Sierra Land Use News DECEMBER 2009

The Land Use News is a monthly electronic update of news, events, and notices regarding land use issues happening in or relevant to the Sierra. Articles of interest are hyperlinked. Click on the link to access the article online. Do you have an item that should be included in the Land Use News? Send it to [email protected].

Table of Contents – in this issue…

I. Special from the Alliance 1. The 2010 Sierra Conservation directory is now available online! 2. The 2009-2010 Ski Area Environmental Scorecard is here! resorts receive high marks for watershed, habitat protection; poor performance on energy

II. News from California 1. Tahoe Agencies Applaud Restoration Bill, Yuba Net 2. Cities grapple with state law on land use and greenhouse gases, The Press-Enterprise 3. State to look at growth plan, Chronicle 4. Sierra Valley ranchers, farmers battling land developers, The Reno-Gazette Journal 5. Placer Land Trust Joins Partnership to protect Bear River, Yuba Net 6. Transit Use is Growing, But Not Where You Think, Planetizen 7. Sutter Creek's Gold Rush Ranch expenses, revenues logged, Amador Ledger Dispatch 8. Loma Rica organic farm closes, The Union 9. Study sees transit saving Californians' energy, cutting greenhouse gas, The Sacramento Bee 10. Calaveras golf course owners get more time, The Record 11. Federal law provides tax incentive for conserving land, San Francisco Chronicle 12. Lockeford debuts design guidelines, Lodi News-Sentinel 13. My Valley Springs New Website!, ThePineTree.net

III. News from Nevada 1. Private Tahoe Development still a major issue, conservations say, Reno-Gazette Journal 2. Interior, Agriculture Secretaries To Purchase 5,026 Acres of Western Land With High Conservation Value, Yuba Net 3. After initial public forum, many in favor of Boulder Bay project in North Tahoe, North Bonanza 4. New plans for Walmart to be considered Dec. 1, The Record Courier 5. Green vs. green fight over Tahoe redevelopment, The Modesto Bee

IV. Events 1. PCL’s annual conference: Greening California’s Landscapes: Smart Solutions for a New Era 2. Pre- and Post-Wild Fire Forest Management for Ecological Restoration and Fire Resiliency, Feb 9-11, 2010, Sacramento

I. SPECIAL FROM THE ALLIANCE

1. The 2010 Sierra Conservation directory is now available online! http://www.sierranevadaalliance.org/publications/publication.shtml?type=pgm01 or download now as a PDF: http://www.sierranevadaalliance.org/publications/db/pics/1259108519_3536.f_pdf.pdf

The Directory is a comprehensive listing of organizations that work on conservation issues in the . The directory was prepared to assist Sierra organizations, agencies, interested public and the media with locating and contacting conservation organizations in the region. It can also be used as an informational resource for those interested in learning more about the kind of conservation work being undertaken throughout the Sierra Nevada. If your organization is missing from the Directory and you’d like to be included – we’re happy to add you! Please email Patricia at the Sierra Nevada Alliance: [email protected] for a Directory template.

2. The 2009-2010 Ski Area Environmental Scorecard is here! The Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition released its annual environmental report card for ski resorts in the intermountain west on December 1. As one of four members of the Coalitions’ Steering Committee – the Sierra Nevada Alliance helped with publicity for resorts in California and Nevada. We were pleased to get some great coverage this year. The original press release is below. Check the following sites for other articles:

1) Reno Gazette Journal: Tahoe resorts get good grades for protecting environment http://www.rgj.com/article/20091201/NEWS/912010363 2) Tahoe Daily Tribune: Tahoe area resorts hold steady on annual environmental report card 3) http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20091202/NEWS/912029994/1063&parentprofile=10 63 4) Tahoeticker.com: Grades schmades http://www.tahoeticker.com/Outdoors/Grades-schmades 5) Associate Press: Good environmental grades for most Tahoe ski runs. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hpudcP2KzOcIplQCHl_71VjgSKzgD9CBD TG02 6) The Ski Channel: Squaw Valley scores top environmental ranking of 83 U.S. ski resorts. http://www.theskichannel.com/news/skinews/20091203/Squaw-Valley-scores-top- environmental-ranking-of-83-US-ski-resorts

California Resorts Receive High Marks For Watershed, Habitat Protection; Poor Performance On Energy California leads resorts in the intermountain west for high environmental scores http://www.sierranevadaalliance.org/programs/program.shtml?type=pgm05

