S IERRA C LUB S AN D IEGO C HAPTER ,

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COUNTIES

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WORKING TO PRESERVE THE SPECIAL NATURE OF SAN DIEGO FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY www.sandiego.sierraclub.org May/June 2002 Vol. 62, No. 3

SIERRAN

NAFTA VS. CALIFORNIAS DRINKING WATER

By the Border Committee California drinking water is already polluted with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) a gasoline additive suspected of causing cancer. MTBE helps fight smog, but it also leaks from gas stations into ground water and wells. In 1999 Gray Davis ordered MTBE phased out of all gasoline sold in the state, but this decision did not go well with the Canadian company Methanex. Methanex invoked Chapter 11 of NAFTA claiming $970 million in compensation from the United States for "loss of profits." Shockingly, Representative Susan Davis (D-San Diego), otherwise a strong environmentalist, recently voted to expand NAFTA and the investor rules that brought the NAFTA challenge. You can help Rep. Davis fix this terrible mistake by taking action as indicated later in this article. So, how could a foreign company challenge California's environmental laws? The answer is in Bill Moyers Report: Trading Democracy. Here are some highlights from the one-hour documentary: Chapter 11 is only one of many NAFTA provisions negotiated to promote business among the US, Canada and Mexico. It was supposedly written to protect investors if foreign governments tried to seize their property. But corporations have stretched NAFTA's investor protections to undermine environmental decisions, the decisions of local communities, and even the verdict of an American jury. The claims are being decided not in open court, but in secret trade tribunals. In the Methanex case, the company claimed that future profits estimated at $970 million dollars were being taken away - expropriated - by the governor's action. Across California, thirty public water systems and 10,000 groundwater sites have found to be contaminated with MTBE. When the NAFTA tribunal meets to consider the Methanex claim, citizens of California will not be invited. Nor will U.S. taxpayers who will foot the bill if the tribunal decides in favor of Methanex. (cont. page 5)

photo courtesy Sierra Club

ECO-TOURISM: PRESERVATION OR EXPLOITATION?

Inside this issue: Activities, Meetings Backpack Bus Trips Classified Ads Artic Victory Annual Awards Ceremony! Monthly Programs for May & June Nature Knowledge Workshop North County Group Outings Listings, Foster Lodge Chapter Notes View from the Chair One Club Walk for the Environment Canyons Campaign Sierra Club Donors List 9 24 31 4 3 6 27 14 17 7 2 8 16 10 28

A lecture and slide program by Bob OBrien, Professor Emeritus, San Diego State University

See page 6 for more details

One Earth, One Chance

page 1 San Diego Chapter May/June 2002 Hi Sierran

photo by Bob OBrien

Friday, May 17th at the San Diego Zoos Otto Center Auditorium 7:30pm

HI SIERRAN STAFF
EDITOR & Art Director
Sergio Salvador, HiSierranEditor@...

VIEW FROM
During Earth Day this year, we hovered around our booth talking to hundreds of people about the issues important to us at the Sierra Club. We covered

THE

by Ellen Shively, Chapter Chair

CHAIR

COM. CHAIR/OUTINGS EDITOR

Pauline Jimenez 619-660-9898 HiSierranOutingsEditor@...

CONSERVATION EDITOR
B. Schmidt, 619-479-3412 HiSierranConservationEditor@...

ACTIVITIES EDITOR
Shelley Warnick, 858-695-3552

HiSierranActivitiesEditor@... ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

Ron Porter, 619-445-3554 HiSierranAdvertising@...
The suffix for all above e-mails is: @sierraclubsandiego.org

tion. So many dedicated people were on hand with the unified vision of making someplace better while we preserve the quality of another. People willing to roll up their sleeves, wind up their enthusiasm to prevent the demise of a plant, a vernal pool or an entire bird species. Thank you each for sharsnowballing growth, the scarcity of wild places ing and caring and doing your bit. You truly and, given the current political scene, the gloomy are Giants of the Earth. prospects for retaining our quality of life. Thanks to the many of you who helped us "How many folks you got in the Sierra Club?" with the March Fund Appeal. Our chapter asked one visitor. really depends on your extra financial help to "Eighteen thousand." run our programs and keep the lights on at "Well, then why don't you just storm City Hall?" the office. We sent letters to previous donors The answer to this very important is that we would and a welcome letter to new members. From if we could get them all together. The unfortunate the responses, we are hoping to find the new truth is that most of our members never darken our leaders who will carry on our many camdoor. Imagine what we could do if our office was paigns for the environment and keep our filled at the Land Use or Desert committee meetmessage exposed through the radio, on TV, at ings! City Council hearings and in the newspaThis year's Awards Ceremony was such an inspira- pers. (cont. p. 5)
Send your address changes to: Sierra Club Member Services, PO Box 52968, Boulder CO 803222968.

