California State Parks Held Hostage By Big Oil
The latest dilemma facing the integrity of California State Parks can be found in Gov. Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which includes a scheme to fund all 279 state parks from oil revenues collected from a long-delayed, controversial offshore drilling plan in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Time to End Interior’s ‘No More Wilderness’ Policy
While Congress and the Obama administration designated thousands of acres’ worth of new wilderness areas shortly after the new administration came into office, many of those wilderness areas were pulled together from proposals and plans drawn up by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management years, if not decades earlier. Why the wait?
Preserving San Diego’s El Capitan
Rob Hutsel from the San Diego River Park Foundation returns to Treehuggers International to discuss efforts to organize the purchase of 385 acres along the summit crest and base of San Diego’s own El Capitan.
Imminent State Park Closures
Is it too late to save Montaña de Oro, Palomar Mountain, Humboldt Redwoods, and 100 California State Parks from closure? Sara Feldman from the California State Paks Foundation talks more about the imminent closures of 100 California State Parks.
80 Percent of California State Parks to Close
California’s State Parks are the envy of the nation, but they are facing grim times as Governor Schwarzenegger intends to close, padlock, and mothball 80% of state parks by the end of the summer.
Commerce Department Hearing Regarding Trestles: Monday, September 22nd, Del Mar Fairgrounds
The Department of Commerce hearing regarding the proposed southern extension of the Foothill South 241 toll road at San Onofre State Beach and Trestles is Monday, September 22nd, from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm. The hearing will be held at the same place as the California Coastal Commission hearing in February: O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Turnout is EXTREMELY important; please make time to attend.
Toll Road Proponents Curiously Annoy the Army Corps of Engineers
Interesting news story here. A piece in the San Diego Union-Tribune gives details on a top Army Corps of Engineers official who says proponents of the Foothills-South 241 toll road mischaracterized and even made “inaccurate statements” which “misrepresent” the Army Corps of Engineers’ own research regarding the validity of the proposed toll road and plan for reducing traffic congestion
Trestles Update
Back in February you helped the California Coastal Commission take the advice of its staff and vote 8-2 against the proposed toll road through San Onofre State Beach. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the end of the story, as the Orange County Transportation Corridor Agency quickly filed fresh papers to appeal the decision with the U.S. Department of Commerce, and successfully pressured Governor Schwarzenegger to remove actor Clint Eastwood and Schwarzenegger’s brother-in-law Bobby Shriver from the California State Park and Recreation Commission