The 9th annual release of the Ski Area Citizens Environmental Report Card showed strong scores from many resorts around the west for watershed and habitat protection. Of the 83 resorts evaluated 60 scored a ‘B’ or better for their watershed protection policies and 57 resorts scored a ‘B’ or better for their habitat protection policies. For those highest scoring resorts this meant little or no disturbance of sensitive watershed or habitat areas, and no documented water quality violations. California/Nevada resorts were consistent with this trend with 16 of the 20 CA/NV resorts evaluated scoring a ‘B’ or better for their watershed protection policies and 17 out of 20 scoring a ‘B’ or better for their habitat protection policies. To view each resort’s score and to see resort performance in each of the four categories, visit: www.skiareacitizens.com.

In contrast, many of these same resorts did not achieve as high a grade for addressing climate change, or for their environmental policies and practices. More than 50% of the western ski areas evaluated received a D or an F in these two categories. California and Nevada resorts as a whole faired only slightly better than western resorts as a whole, with 8 of 20 CA/NV resorts scoring a ‘D’ or worse in the climate change category and 9 failing with respect to their environmental policies and practices.

“We’re happy to see California ski resorts are not trampling meadows and wetlands or bulldozing into sensitive wildlands this year,” said Patricia Hickson, Program Associate with the Sierra Nevada Alliance, a member organization of the Ski Area Citizens Coalition. “We were disappointed however that ski resorts were not excelling in reducing greenhouse gases. California and Nevada ski areas should be more motivated than any other industry given we could lose 90% of the Sierra snowpack this century from climate change.”

“Some resorts that scored points for buying renewable energy credits last year lost those points this year because they discontinued the program”, said Paul Joyce, Research Director for the Ski Area Citizens Coalition. “In some cases it sounded like a cost cutting measure. Ski resorts will likely be one of the most impacted industries by climate change. As such, resorts should be a leader in showcasing awareness and conscious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Many resorts lost points in the climate change portion of the report card because of unsubstantial use of biodiesel as fuel for diesel vehicles or other equipment. Resorts also lost points for not purchasing alternative energy off-sets, such as energy credits from wind, solar and geothermal sources. Such energy credits help to off-set greenhouse gas emissions created in powering ski lifts and other resort operations. Very few resorts in the west generate renewable energy on site.

The Ski Area Citizens Coalition (SACC) is endorsed by more than 20 conservation organizations in the west. The SACC steering committee consists of Colorado Wild, the Sierra Nevada Alliance, Friends of the Inyo and Under the Sleeping Buffalo Research Center (UTSB). The Ski Area Environmental Scorecard (now Report Card) has been published consecutively since 2000. The report card analyzes resorts in five regions of the west, CA/NV, CO/NM, ID/MT/WY, OR/WA, and UT/AZ.

This year, for the first time, the coalition grouped the suite of criteria with which the ski resorts were evaluated into four categories – providing a more descriptive picture of the work being done to address environmental impacts. Ski resorts are graded by a suite of 35 criteria such as: preservation of sensitive lands within the areas, actions related to water conservation and quality, and demonstrated commitment to green programs such as recycling and alternative energy use. More detailed information about the grading criteria that make up each category can be found on-line at www.skiareacitizens.com.

The Coalition hopes skiers and riders use the Report Card to let their favorite resorts know they care about their environmental practices – whether it’s giving the resort accolades for their protection of sensitive habitat, or calling them out for inefficient use of water or energy.

Overall, of the 83 ski areas evaluated across the west, none completely failed, 15 received Ds and 15 areas received As. In California/Nevada only two resorts scored a ‘D’ making the CA/NV region the highest ranking for environmental performance among all ski areas across the intermountain west. Squaw Valley was the highest ranking resort among all the 83 resorts evaluated. Alpine Meadows followed closely behind, ranking as the fifth highest scoring resort for environmental performance.

“Though there are some outliers, as a whole we’re happy to see that resorts appear to be taking their environmental performance and practices more seriously,” said Ryan Bidwell, Executive Director of Colorado Wild. “That speaks well for future of the industry.”