A DDRESS
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page 2 San Diego Chapter May/June 2002 Hi Sierran

ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY

BY

ELLEN SHIVELY, PHOTOS BY GEOFFREY SMITH (INSET) AND ROBERT DUCKETT

A festive mood was set on the 5th of April when the Chapter held it's always popular Awards Ceremony.
Manny Kugler, our premier master of ceremonies greeted the attendees with his own homegrown sweet peas and welcoming smile. The ineffable Prince Myshkins delighted us with their
wry humor and clever, music-driven satire. In the end, the coveted Silver Cup was handed over to long time activist Jeanne Davies. Jeanne joined the Sierra Club in 1967. Early on, she began work on cutting edge issues and was very involved with the Energy Committee. She helped the City decide to provide a subsidy for increasing insulation in homes, around hot water heaters, and windows. Jeanne soon turned her thoughts to recycling, a topic that came strongly on the scene at the National Sierra Club during the early 80s. She also helped organize the National Committee, and was soon recognized as "the expert" on Zero Waste, an effort to avoid any non-recyclable waste products. At the chapter's Conservation Committee, Jeanne showed us how to affix an address tag on aluminum and plastic soda bottles, send them back to the manufacturer, and suggested a method to identify the containers as recyclable. Manufacturers ended up with thousands of tons of empty bottles in their mail. Containers began appearing with codes of "1" or "2" with curving arrows to designate a level of recyclability. A new industry was born. Jeanne then asked the City to provide special residential containers for recyclable items in the trash collections. After initially resisting the expense, the City started a program in selected neighborhoods with small containers for plastic, glass and paper. Gradually, other areas are being phased in, with citywide coverage expected in the next few years. Jeanne gradually shifted her efforts to solid wastes, becoming the State Chair of this committee. The sewage sludge contains toxins which contaminate commercial crops . The committee worked to adopt stiffer requirements for the treated waste material, with some success. During the early Nineties, Jeanne stayed on as Vice Chair of the Chapter's Conservation Committee. She showed great interest in land use, and was a crucial part of defeating the proposed Gregory Canyon Landfill. We are privileged to show Jeanne our deep felt appreciation for her years of work to overcome apathy, resistance and opposition to achieve the conservation goals she has worked toward.

JANET ANDERSON AND JOHN GLASCOCK TALK TO COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND AWARD RECIPIENT PAM SLATER; THE PRINCE MYSHKINS AT THE AWARDS GALA (INSET)

Here are some opportunities to make that difference, to help Mother Earth by giving to or volunteering with your San Diego Chapter FOR YOUR LOCAL SIERRA CLUB OFFICE: SCSI Card for hooking up to donated Scanner Pentium Computer, preferably a laptop Mailbox large enough to hold very large documents-can be freestanding or hanging Maintenance Person Cleaning Person-2 hours/week IT Person-2 or more hours/week Data entry volunteers-2 or more hours per week Document Review volunteers - 3 or more hours per week FOR THE CHAPTER: Coastal North County Group officers and active committee members/volunteers South Bay Group officers and active committee members/volunteers Membership Committee Chair/Vice Chair/Treasurer Outreach Volunteers-Speakers/Tablers/Activity Planners Fundraising Committee Chair/Vice Chair/Sectretary/Treasurer IT Committee Chair Conservation subcommittee members-see back page for subcommittee list FOR THE NEWSLETTER: Hi Sierrran Bookkeeper and a Cartoonist FOR THE BOOKSTORE: Morning and Weekend Volunteers, Operations Manager and a Bookkeeper's Assistant
It's easy to make a difference! We are a multifaceted organization, so if you have any talents or skills that you would like to donate we can probably use them. Call Cheryl at the Chapter Office, 619-299-1743, or email to [email protected] for guidance.

