Topgolf project was approved a few years ago, we participated in the Environmental Review process and commented on the loss of open space and habitat. The environmental review documents for that project expressed the intent to leave 6 acres of land undeveloped, and thus rejected the need for mitigation. Now, a new project - Alviso hotel - proposes to develop those same acres. This constitutes segmentation of CEQA review (segmenting a large project to small ones to avoid analyzing and mitigating the full impact) that is not permitted by law. The CEQA documents for the new hotel also dismissed concerns for a plethora of avian species, including burrowing owls. SCVAS submitted three letters on this project to the City of San Jose and appealed the Director Hearing’s decision. We hope the project will fully compensate for the loss of open space and habitat.

San Jose Light Tower stalled

The San Jose Light Tower (AKA Silicon Valley Urban Confluence Breeze of Innovation) seems to have stalled. Efforts by the promoters to increase interest in this environmentally-obtuse project at the confluence of the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek in downtown San Jose failed to capture the public’s heart and imagination, and funding seems far from the needed $150+ millions. A recent report by a technical consultant confirms our prediction that the project as proposed is not feasible in this location, and recommends that the proponents purchase land for the project instead of using public land. Recently, the proponents asked the City of San Jose to study placing this project in Cesar Chavez Plaza. It is becoming very clear that they will not be able to raise over $150,000,000 to construct this vanity project. As we continue to follow the turns and tribulation of this project, we continue to hope that the proponents will reconsider this proclaimed “gift” that takes more than it gives the San Jose community.

Virtual Audubon Advocacy Day 2022

Michael Hawk

Raise your voice for birds and communities at California Virtual Audubon Advocacy Day 2022!

Come support the state bill that SCVAS is co-sponsoring on Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

Join our chapter and chapters across California on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, to speak with your state legislators to save birds and increase access to nature. You and fellow members in your district will meet as a group with your legislators via Zoom. It’s easy and makes a big difference!

This year, Audubon California is supporting three bills for which we will be advocating. Even more excitingly, our very own chapter co-sponsored one of them, Light Pollution Control (AB2382)! Many of you have been helping us implement bird-safe building design principles and lighting controls to protect birds and insects at night throughout Santa Clara County, so let's share our successes with the rest of the state. This bill that we are co-sponsoring will require all buildings owned by the State to implement measures to reduce light pollution. The other two bills are Equitable Outdoor Access Act (AB30) and California Conservation Ranching Incentive Program (SB977). Learn more about these bills here.

Let’s show our state legislators that SCVAS members care about protecting birds and the night sky. It is not too late to register for the event here.

Learn more about Virtual Audubon Advocacy Day 2022 here.