Grouping scoring criteria into the four categories highlighted significant differences in resort performance from region to region and resort to resort. While overall averages demonstrate general trends, the new format of the report card also shows that even with scores improving across the spectrum, more than half of resorts still receive a ‘D’ or an ‘F’ in at least one category. The spreadsheet below displays the score card grades in each category for California/Nevada Ski Resorts in order of performance.

Addressing Overall global Environmental Grade Habitat Protecting climate policies and Resort Name 2009/2010 protection watersheds change practices Squaw Valley USA A A B A A Alpine Meadows A A A A C A A B B A A B A A A B A B B C B C B A A Ski Area B A B B C Mt. Rose - Ski Tahoe B A B D F Resort B A B D F Sierra-at-Tahoe B B A A B Mt. Shasta Board and Ski Park B A B D F Summit Mountain Resort C A A D F Northstar-at-Tahoe C C D A A Resort C A B F F Dodge Ridge C B F A F Sierra Summit Mountain Resort C A B F F Snow Valley Mountain Resort C A B F F C B F C B Mountain Resort D F A B C Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort D B C F F

Skiers and snowboarders can easily send emails to resorts through the website, www.skiareacitizens.com. The website allows visitors to thank resorts for their environmental stewardship or encourage them to improve their environmental policies and management.

Report card data is obtained from an annual survey, public records from government agencies, and from the resorts themselves. Freedom of Information Act and Public Records Act requests are filed with appropriate land managers to identify ski area development projects and management plans each spring. Resorts are also asked to fill out surveys and regarding their on-mountain environmental programs. All source documents can be viewed on the website.

II. NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA

1. Tahoe Agencies Applaud Restoration Bill, Yuba Net http://yubanet.com/regional/Tahoe-Agencies-Applaud-Restoration-Bill.php

By: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Date: November 3, 2009

Public agency partners whose collaborative work over the past 15 years has been a driving force for advancing Lake Tahoe restoration efforts applauded congressional leaders Tuesday for introducing a $415 million reauthorization of the federal Lake Tahoe Restoration Act.

The legislation sponsored by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, and cosponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, Senator John Ensign of Nevada, and Senator Barbara Boxer of California, spells out eight years of federal government investment in the newly updated Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program. The EIP outlines $2.5 billion for improving water quality and restoring lake clarity, reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, and preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species at the Lake, along with other environmental restoration efforts.

2. Cities grapple with state law on land use and greenhouse gases, The Press-Enterprise http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_scag05.451ffd2.html

[From ClimatePlan Weekly Newsletter]

By: Duane W. Gang Date: November 4, 2009

Elected leaders from throughout Riverside County continued debating Wednesday about how to handle state legislation designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by changing how officials plan future growth.

The bill known as SB 375, which took effect in January, calls for the planning of new development and communities around transportation hubs, the idea being to reduce the number of cars and light trucks on the region's roads and freeways.

3. State to look at growth plan, San Francisco Chronicle New project would determine preferred growth scenarios. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/08/BA2V1A9Q23.DTL

By: John King Date: Nov. 8, 2009

[forwarded by the Foothill Conservancy]

With little fanfare and a modest budget, work has begun that could lead to something California has never had - an explicit government vision for how and where the state should grow.

The official action is modest, a $2.5 million contract to devise a set of detailed growth scenarios for California, from classic suburban sprawl to compact development focused on older cities. The goal is to produce a single "preferred scenario" - one that conceivably could be used to prod local governments to accept or reject new construction.

4. Sierra Valley ranchers, farmers battling land developers, The Reno-Gazette Journal http://www.rgj.com/article/20091110/TT/911100302/1047

By: Staff Report Date: November 10, 2009

Ranchers in the 300,000-acre Sierra Valley north of Truckee say funding sources used to save their land from developers are becoming hard to come by, renewing fears that the valley's agricultural heritage will be hard to preserve.

Many farmers and ranchers in the scenic Sierra County valley -- the largest alpine valley in the Sierra Nevada and one of the biggest in the nation -- have turned to conservation easements and state conservation laws to keep their land in agriculture and to preserve the bucolic, 19th-century character of Sierra Valley.

5. Placer Land Trust Joins Partnership to protect Bear River, Yuba Net http://yubanet.com/regional/Placer-Land-Trust-Joins-Partnership-to-protect-Bear-River.php

By: Placer Land Trust Date: November 14, 2009

Wilderness trails, water quality and scenic open space are just a few of the reasons that three conservation groups have joined forces with willing landowners to preserve land along the Bear River.