Wanted

OTHER AWARDEES THIS YEAR WERE:

Conservation Activist - Ed Kimura; Rainbow Warrior - Byron Lindsley; Emily Durbin, for land use issues - Abby Ackroyd-Rafkin; Edward Abbey, for desert protection - Edie Harmon; Verna Quinn, for environmental advocacy - Royce Riggan; Community Networking - Anne Fege, Dave Fege, Martin Eder, and Tom Oberbauer; Environmental Law - Corky Wharton; Business Conservation - Rich Sillampa; Grass Roots Activism - Connie Garcia; Rookie Activist - Janice Barnard; Friend of the Environment - Pam Slater; Unsung Hero - Dianne Pietile; Student Volunteer - Agata Kolodziejczyk; Office Volunteer - Martha Coffman; Outdoor Education Ship Forsht; One Club - David Butler; Special Appreciation (Outings) Wanda Zack; Dave Gottfredson; PJ Jeffery, Ellen Feeney; Sandy Sanders; Retiring COL - Lois Day; COL Longevity - Nelson Copp, Jeanne and Glen Dunham, Bill Edwards; Kathy Mueller, Terry Flood, Cheryl Knapp, Rob Langsdorf, Mike Fry; Distinguished Achievement, Consevation - Janet Anderson; Distinguished Achievement, Outings - Lynn Nebus; Lifetime HS Achievement - Eugene Sprofera.

page 3 San Diego Chapter May/June 2002 Hi Sierran

SENATE SCORES GREAT VICTORY BY PROTECTING ARCTIC REFUGE

Washington, D.C. [April 16, 2002] In a big victory for America's environment, 54 Senators today rejected a proposal to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Senate Democratic leadership prevailed in safeguarding this national treasure and native people who depend on it, despite heavy lobbying by the Bush administration and the oil industry. "Today's vote is a big victory for America's environment, and we're thrilled that a majority of the Senate stood up to save this spectacular landscape," said Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. "It feels great to have won this vote to protect the Arctic Refuge, but the oil industry isn't finished with its attempt to destroy this natural treasure. The public said they want the Arctic Refuge protected for future generations, and their Senators

"TODAY'S VOTE IS A BIG VICTORY FOR AMERICA'S ENVIRONMENT,

AND WE'RE THRILLED THAT A MAJORITY OF THE

SENATE STOOD

UP TO SAVE THIS SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPE,"

- Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club

heard them loud and clear." Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and Harry Reid (D-NV) provided all Americans with this victory for the environment. "We thank the Senate Democratic leadership for their steadfast support in fighting to make sure the Refuge is protected, not needlessly plundered," Pope added. "Senators Daschle, Kerry, Lieberman and Reid stood firm against tremendous pressure from the Bush administration and its allies in the oil industry. Drilling proponents resorted to a string of desperate schemes to push their proposal through, but the truth prevailed. Drilling the Refuge would do nothing to reduce America's oil dependence. It would, however, forever destroy a pristine national treasure and the wildlife that depend on it." While the Senate staved off attempts to include Arctic Refuge drilling in its version of the energy plan, the House version includes a drilling provision; this discrepancy would have to be reconciled in a conference committee. Despite the Senate's rejection of Arctic Refuge drilling, its energy bill in its current form fails to provide a strong plan for meeting America's energy needs, and should not be passed unless this problem is fixed. Arctic drilling will do nothing to reduce our dependence on foreign oil or increase our national security. Government estimates indicate that there is less than a six month supply of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and even the oil industry admits it would take ten years to make it to US markets. Drilling proponents make a disingenuous claim that only a 2000-acre area will be affected. In reality, oil drilling and production will not be concentrated in one area and if development were to occur, thousands of miles of pipelines and roads, gravel drilling pads and waste pits would sprawl across the entire 1.5 million acre coastal plain. The coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is
page 4 San Diego Chapter May/June 2002 Hi Sierran

a national treasure home to polar bears, wolves, and countless migratory birds. The coastal plain is also the birthing grounds for the 129,000-member Porcupine River caribou herd and it is sacred land to the Gwich'in Indians, a native people whose traditional lifestyle depends on the caribou. "The Senate energy bill began as a promising vehicle for meeting our nation's energy needs," Pope said. "But polluters have plundered the bill, removing the oil-saving fuel economy measures and weighing it down with giveaways to the energy industry. As it stands now, the energy bill will do next to nothing to reduce our consumption of foreign oil, to increase our energy security, to protect families from electricity price gouging, or to safeguard our environment. Unless the current bill HS is fixed, it is unacceptable as energy policy."

