A BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE KERN-KAWEAH CHAPTER OF SIERRA CLUB

NOV./DECEMBER, 2010

The Roadrunner
RESIDENTS OPPOSE SOLAR PROJECT IN KELSO VALLEY
WHEN GOOD PLUS GOOD EQUALS BAD: Weldon is a disaster in the making for rural area
The Weldon Solar Project is a
proposed 60 megawatt solar
installation, 300 acres of panels
on a 500-acre site. Weldon is a
sleepy unincorporated community
in the east side of the beautiful
Kern River Valley. Why don't
Weldon and a large solar project
go together?
Weldon has sun, flat ground at
the site, and a transmission line
adjacent to the site that may be
adequate. Renewable Resources
Group (RRG), the developer,
bought the 68,000-acre Onyx
Ranch in 2008 and selected the
site as most suitable for a solar
project on the land they retained,
after selling 30,000 acres to the
town of Vernon in Los Angeles.
The site on prime farm land is
immediately adjacent to two
home tracts, churches and
schools. It is also located on a
flood plain and is within yards of
the South Fork of the Kern River
and the largest remaining riparian
forest in the Southwestern United
States near an Audubon Preserve,
KELSO VALLEY:
Renewable
Resources Group
is planning to
build 300 acres of
solar panels on
farmland in
Weldon adjacent
to the Audubon
Preserve and the
South Folk of the
Kern. RRG
purchased the
Onyx Ranch in
2008.
Photo/
Ara Marderosian
which is often visited by tourists huge mountainous areas, and saw
from around the world. The site is major flooding in 1964, 1966,
also on a severe non-attainment 1984, and 1992.
area for PM10 (air pollution). The land is flat because of the
A terrain map of the South Fork flooding. Steep mountain terrain
and Kelso Valley reveals the and alluvial fans suddenly meet
underlying source of the problem flat land, telling a story of
(download HYPERLINK "http:// repeated severe flooding over
pkrv.org/SolarProj1.pdf" http:// millennia. It will happen again –
pkrv.org/SolarProj1.pdf for info, the question is not if, but when.
maps and photos). Kelso Creek The original proposal included
and the South Fork meet at a concentration-camp fence,
Weldon near the site. These drain Please turn to page 2