Placer Land Trust (PLT) and the Nevada County Land Trust (NCLT) have joined with the internationally known Trust for Public Land (TPL) to form the Bear-Yuba Partnership, a new initiative designed to encourage public and private investment in protection of the Sierra Nevada foothills in the Bear River and Yuba River watersheds.

6. Transit Use is Growing, But Not Where You Think, Planetizen http://www.planetizen.com/node/41730

[From ClimatePlan Weekly Newsletter]

By: Nate Berg Date: November 19, 2009

Since the 1950s, public transit hasn't exactly been the primary focus of most American cities. But it's out there, in pockets. New York City's subway system carries 1.5 billion riders per year. Washington D.C.'s metro sees a little more than 200 million annually. Chicago's carries about the same. By U.S. standards these systems are well-used and extensive. But the big boys of American transit aren't the whole story. Transit use is growing in many U.S. metropolitan areas, and the strongest growth is occurring where you might not expect.

Metro areas like Charlotte, NC, Detroit, MI, and Riverside, CA, have seen the nation's highest increases in transit use between 2006 and 2008. The following list shows the top 10 metropolitan statistical areas, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, where commuting by public transportation has grown the most. None of them are among the nation's top 10 most populous metro areas, and yet seven are within the top 20. So what's behind the story? Why are these smaller metros topping larger regions when it comes to growth in transit use?

7. Sutter Creek's Gold Rush Ranch expenses, revenues logged, Amador Ledger Dispatch

By: Roger Phelps Date: November 20, 2009

[forwarded by the Foothill Conservancy]

A fiscal deficit for Sutter Creek, albeit a curable one, is predicted to be caused by the proposed Gold Rush Ranch and Golf Course subdivision development.

A city-commissioned analysis suggests that serving the needs of thousands of residents living within the 945-acre subdivision could cost around $3.3 million annually after a fourth and final project phase was complete. Toward offsetting that, the project after buildout would create General Fund revenues of around $1.9 million, according to the study by the Goodwin Group of Sacramento. Consultants recommend a variety of measures to cure a projected annual deficit of around $1.4 million.

8. Loma Rica organic farm closes, The Union http://www.theunion.com/article/20091121/NEWS/911209962/1065

By: Jeff Ackerman Date: Nov 21, 2009

The Loma Rica Ranch organic farm — part of a planned development touted as a model for Sierra foothill neighborhoods — has been closed, and its seven farm workers have lost their jobs.

The Grass Valley farm was the cornerstone of a multi-use development that has been seven years in various stages of planning and review.

But Friday, it fell victim to the slow economy and financial challenges that already have cost project backers an estimated $14 million, developers said.

“The organic farm has been a great asset to the community these past few years, and we hate to disappoint our local customers,” said Phil Carville, president of Carville Sierra Inc., which represents the developers. “The farm is still an integral part of the master-planned community and the centerpiece of the Loma Rica Ranch project.”

9. Study sees transit saving Californians' energy, cutting greenhouse gas, The Sacramento Bee http://www.sacbee.com/trafficnews/story/2338759.html

By: Mark Glover Date: November 21, 2009

A new study says Californians could save billions each year and cut greenhouse gas emissions by developing neighborhoods within easy access of public transportation.

The study – "Windfall for All: How Connected, Convenient Neighborhoods Can Protect Our Climate and Safeguard California's Economy" – was conducted by Oakland-based TransForm, formerly the Transportation and Land Use Coalition. TransForm is a coalition that includes nonprofits, environmental advocates and labor unions.

10. Calaveras golf course owners get more time, The Record http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091124/A_NEWS/911240316#STS=g2etjikv.1kv q ]

By: The Record Date: November 24, 2009

[forwarded by the Foothill Conservancy]

SAN ANDREAS - A judge Monday gave the owners of the Trinitas golf course 20 more days to amend a lawsuit in which the owners argue that their facility is a legal form of agritourism under county law.

Calaveras County officials say the 280-acre course south of Wallace is operating illegally, because the land is zoned for agriculture. The course is the center of several legal battles, including a bank foreclosure, the owner's bankruptcy filing and another lawsuit.