18,000 Members
WILL SEE THIS.

DONT YOU WISH IT WAS YOUR AD? Call Ron Porter at

619-445-3445
for advertising information or email us directly at:
[email protected]

FROM THE CHAIR (CONT.) Speaking of leadership, the nominating committee is hunting for new members for ExCom. If you have been with the chapter for at least a year, participated in one or more of the working groups and feel you may know something about our purpose, contact John Harltey or any member of the ExCom. If administrative duties don't thrill you, we also have openings on the Membership committee, need a Fun(d)raising chair, and could use plenty of help on the Air Quality and Coastal programs. We are in the midst of writing comments on the Border Fence proposals and Recycling could use some help. If life isn't interesting or you're bored, come see us at the office. We'll easily find some duties to fill your plate and time. Finally, Fern Seigel has planned a wonderful, low-key wandering Walk for the Environment around Balboa Park on Sunday, May 19. Ask a few friends to sponsor you on this 5 K. (3.2 mile) Sunday stroll. We'll have some breakfast snacks afterward and will offer awards, prizes, and tee shirts. The walk will feature informative talks on conservation topics and will be a most pleasant way to meet new friends and get started with some activism. See you there! Oh yes, the Nature Knowledge Workshop is filling up fast. Check it out. It's fun and educational.... Fern's husband, Lee, runs the informHS ative session very professionally.

NAFTA VS. CALIFORNIAS DRINKING WATER (CONT.)

NAFTA NEGOTIATIONS WERE DONE WITHOUT THE

SCRUTINY OF THE

U.S. CONGRESS OR THE PUBLIC FAST TRACK.

BECAUSE OF LEGISLATION KNOWN AS

But it does not end there. According to Moyers, "At least eighty California laws could be at risk. State regulations that restrict development in scenic areas or coastal zones, for example, are open to challenge by a foreign developer. Enacting more stringent laws about what can be added to California wine or what can be labeled 'organically-grown' food could be challenged. The authority to limit commercial fishing when fish are scarce could provoke claims from foreign-owned fleets. Even state support for alternative energy could come into conflict with trade rules." In other words, thanks to NAFTA investor's provisions, everything that we have fought for is now at risk.

NAFTA INVESTOR'S LAWSUITS AND FAST TRACK

NAFTA negotiations were done without the scrutiny of the U.S. Congress or the public because of legislation known as Fast Track. Because of Fast Track Congress is prevented from amending trade agreements made by the President even if they are bad for the environment. Bush wants fast track to negotiate the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Fast Track legislation was passed (215-214) by the House of Representatives in December. The Senate will be debating in May, perhaps June, a Fast Track bill which will most likely have an amendment to fix NAFTA's investors lawsuits. The Senate fast track bill is expected to pass. But it will differ enough from the version passed by the House, that a special House-Senate conference must meet to decide a compromise version. Then the House and the Senate must vote on this compromise bill. At the time of this writing, the House vote on fast track is expected in late May or in June. We stand a good chance to defeat this bill when it comes back to the House for the second vote. This would be our last chance to stop Fast Track! Unfortunately, Congresswoman Susan Davis voted in favor of fast track in December. You can help by contacting her office at (619) 291-1430 and telling her to fix her mistake and to oppose fast track when it comes back for a vote in the house. Tell her, no one should have to pay polluting companies for the right to clean water!

Second Saturday of Every Month

SIERRA CLUB BOOKSTORE
6pm-9pm

Ray Street in North Park comes alive with the sights and sounds of original music, art writings and poetry. Celebrate the richness of the arts with the Sierra Club Bookstore and other merchants of Ray Street as we all open our doors for an evening of entertainment.
Info: Sierra Club Bookstore

619.299.1797
[email protected] WWW.SANDIEGO.SIERRACLUB.ORG/BOOKSTORE

TO LEARN MORE:
1. Read the full Bill Moyerstranscript at: http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_tdfull.html 2. Borrow a copy of the Bill Moyers piece from the Sierra Club office HS 3. Call Jean Costa at (619) 463-0721 if you want to get involved.

page 5 San Diego Chapter May/June 2002 Hi Sierran

photo by Sergio Salvador