FALL DINNER COMING ON NOV. 13 AT HODEL’S; PAID RESERVATIONS DUE NOV. 4

Our annual fall dinner is an opportunity to
meet, greet and socialize. It is being held at
Hodel's Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive
on Saturday, Nov. 13. Our social hour begins
at 5 p.m. with a no-host bar. Dinner starts at 6
p.m. This is a chance to invite your family
members, your work buddies, your neighbors,
your adult grand-children and great-grand-
children. (No children under the age of 7
please.)
The fall dinner also serves to reach out to
the community to attract newcomers. What
does the Sierra Club do? We will answer.
The menu will offer a choice of beef tips
with mushrooms or lemon herb roasted
chicken and a variety of other choices. (Please
fill in the dinner reservation form with your
choice or any special dietary needs.) The price
of $25 per person includes room, set-up,
security, tax and gratuity.
This year our leaders and activists will share
what they are doing for the chapter and the
public.
Please fill out the reservation form on the
last page of The Roadrunner and mail as
directed before Nov. 4.
THE ROADRUNNER
KELSO VALLEY: Residents oppose 300-acre solar development
Continued from page 1
which RRG modified to “ranch
style fencing” due to flood risk
and public complaint. However,
RRG then added shrubs and trees
to the plan, as a thick visual
screen, which replaces the
flooding risk removed by
changing the fence. One may
drive across the South Fork
through the riparian forest, and
see shrubs and trees collect debris
and divert flow.
There is little agricultural land
in the Kern River Valley, and
almost all is in Weldon. The site
is on prime farmland, and has
produced crops since the area was
settled. The fifth and sixth
generations of the pioneers still
farm this land, and a car trip is
often interrupted by cowboys
moving cattle. The loss of
Ruling on EIR in September puts
Tulare Sports Project on hold
Tulare County Judge Lloyd Hicks
recently ruled that the city must
work on the Tulare Sports Project
environmental report.
The report was made public on
Sept. 16 and will soon become final.
“They are going to have to redo
the EIR and go through the
process,” Kern-Kaweah Ex-com
board member Gordon Nipp was
quoted as saying in the Fresno Bee.
Project developer is Bud Long of
Fresno. His attorney, Myron Smith,
stated that the ruling against the
project is a setback, but “it will
definitely not kill the project.
Judge Lloyd Hicks said that the
EIR was weakened by not offering
“factual, reasoned analysis” in its
rejection of mitigation plans to
compensate for the loss of
farmland. The EIR was also
inadequate in its analysis of the
effects on air quality and climate
change.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010
farmland hurts everybody, but
particularly these farmers. There
is not enough local farmland for
this to be mitigated.
The Kern Valley narrows
abruptly at Weldon, and one
result is that the west wind is
concentrated, and thus quite
strong. The DG soil includes a lot
of dust, which local farmers can
manage, but since 2009 when the
imported farm managers plowed,
dangerous dust levels are
common.
David Jones of the Kern
County Air Pollution Control said
he has no idea how the PM10
problem can be mitigated. The
usual methods, chemical coatings
or paving, can’t be used so near
the river. (The local school board
passed a resolution to oppose the
Another environmental issue noted
in the ruling is about methods of
generating electricity for the sports
complex. The EIR maintains that
only five percent would be
generated by solar panels, but the
Sierra Club wanted a greater
percentage of power coming from
solar.
The project was approved in 2008
by a 3-2 Tulare City Council vote.
The EIR reportedly cost the city $1
million. Reportedly, the $1 million
is supposed to be recouped when
parcels are sold before construction
starts on the sports complex.
The sports complex, as proposed,
would include a race track, a drag
strip and residential, commercial
and retail development.
Material for this article is adapted
from articles in the Fresno Bee (by
Lewis Griswold) and Visalia Times
Delta (by Luis Hernandez).
project, because construction dust
would be a threat to student
health, among other reasons.)
A less obvious concern is that
RRG intends to sell water out of
the area. They deny it, but have
specialists in water on tap, and
ties to the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power.
The water table is usually about
three feet deep at the site. Any
reduction in the water table
would risk the health of the
riparian forest.
There are additional concerns –
please consider helping stop this
project in the wrong place!
—Jody Steel
Weldon resident
For more commentary on the
solar project in Weldon, please see
“Midgebuzzings” on page 9.
FOR PDF
VERSION OF
NEWSLETTER—
E-mail Lorraine Unger
at
lorraineunger@att.net
and ask to be taken off
the hard
copy list.
Log on to http://
kernkaweah.sierraclub.
org/email.html and join
the
KERN-NEWS
email list.
 THE ROADRUNNER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010

VOTE...VOTE...VOTE...VOTE: It’s our civic responsibility

Okay, before you look over The Roadrunner, first
pour yourself a cup of coffee and find a comfortable
seat, because we want you to read this edition from
cover to cover. It’s loaded with important and
interesting information and we don’t want you to
miss a thing!
First, you are urged to vote. Practice your civic
duty and participate in elections for the Chapter,
state, and federal races. Please read the Chapter
Executive Committee statements from our stellar,
hard-working candidates. Also, read the Sierra Club
endorsements to assist in your decision making.
Second, the giant sequoias need your help. Don’t
miss Joe Fontaine’s article asking you to write
comments on the recently released Draft EIS for the
Monument Plan. Third, don’t miss the news about
positive Chapter- sponsored events, such as the high
school art competition and Paul Gipe’s “Feed-In
Tariff” workshop held last July.
And last , we hope to see you all at the upcoming
Chapter fall dinner, Saturday, Nov. 13, at Hodel’s.
We’ll have beautiful new 2011 Sierra Club calendars
for sale, and hear from our wonderful Chapter
activists. Okay, now start reading from cover to
shining cover! And then vote!
—Georgette Theotig
Chapter Chair

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS FOR THE KERN-KAWEAH CHAPTER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