11. Federal law provides tax incentive for conserving land, San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/01/BANT1A8ATG.DTL

By: Drew Joseph Date: November 27, 2009

[forwarded by the Foothill Conservancy]

Andy Beckstoffer, the founder of Napa Valley's Beckstoffer Vineyards, wanted to donate a piece of his land to conservation, but it didn't make sense financially - his property would bring in much more if he sold it than left it to grow grapes forever.

But when Congress passed legislation in 2006 to bolster tax deductions to those who donated conservation easements, Beckstoffer set aside the 90-acre To Kalon Vineyard in Rutherford.

"The tax incentive changed it all," Beckstoffer said recently.

12. Lockeford debuts design guidelines, Lodi News-Sentinel http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2009/11/28/news/3_lockeford_091128.txt By: Ross Farrow Date: November 27, 2009

[forwarded by the Foothill Conservancy]

San Joaquin County has released a draft of design guidelines for the Highway 88 corridor in Lockeford that encourages people to retain the community's 19th-century flavor.

The community is invited to comment on the proposed guidelines at the Jan. 21 meeting of the Lockeford Municipal Advisory Council. They are available on the county's Web site.

13. My Valley Springs New Website!, ThePineTree.net http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=14784

By: Kim Hamilton Date: December 2, 2009

Valley Springs, CA..... When MyValleySprings.com formed in 2005, founding members set up an Internet website to educate the public about the importance of land use planning, community design, and to encourage public participation in the community planning process. For four years, the website has provided planning and development information, updates, resources, links to related sites, opinion pieces, meeting notices, and calls to action. As the MVS website continued to grow and add information, content sometimes became difficult to find. The Board of Directors decided it was time to clean house and reorganize! ....

MyValleySprings.com has just launched a completely redesigned and updated website to better serve the community. There are 40 pages of new content; over 80 documents, reports, opinions, and news articles; and over 80 photos, maps, and graphics. Organization and design have been improved to make the site user-friendly, easy to navigate, and to make information easier to find.

New planning pages include ‘Quality of Life Issues’, ‘Opportunities for Improvement’, ‘Documents & Reports’, and ‘Recommended Reading.’ Expanded and updated topics include ‘CEQA’, ‘Residential Project Maps’, ‘Residential & Commercial Project Lists’, ‘Get Involved’, and ‘Your Voice Counts’ (among many others). On www.MyValleySprings.com, website users can easily view photos and maps, learn about community planning issues and ideas, and find ways to get involved and express their opinions. MyValleySprings.com is a grassroots community-based non-profit organization whose mission is to promote responsible growth and development through public participation in community planning in order to preserve the quality of rural life in the greater Valley Springs area. The organization was created in late 2005 in response to rapid development in the rural unincorporated Valley Springs area in the rolling Sierra Nevada foothills of western Calaveras County. MyValleySprings.com immediately began advocating for more public involvement in the planning process, more information and education available for the public, and an update to the community plan in order to address the impacts of growth and preserve the rural character of the region.

Currently, MyValleySprings.com has a five-member Board of Directors: Joyce Techel, President; Seana Hogan, Vice President; Mark Jones, Treasurer; Colleen Platt, Secretary; and Cathryn Jackson, Director at Large. The organization has 38 individual and group donors, 190 registered supporters, and 266 recipients of its emailed Planning News. MyValleySprings.com also receives financial support from three private foundations. In 2007, the website received 27,060 visits and in 2008, 24,840 visits (representing 612—860 visitors per month). The site has become a resource for both laypersons and professionals.

Please visit www.myvalleysprings.com to see the improved design and navigational features and access updated website information. To give us your feedback, contact the MyValleySprings.com Board through the website page ‘Contact Us’, or email [email protected].

III. NEWS FROM NEVADA

1. Private Tahoe Development still a major issue, conservations say, Reno-Gazette Journal http://www.rgj.com/article/20091104/NEWS/911040430/1321/NEWS/Private-Tahoe-development- still-an-major-issue--conservations-say

By: Jeff Delong Date: November 4, 2009

Land-use officials, fire chiefs and environmental groups Tuesday lauded a new, long-term federal funding commitment to protect Lake Tahoe, but some conservationists were concerned about continuing practices they said endanger the lake.

The $415 million provided through reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act will play a role in ongoing efforts to reverse the clouding of Tahoe's waters, head off invasions by exotic species and prevent catastrophic fires, officials said.

