The Klamath National Forest, one of the wildest forests in California, is becoming overrun with damaging roads that degrade clean drinking water; fragment wildlife habitat; spread non-native, invasive weeds; and disrupt fishing and other recreation activities. And now the Forest Service is making a decision that could add even more roads to the forest.

http://action.wilderness.org/campaign/klamath?rk=lpMjgUsqYFUZE

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The Bush Administration has threatened our country's core environmental law – the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – since taking office. Thus far, we have blocked most of these attempts, but now a new proposal would jeopardize your ability to voice concerns about environmental policy decisions.

The Forest Service's proposed rule jeopardizes the core of the NEPA process. It would:

• Reduce citizen ability to participate in decisions affecting national forests and grasslands,
• Curtails Forest Service review and analysis of environmentally damaging activities, and
• Weakens requirements to consider past activities on these public lands when deciding on land management.

Comments are due by Monday, October 15th. Please send your letter now to tell the Forest Service to protect public involvement and responsible project review.

LINK: http://action.wilderness.org/campaign/nepa_procedures/nah6njk38?

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Act this week to make sure Sara Wan is appointed to the California Coastal Commission that oversees our state's coastal areas.

 Go To: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/coastal_commission

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In early May, the California State Water Resources Control Board will be making a decision as to whether more water diversions will be allowed on the Santa Ana River, the largest watershed in southern California. Until 2002, the Santa Ana River was considered a "fully appropriated river," because all of its water was used for municipal water supplies and maintaining its community of rare plants and animals. Since then, the water board has made a determination that "new" water was in the river because of "increased releases of treated wastewater, increased runoff due to urbanization, and increased availability of water during wet years."  The rush for water is on, and a number of thirsty water districts have filed applications to take the "new" water out of the river.

Despite the "new water" determination, over a dozen state and federally listed endangered and threatened species that rely on water in the river, riparian habitat and seasonal flooding are being faced with the threat of extinction. The river's diminutive namesake fish, the Santa Ana sucker, is a federally listed threatened species, and its numbers continue to decline as its habitat shrinks.  Any additional water diversions will degrade and/or eliminate even more habitat for this fish, as well as all the other rare and common plants and animals that rely on the water and hydrology of the Santa Ana River. Several species have already gone locally extinct along the Santa Ana, and less water will eliminate any chance of recovery for them.

Please send the state water board a message urging it to deny any additional water diversions from the Santa Ana River to protect the plants and animals that rely on the river for life.

Take Action:  http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/santa_ana

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Your help is needed to ensure final adoption of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) off the California central coast. The MPA network will cover more than 200 square miles between Half Moon Bay and Point Conception. It includes 97 miles of fully protected reserves where no take of marine life is allowed.

The central coast is home to sea otters, whales, sea turtles and schools of fish and contains some of California’s richest habitats and most spectacular underwater treasures. The proposed MPA network will help protect these resources for generations to come.

California’s Fish and Game Commission took initial action to adopt the proposed MPA network in August 2006, but they are now under significant pressure from special industry interests to weaken protections.

They need to hear from YOU that marine protected areas are important to all Californians and that they should adopt no less than the “preferred alternative” of MPAs for the Central Coast. If the Commission doesn’t hear strong public support for MPAs—they may weaken protections.

https://secure2.convio.net/toc/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=331

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Rick S.
 

have created a petition asking Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger to take action to save the old growth Mattole Forest in Northern California. Pacific Lumber Co. has been clearcutting and spraying herbicides in this unique ecosystem, that is home to endangered species. Please sign "The petition to save the Mattole Forest"   <-Click to page) and ask your friends to sign.

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 This thread is use for CA Alerts dealing with other wildlife, parks, wilderness, and evironmental issues within the state.  Issues can be related to CA - Local, CA - State and CA - National.

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