RICHARD J. GARCIA
I have been a member of the ExCom for
11 years. I have served as the Chapter
Water Committee chair and am interested
in protecting wildlife. I will continue to
advocate for the greater use of the
valley’s natural waterways to recharge
aquifers and restore riparian habitats, and
support the San Joaquin River restoration
project. I plan to continue to work with
the CNRCC to protect black bears and
threatened wildlife from cruel and
environmentally destructive practices like
hounding.
ARA MARDEROSIAN
Chapter member Charlene Little inspired
me, in 1996, to help her analyze Sequoia
National Forest project proposals for
their adherence to the “best available
science.” I have written up to 2,000 pages
of comments and successful appeals of
Sequoia’s harmful logging projects,
annually.
Since the Bush administration changed
all forest management regulations,
guidelines, and policies, I have had to
have the assistance of an attorney to
maintain standing on many projects. I’ll
continue on the ExCom with your help.
STEPHEN MONTGOMERY
After more than 40 years, I retired from
the Union Pacific Railroad. Until my
retirement I was the legislative officer in
my union local.
A long time life member of the Club, I
have served the Chapter as editor and
helped with letter writing and other
chores as needed.
With a strong interest in sound urban
planning, I have represented the Club
before the Bakersfield City Council on
planning issues that required
consideration. I also an advocate for
architectural historical preservation.
GORDON NIPP
My conservation efforts center around
local sprawl impacts. Focuses include:
global warming, energy, air pollution,
and farmland preservation. Most local
successes in these areas have resulted
from litigation and/or negotiation with
individual development projects, and
some of these successes have involved
precedents that led to wider applications.
As an advocate for these issues, it is
important that I be on the ExCom, and I
ask for your support.
LORRAINE UNGER
I have been a Sierra Club member for
over 30 years. I was active in the
Angeles Chapter and when we moved to
Bakersfield, I sought out Kern-Kaweah
for new friends.
I have served in most of the Chapter roles
and enjoy being an activist. Upon
retirement I decided to be one of the
public faces for the Club in Kern County.
I attend many civic meetings and try to
comment for the Chapter. I am currently
the Chapter treasurer.
ANN WILLIAMS
My time on the Executive Committee,
first as secretary and then as a member at
large, has enriched my appreciation of
the excellent work being done constantly
in this Chapter by strong people
dedicated to the welfare of the natural
environment. Some very effective results
have come from their detailed knowledge
of threats both to the immediate local
environment and further afield. I
appreciate the attitude of determination
among members of the ExCom, and a
spirit of optimism that seems
unassailable.
See ballot on newsletter insert.

SIERRA CLUB CALIFORNIA RECOMMENDATIONS: Sierra Club California is recommending the

following votes on these initiatives. YES ON PROP 25: Simple majority for passing state budgets. YES ON 21: The
California State Parks Initiative to provide a stable source of funding to protect state parks. NO ON 23: Proposed Bill Oil
Initiative to halt clean energy efforts and pollution control. PROP. 18: The $11.1 billion water bond was voted off the ballot
by the legislature for the present. It is promised back for 2012. For more information, please see: www.sierraclub.org/
politics/endorsements
THE ROADRUNNER
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010

KERN KAWEAH ROUNDUP

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY IF YOU PLAN TO PARTICIPATE IN SIERRA CLUB HIKES:
Everyone is welcome, Sierra Club members and non-members, to join in any of the outdoor activities. Requirements: You
must be in condition for the type of hike, equipped appropriately for the activity and prepared to sign a Sierra Club release
for liability. You must be willing to follow the leader’s directions. Be sure to bring any personal medicines you might need.
Customary appropriate equipment includes good hiking shoes, plenty of water, snack, sunglasses, suntan lotion, and layered
clothing. The following might be helpful but definitely is not required: compass, whistle, matches or lighter, and a good first
aid kit. Long pants are recommended. Unprepared for the prospective hike? It will be a no-go for you. Participation must
be leader approved. Please let the leader know ahead of time that you are intending to participate. Check individual group
listings for the desired means of communication.

Since unexpected change of plans may be necessary, it is recommended that YOU contact the hike leader the night before to
be assured that the hike is still going to happen.

New California legislation designed to protect the consumer requires us to publish this notice: CST 2087755-40. Registration as a seller of
travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. This legislation is designed to protect the user of outdoor activities that
require cash payments of more than $50 for participation.

BUENA VISTA GROUP (Bakersfield area)

More info? Call Donnel Lester at 661.831.6784 or e-mail donnelc3bvg@earthlink.net or Isabel at
661.246.6195.
Tuesday conditioning hikes of 4 or 5 miles at 7 p.m., meet at corner of Highways 178 and 184. Contact Gordon at: (gnipp@bak.rr.com) or
Larry (661.873.8107) for more information.

Saturday, Nov. 6—"How Senate Bill 375 will impact your life." Join us at 10 a.m. to hear how this important California
bill will promote a healthier community. Rob Ball, Kern Council of Government, Planning Division director, will clue us in
about transportation, sprawl, and infrastructure costs to Kern communities. Camino Real Restaurant, 3500 Truxtun Ave and
Westwind just west of Oak Street. Optional brunch is served for $7.60/ person+tip. Info: 661,246.6195.

Saturday, Nov. 20—Adopt-A-Highway cleanup: Meet at Old River Road and Hwy 119 (Taft Hwy) at 9 a.m. Park at the
Monte Carlo lot. We will bring equipment. We recommend that you bring a hat, good hiking shoes/boots, and water to
drink. Inclement weather cancels this event. Call to confirm your attendance: 661.246.6195.