2. Interior, Agriculture Secretaries To Purchase 5,026 Acres of Western Land With High Conservation Value, Yuba Net http://yubanet.com/usa/Interior-Agriculture-Secretaries-To-Purchase-5-026-Acres-Of-Western-Land- With-High-Conservation-Value.php

By: USDA Date: November 16, 2009

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that their agencies would acquire seven parcels of high value conservation land, totaling 5,026 acres in Colorado, Montana and Nevada for $11.7 million. The largest is a 4,573-acre property within the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in Colorado.

The acquisitions are authorized by the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act of 2000, which established a special land conservation fund to purchase private "inholdings" in western states from willing sellers whose acreage is surrounded by or next to lands managed by Interior's Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service, and the Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service.

3. After initial public forum, many in favor of Boulder Bay project in North Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe Bonanza http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20091119/NEWS/911189992/1061&ParentProfile=1050

By: Kevin MacMillan Date: Nov 19, 2009

Of the varying opinions expressed this week at the first public hearing of Boulder Bay's draft eco study, perhaps the most important words were those of Tahoe Vista resident Ellie Waller.

“I don't know how anyone can commit today ... until I've read the entire document, I don't have a view one way or the other,” she told the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board. “I encourage everyone and all of you to read the entire document. Let's not just make a global position on this.”

Waller was among about 100 residents, business owners and local figureheads who attended Wednesday's meeting to observe the first public presentation of the 1,589-page Draft Environmental Impact Study that dissects the ecological and economic impact of Boulder Bay, the proposed project in Crystal Bay and Brockway aiming to redevelop the Tahoe Biltmore and Tahoe Mariner sites.

4. New plans for Walmart to be considered Dec. 1, The Record Courier http://www.recordcourier.com/article/20091124/NEWS/911249991/1062&ParentProfile=1049

By: Scott Neuffer Date: November 24, 2009

After three months of waiting, Gardnerville town staff is recommending approval of new plans for a proposed Walmart Supercenter in south Gardnerville, which will be reviewed 4:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at the town office, 1407 Highway 395.

“It's a world of difference from what was here in September,” Town Manager Jim Park said on Tuesday. “I really anticipate this will be a strict business meeting where we'll consider the design and how it complies and fits in with the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan. It's not a hearing on one establishment's practices versus another's.”

5. Green vs. green fight over Tahoe redevelopment, The Modesto Bee http://www.modbee.com/business/story/949612.html

By: Tom Knudson Date: Nov 27, 2009

As snow begins to blanket Lake Tahoe, the region finds itself facing a new kind of development battle: green vs. green.

On a ridge overlooking a sparkling, silver-blue bay, Roger Wittenberg has a dream. An inventor and developer, he wants to tear down the cavernous old Tahoe Biltmore Lodge and Casino and replace it with a $140 million eco-friendly resort he says will work environmental miracles by shrinking carbon emissions and reducing the flow of sediment into the lake.

The resort, he added, will emphasize health, nutrition and nature over gambling — though it would include a small casino.

IV. EVENTS

1. PCL annual conference: Greening California’s Landscapes: Smart Solutions for a New Era

Hosted by: Planning and Conservation League (PCL) When: Saturday, January 30, 2010 Where: Sacramento Convention Center, Downtown Sacramento, CA

Why: Tired of hearing about all the doom and gloom associated with our environmental issues? We’ve got the conference for you! At the 2010 Environmental Legislative Symposium, hosted by the Planning and Conservation League (PCL) and PCL Foundation, our panels will focus on solution oriented discussions. Decision makers, business leaders and activists will walk away equipped with the tools needed to make important changes in their community and at the statewide level. Who: Environmental advocates, policymakers, elected officials, attorneys, consultants, public agencies, businesses, planners, and community leaders

More information available at the Planning and Conservation League website: http://www.pcl.org/projects/2010symposium/index.html

2. Pre- and Post-Wild Fire Forest Management for Ecological Restoration and Fire Resiliency

When: February 9-11, 2010 Where: Wildland Fire Training and Conference Center, Sacramento, CA

Why: Share current science and perspectives on pre- and post-fire management in forests of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades regions and discuss related conflicts on public and private forests. Who: Scientists, forest managers, environmental organizations and interested citizens

More information available after Aug 15th at http://ucanr.org/wildfire2010 Please forward questions and comments to Mike Chapel ([email protected] ) or Richard Harris ([email protected])