Saturday, Dec. 4— Breakfast with Zac Griffin from Bike Bakersfield. He will fill us in about biking for transportation
and infrastructure for bicycles. Presentation is at 10 a.m. at Camino Real Restaurant, 3500 Truxtun Ave. at the corner of
Truxtun and Westwind, just west of Oak Street in Bakersfield. Optional brunch is served for $7.60/person + tip. Info: 661.
323.5569

Saturday, Dec. 18—Adopt-A-Highway cleanup: Meet at Old River Road and Hwy 119 (Taft Hwy). Park at 9 a.m. at the
Monte Carlo lot. We will bring equipment. We recommend that you bring a hat, good hiking shoes/boots, and water to
drink. Inclement weather cancels this event. Call to confirm your attendance: 661246-6195.

Meeting Notices—If you would like to receive Buena Vista Group meeting and activity notices by email, please contact Donnel Lester, at
donnelc3bvg@earthlink.net, with Add me to the email list. You can opt out of the email notices at any time. We try to limit this to once-a-
month emails.

CONDOR GROUP (Frazier Park area)

More info? Mary Ann Lockhart (661.242.0432). Hikes? Dale Chitwood
(661.242.1076)
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010

Saturday, Nov. 27—Craft Fair Booth. The Condor group is sponsoring a booth at the annual PMCPOA craft fair from 9
a.m. till 3 p.m. at the Pine Mountain Clubhouse. This is a good spot to do a little holiday shopping combined with a late fall
drive into the mountains

Saturday, Dec. 4—Holiday party. Hilarious exchange of gifts with contents being recycled items only. Potluck with
precede at the Pine Mountain Clubhouse in Pine Mountain Club at 6 p.m. (located approximately 15 miles west of Frazier
Park

KAWEAH GROUP (Porterville)

More info? Call Pam Clark (559.784.4643) or Diane Jetter (559.781.8897).

OWENS PEAK GROUP (Ridgecrest)

More info? Chair Dennis Burge (760.375.7967) or e-mail dennis93555@yahoo.com. Jim Nichols,
hikes (760.375.8161) or e-mail jnichols@ridgecrest.ca.us.
Monday, Oct. 25—Travel Talk. Janet Westbrook will show pictures of some of her most recent travels with an ecological
implication. Meet at the Maturango Museum at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 13—Jayhawker Canyon (off Hwy 190 on west side of Death Valley, 4080 ft max, 1070 ft gain, 4.8mi
RT) We will explore part of the canyon found as an escape from Death Valley by the Jayhawker party in the winter of 1849.
There are artifacts still visible from their visit to Jayhawker Springs which we will explore. This canyon route climbs up and
over the SE flank of Pinto Pk and continues on into Panamint Valley. Easy/Moderate due to cross country sections. Meet
Saturday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 a.m. at the Ridgecrest Cinema parking lot. Call Dennis Burge at 760.375.7967 or Jim Nichols at
760.375.8161 for more info.

Monday, Nov. 22---Update on Renewable Energy Projects. This is a talk by Hector Villalobos, manager of the BLM
Ridgecrest Field Office, about projects on BLM land in the Ridgecrest area. Maturango Museum at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 11—The Ashrama at Tuttle Creek. Up Tuttle Creek, west of Lone Pine, ~7700 ft elevation, 1150 ft gain;
3.5 mi RT). This spiritual retreat, built around 1930, has served several generations of spiritual seekers, mystical students,
and most recently rock climbers. Throughout the years, the name of the building has changed from 'Summer Camp' to the
'Rama Sangha School', to the 'Ajna Ashrama'. Lone Pine residents often refer to it as 'The Monastery,' and a hiker’s manual
refers to it as the 'Stone House'; it is known by the U.S. Forest Service as the 'Tuttle Creek Ashram. If the snow allows, this
should be an easy hike to a spiritual place at this spiritual time of the year. Meet Saturday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 a.m. at the
Ridgecrest Cinema parking lot. Call Dennis Burge at 760.375.7967 or Jim Nichols at 760.375.8161 for more info.

MINERAL KING GROUP (Visalia: Tulare & Kings counties)

More info? Please also visit mineralking.sierraclub.org for more info.
Thursday, Oct. 21—Bring-A-Bag Dinner. Join us at the Cal Natives Nursery for a talk hosted by Cathy Capone. Ice teas
and dessert provided. For information, call 559.781.8897.

Saturday, Oct. 23 —Kings Canyon Hike. A moderately easy 5-mile round trip hike in Kings Canyon National Park. We
will hike 2.5 miles downhill among redwoods and dogwood to Redwood Creek where we will enjoy lunch. Call David or
Joanne for meeting time and place at 559.733.2078.

Saturday, Nov. 6—Big Baldy Hike. Come hike the Big Baldy trail in Sequoia National Forest. On a clear day this easy
5-1/2 mile hike provides spectacular panoramic views. For more information, call Joanne or David at 559.733.2078.

Saturday, Nov. 20—Garfield Grove Trail to Putnam Canyon. This is a moderate hike of 4-6 miles depending on how far
we can go on the trail. The hike includes some elevation gain. For more information contact Dave at 559.688-.813,
coachk24@aol.com.

Saturday, Dec. 11—Hospital Rock Hike. This will be a family friendly outing in the foothills of Sequoia National Park.
Let's get above the fog by going to Hospital Rock. We will do a leisurely walk down a road and enjoy the sights and sounds

STAYING INFORMED: JOIN OUR KERN-NEWS & KERN FORUM E-MAIL LISTS at: http://
THE ROADRUNNER
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010
along the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River. After the walk, we will have a potluck at the Hospital Rock picnic area. For
more information, call Joanne or David at 559.733.2078.
Find the Mineral King Group on Facebook! Visit our page for up-to-date information on outings, social events, and our
conservation efforts in Tulare and Kings Counties.

California/Nevada Regional Conservation Committee

Desert Committee Outings
For questions about, or to sign up for a particular outing, please contact the leader listed in the write-up. For questions about Desert
Committee outings in general, or to receive the outings list by e-mail, please contact Kate Allen at kj.allen@wildblue.net or 661.944.4056.

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 20-21--Explore and Serve in the Carrizo Plains. Pronghorn antelope will not jump fences to escape predators
but rather attempt to crawl under. Our service on Saturday will either remove or modify several sections of fence to facilitate this mobility.
Sunday will be, at the choice of the group, either a hike in the Caliente Range or else a tour of popular viewing areas in the plains. This is
an opportunity to combine car camping, day-hiking, exploring, and service in a relatively unknown wilderness. Leader: Craig Deutsche,
craig.deutsche@gmail.com, 310.477.6670. CNRCC Desert Committee

Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 4-5--Carrizo Plains Fence Removal. Our work parties to remove barbed wire fences on the Carrizo Plain NM
are opening up the plain for the benefit of pronghorn antelope and other wildlife. Here is another chance to destroy fences. Meet at 0900
Saturday morning at Goodwin Visitor’s Center or join us Friday night at Selby campground. Potluck dinner and campfire Saturday.
Bring fence tools if you have them, heavy leather work gloves, long pants and long-sleeved shirts, and clothing appropriate for the
weather. Bring everything you need, including water, as there are no stores on the Carrizo. Resource specialists; Alice and Bob Koch.
For more information and to sign up, contact leaders: Cal and Letty French, lettyfrench@gmail.com, 805.239.7338. CNRCC Desert Com/
Santa Lucia Chapter

Tuesday-Sunday, Dec. 28, 2010-Jan. 2, 2011--Holiday Service in Carrizo Plain. Celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of
the next in one of our new national monuments. The Carrizo Plain, west of Bakersfield, is a vast grassland, home to pronghorn antelope,
tule elk, kit fox, and a wide variety of birds. A welcome hike Dec. 28, three and a half days of service modifying barbed wire fencing, and
a full day for hiking and exploring are planned. Use of accommodations at Goodwin Ranch included. Limited to 14 participants, $30
covers five dinners. For more information, contact leader: Craig Deutsche, craig.deutsche@gmail.com, 310.477.6670, or co-leader leader
Melinda Goodwater, mgoodwater@sbcglobal.net, 408.774.1257 CNRCC Desert Committee
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010

Chapter sponsors full day workshop by renewable energy expert

The Kern Kaweah Chapter
sponsored a full day workshop in San
Francisco on July 13. Given by
French energy expert Bernard
Chabot, the workshop held at the
Sierra Club’s national headquarters
explained how to use a simple
method for calculating the price of
fee-in tariffs for wind and solar
energy.
Of the three such workshops
given in the U.S. this year, Sierra
Club chapters were either the
sponsors or the principal organizers
of two.
Thirty six participants attended
the San Francisco workshop, the
majority from California. However,
there was a sizable delegation from
Oregon, and there were two
participants from Nevada.
Sierra Club California (SCC)
members Ray Pingle, Bill Powers,
and Robert Freehling participated.
They have been instrumental in
SCC’s campaign for more distributed
renewable energy, such as rooftop
solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, in
the state.
The first half of the day was
spent on conventional financial
formulas and background
information on economic analysis.
The second half of the day was
devoted to case studies of pricing for
wind and solar energy in California
and Oregon.
The sponsorship of the San
Francisco event was likely the largest
single grant ever awarded by the
Kern-Kaweah chapter. The chapter’s
action did not go unnoticed and
prompted senior staff to offer the
Club’s Yosemite Room to host the
meeting as an in-kind donation.
The advance press the
workshop received, internal Club
lobbying, a new executive director,
and a companion event held the day
before the pricing workshop led the
national Sierra Club to take a more
direct role. This took the form of
national Sierra Club sponsorship of
the companion event and Sierra Club
Executive Director Michael Brune
agreeing to give the morning keynote
address.
When Brune asked how many
of the 200 attendees at the
companion event were Sierra Club
members, nearly a third of those
present raised their hands. It was
clear to everyone that the Sierra Club
rank and file supported feed-in tariffs
and wanted action not only in
California but also nationwide. This
was not lost on Brune, or his staff.
There is now clear movement
on feed-in tariffs at the highest levels
of the Club. This movement is taking
place for several reasons, but a
significant reason is that the Kern-
Kaweah chapter showed the national
organization in the clearest and most
direct manner possible—with their
money—that they want action.
Here are some representative
comments:
“The tariff workshop
yesterday in SF was excellent.
Thank you for making it
happen.”—Bill Powers (Powers
Engineering and Sierra Club
California)
“Thanks to you and Bernard
Chabot for a fantastic workshop
on rate setting. I learned so much
and feel much better equipped to
participate in rate setting
discussions in the future. The
workshop was very well done!”—
Jennifer Gleason (Environmental
Law Alliance Worldwide)
“The seminar this past week
was top-class and I learned quite a
bit.” —Joe Bonanno (Sustainable
Power Assets)
—Paul Gipe
Workshop Organizer

DONATION: Chapter gives copies of Fontaine book to libraries

The Kern-Kaweah Chapter purchased 90 copies of Joe Joe spent many years hiking
Fontaine’s book, The Kern Plateau and Other Gems of the the areas mentioned and
Southern Sierra and then donated them to libraries and was directly instrumental
schools in Kern, Tulare, and Inyo counties. in having the Golden Trout
Joe, a long time member and activist of the Chapter, was Wilderness of the Kern
the national president of the Sierra Club (1980-1982) Plateau added to the national
during the tumultuous times of Secretary of Interior James wilderness system. In
Watt of the Reagan administration. All public libraries in addition, illustrations in
the three counties received a copy of the book. the book are the work
In addition, all of the high school libraries in the counties of local artist and Chapter
now have a copy of the book. Chair Georgette Theotig.
The EXCOM decided that one of the best ways to educate Have not had a chance
the public, especially younger members, of the message of to read his book? Now
conservation was to make available to them this you can go to you local
exceptional account of the history and natural attributes of library to check one out.
the area. Being a retired high school science teacher, Joe —Harry Love
knows how to best reach the reader with his message. Member-at-large
THE ROADRUNNER
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010

Court requires rewrite of Forest Service Monument plan

The first management plan the Forest Service adopted for management that Sierra Club and other environmental
the Giant Sequoia National Monument was thrown out by groups oppose.
the court as a result of a lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club We believe those are poison pills placed in Alternative
and others. The judge said it was incomprehensible and C to make it unacceptable to the public. The Sierra Club
told them to do it over. advocates the type of management used by the Sequoia
Our primary complaint was that it did not comply with National Park for their forests and wildlife but not the
the Proclamation that created the Monument signed by restrictive recreational rules used in the park. We strongly
President Clinton in 2000. oppose Alternative C as written.
This summer Sequoia National Forest released a Draft We are putting together our
Environmental Impact Statement for a new plan. It is a own management alternative “The use of fire is
bigger stack of paper that weighs 11 pounds but it still called the Citizens Park the preferred
calls for logging in the Monument. So it looks like we are Alternative. Our alternative method of
headed own the same path we took on the first plan. calls for managing the giant ecosystem restor-
Their preferred alternative, Alternative B, calls for sequoia groves and the entire
logging the equivalent of 7 or 8 million board feet per year. forest ecosystem in the same ation. Protection
The Forest Service claims logging is necessary to restore a fine manner used in Sequoia and restoration of
healthy forest and reduce the fire hazard. Yet in the National Park. The use of healthy habitats of
adjacent Sequoia National Park they have been fire is the preferred method sensitive wildlife
successfully using prescribed and naturally ignited fire to of ecosystem restoration. must be a priority.”
achieve the same result. Protection and restoration of
The Proclamation says that no tree may be removed from healthy habitats of sensitive —Joe Fontaine
the Monument unless clearly needed for ecological wildlife must be a priority. Sequoia Task Force
restoration and maintenance or public safety. The fact that Any mechanical thinning for
exactly the same giant sequoia ecosystem in Sequoia fuel reduction should be
National Park has been managed using fire only to create a focused in areas directly adjacent to structures. Dispersed
healthy resilient forest with excellent giant sequoia recreation should be encouraged. Overly restrictive rules
regeneration and to eliminate dangerous accumulation of for recreation are not needed.
fuels seems to mean nothing to Sequoia National Forest. Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
There are communities and developed areas in Sequoia are due by Nov. 3. Please help by submitting your own
National Park that are safe from wildfire with the use of comments that support the Citizens Park Alternative. Email
shaded fuel breaks and clearing smaller trees and brush comments can be sent to:
within about 300 hundred feet of structures. comments-pacificsouthwest-sequoia@fs.fed.us.
The use of fire only in the park is clear ecological Or you can send comments to: US Mail to GSNM-DEIS
evidence that trees do not need to be removed to create a Comments, Sequoia National Forest, 1839 S. Newcomb
healthy forest and public safety. Somehow the Forest St., Porterville, CA 93257
Serviced turns a blind eye to the results the National Park Your comments will help to protect the Giant Sequoia
has achieved without logging. National Monument as the Proclamation intended.
Alternative C is called the National Park Alternative by
the Forest Service. But alternative C would prohibit —Joe Fontaine
dispersed camping and other overly restrictive Sequoia Task Force

Art may spark interest in environmentalism

The newly formed Buena Vista
Group Art Committee is hosting an
exhibit of student art (grades 9-12)
in the Younger Gallery in downtown
Bakersfield from Feb. 11-April 1
with help from the Arts Council of
Kern. A reception and awards event
is being planned for Feb. 11 from 5
to 7 p.m. at the gallery.
The theme of the competition is
“California Perspectives 2011” with
focus on our state’s unique
environment, both natural and urban.
Judging of work will take place after
the Feb. 1 deadline.
Committee members include
Marjorie Bell, Pat Bonas, Dinah
Campbell, Kathy Kalson, Cynthia
Lane, Maria Polite, and Laura
Stockton.
Through private member
donations, the Art Committee also
contributed to the recent Via Arte The committee is also working
chalk drawing event. Haven Drive on an exhibit of photos by former
school children created the design of Bakersfield resident and club activist
a colorful parrot. Bev Steveson.
THE ROADRUNNER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2010

MIDGEBUZZINGS
On a shelf behind me is a framed photograph of the beautiful Kelso Valley taken during a storm, with
exquisite light and shadow, heavy dark clouds and portions of a rainbow’s arch. It reminds me of some of the
finest moments I’ve experienced in the Owens Valley, that enchanting land where so many of us go for renewal
of faith in the endurance of the earth. But the Kelso Valley is much closer and can be reached in little more than
an hour from my home. It is east of Lake Isabella on Highway 178, the road we take to the Audubon Preserve
on the south fork of the Kern River, and includes the little communities of Weldon and Onyx.
Sadly, these two valleys, each unique to the earth, KELSO VALLEY:
are now alike in another regard. Many of us know Farming in and
the history of the rape of the Owens Valley: the near Weldon may
secret purchases of farm land and water rights soon come to a halt
orchestrated by a man named Mulholland, who when solar panels
line the valley floor.
was head of the Los Angeles Department of Water This photo from the
and Power. By the time ranchers and farmers hills north of
understood what had happened, their water Weldon shows a
rights were gone and their means of drawing view of the valley
a living from the land were lost. Ironically, floor. Photo/
the negative effect of those secret negotiations, Marjorie Bell
while it ruined the farmers, resulted in the
preservation of that valley from excessive development such as we suffer in
the San Joaquin. But in the case of Kelso Valley, the ugliness of recent and similar wheeling and dealing, begun
by the Los Angeles DWP and taken up by other powerful concerns, will result in changes hideously
visible from any viewpoint. A part of the earth now so beautiful that it consoles the spirit will become vast
acres of solar units for almost as far as the eye can see. The power brokers who set this up will become
considerably richer, energy from the solar collection will benefit people far away who have no interest whatever
in its source, and the people in Kelso Valley, who have farmed there for generations, will be devastated.
The particulars of these machinations and their pending results are being examined by the citizens of Weldon
who have caught on to them at last, and by other writers who specialize in the details and effects of such
behavior. My purpose is to examine the aesthetics of the proposed venture, and to consider the problem
inherent in the fact that the destruction of natural beauty is primarily useless in a legal argument for the
preservation of unique places on the earth.
There is no doubt in my mind that beauty is necessary for human happiness, and by association, necessary for
human health and sanity. Opinions vary regarding its definition and source, but few of us would reject the
Grand Canyon or the redwood forests as exemplars. The development of aesthetic sensitivity is subject to
circumstances, and may be a luxury for the poor and disadvantaged. But nothing justifies the apparent
indifference to it among privileged people. The most likely explanation is appetite for extreme wealth. Given
the rapid disappearance of beautiful places, I think that we must develop strong and politically viable tactics to
counter sheer expediency and human greed.
Planning departments in California are required to consider environmental issues that include questions about
adverse effects upon scenic values. Unfortunately, lawsuits based upon aesthetics are rarely won.
I see little hope for administrative change. However, I do believe in the potential power in people who stand
to lose a beautiful natural asset without any compensation to themselves. In this case, that includes all of us
who live in Kern County. There is political power in numbers. I urge the signing of petitions, such as those
being written in Weldon, and massive presence in government-sponsored meetings on this issue.
—Ann Williams

Executive Committee of the Kern-Kaweah Chapter

Chair: Georgette Theotig (Tehachapi), 661.822.4371. Vice-chair: Gordon Nipp (Bksf), 661.872.2432. Secretary:
Ara Marderosian (Kernville), 760.378.4574. Treasurer: Lorraine Unger (Bksf), 661.323.5569. Donnel Lester
(Bksf), 661.831.6784. Richard Garcia (Min King), 559.624.0199. Ann Williams (Bksf), 661.324.1055. Arthur
Unger (Bksf), 661.323.5569. Peter Clum (Min King), 559.561.4661. Chapter ExCom Meetings: All Sierra Club
members are always welcome to attend these meetings. Call 661.822.4371 to confirm all meeting dates as well
as location and time.
POSTSCRIPTS The Roadrunner Non-Profit Org.
Santa Lucia Chapter hosts event U.S. POSTAGE
2815 La Cresta Dr.
A fund raiser for the San Luis Obispo Chapter of
Sierra Club is “A Celebration of Environmental Bakersfield, CA 93305-1718 PAID
Art and Literature” on Dec. 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Permit No. 498
the Masonic Temple, 859 Marsh St. in San Luis
Obispo. The event will include wine and food, Bakersfield, CA
live readings by local authors, signed books and
original artwork for sale, and music, dancing and
a live auction of one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.
Admission is $50 ($25 for students). Tickets,
which are limited, are available at:
lizmtracy@gmail.com.

Another Chapter event is an environmental film

festival on Friday, Oct. 22 at the Spanos Theatre
at Cal Poly with a reception at 6:30 p.m.
followed by films starting at 7:30 p.m. The
admission cost is $10. Tickets are available at
www.lpfw.org. Proceeds benefit Los Padres
Forestwater.

Audubon sponsoring bus trip

The Return of the Cranes event will be at Pixley
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Nov. 13
sponsored by the Kern and Tulare Audubon
Chapters. Bus transportation is being made
available from both Bakersfield and Visaliia. The
event schedule from Bakersfield is to meet the
bus at 2:30 p.m. Arrangements are now being
finalized. Reservations should be made for the
bus ride by calling the refuge office at
661.725.2767. People also can drive directly to
Pixley NWR if they prefer.

Dinner Reservation Form — Clip and mail before Nov. 4 deadline

I/we will attend the Fall Chapter Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 at Hodels off Olive
Drive in Bakersfield. Please make check out to: SIERRA CLUB, KERN-KAWEAH
CHAPTER. Mail check to: Glenn Shellcross, Chair, Buena Vista Sierra Club Group, 6403
Priest River Place, Bakersfield CA 93306-7435. Check must be received by Thursday,
Nov. 4, 2010.

Enclosed is a check for ______ reservation(s) @ $25 per person for a total of $________
Indicate number of each meal requested:
___ Beef tips with Mushrooms
___ Lemon herb roasted chicken
___ Special dietary needs: specify _____________________________

Name(s) of those attending: ________________________________________________