SAVE WETLANDS Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge
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SAVE WETLANDS Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge Issue 48 Advocates for the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Fall 2019 A portion of the alignment of the defunct Dumbarton Rail line on the east side of the Bay runs through tidal marsh habitat. Photo courtesy of Cris Benton. WhatProtecting do you envision for thethe future Future and San Francisco of voters San approved Francisco Bay of San Francisco Bay? Will we be a $425 million Embarcadero Seawall successful in maintaining a resilient Earthquake Safety general obligation Inside: ecosystem complete with tidal bond to keep out tide waters that are What CCCR Did in 2019 ............................2 marshes? already overtopping this barrier. San The Tracks Run Through the Refuge ........4 Concerns about the reality of climate Francisco International Airport has a Development in Area 4 .............................6 disruption, and for the Bay Area, sea $587 million dollar plan to surround Patterson Ranch threatened ....................7 the airport with a 10-mile sea wall. level rise are becoming interlaced into Shoreline Adaptation Atlas .....................8 the fabric of our lives as well they The costs of protecting infrastructure CCCR Joins Lawsuit Against EPA ...........10 should. Where once the topic was developed before we were aware of sea barely considered in the press, it now level rise will be astronomical. Alameda Wildlife Reserve .......................12 dominates headlines. In addition to concerns of protecting Baylands Conservation Committee .......13 Cities are scrambling to protect their our communities from the Saving Point Molate ................................13 shorelines — Foster City residents consequences of rising sea levels, cities Wetlands in the Far South Bay .............. 14 approved $90 million in taxes in the and regional transportation agencies The Uneasy Chair .....................................15 are looking to reduce traffic congestion hopes that rising Bay waters can be Treasurer Update .....................................15 halted at the City’s surrounding levees, ...continued on page 3 CCCR advocates devotedWhat 4000+ CCCR volunteer-hours Diddefending in potential 2019 and current Refuge lands, special-status species, wetlands, watersheds and more, at meetings and workshops, in project plan analysis, in document and field research, with written comments, and at times working with expert contractors and nonprofit partners. Actions protecting threatened lands that lie within • Bay Road Office Project, East Palo Alto: Four 8-story the Refuge Acquisition Boundary, particularly: buildings adjoining Ravenswood OSP • Cargill-owned Ponds, Redwood City: Clean Water Act • Creek/riparian encroachment, Santa Clara County/ Jurisdictional Determination litigation against U.S. EPA; SCVWD: Residential use of publicly-owned lands. arranged speaker for Redwood City Rotary. • Facebook Projects, Menlo Park and Redwood City: • Monitoring Menlo Park wetlands threats (Ravenswood Advisory role, impact avoidance and mitigation of Triangle; Adams/University): Facebook Willow Village, proposed and existing real estate and transportation Dumbarton rail projects • Newark Area 4: urging Supplemental EIR be circulated • Google Projects, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Alviso: for a project that will consume upland transition zone Advisory role on development, on impact avoidance habitat and mitigation of proposed and existing real estate and trail projects • Mountain View: Revisions to the North of Bayshore Actions to avert threats to lands held by the Refuge Precise Plan (would allow adding ~ 10,000 housing including: units) • Clean Water Act permit non-compliance issues • Palo Alto Baylands: Regional Water Facility horizontal • Dumbarton Corridor Feasibility Study, Palo Alto levee project in existing endangered species habitat General Plan/Transportation Element: Build in Refuge. • Riparian and Bird-safe Design Policy Update, City of Attendance at community meetings San Jose • Facebook Expansion Project: consultation regarding • South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, Phase 2 EIR/S Pedestrian/Bike Bridge (West/South Bay and Eden Landing documents) • Monitoring of Caltrans areas in Redwood City to • TopGolf at Terra, San Jose: Monitor development of prevent debris entering adjacent Refuge waterways entertainment/retail/hotel center, 170’ high net, next • Port of Redwood City, presentation to Commission on to lower Guadalupe River potential ferry wake impacts to Refuge endangered species habitat • Redwood City Ferry Terminal Economic Feasibility Actions commenting on Bay Region, State and Federal Study, communications with city project manager on Plans and Policies: wake impacts • California Wetlands and Riparian Area Protection • Support Park Ranger services, Menlo Park: Bedwell- Policy — Stakeholder/contributor Bayfront Park, adjoining the Refuge • Caltrans Advanced Mitigation Program - comment letter • CDFW Regional Conservation Investment Strategy Actions on Bay/Regional Projects: Guidelines - comment letter • 410 Airport Blvd, Burlingame: signatory on joint letter • Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan, San to State Lands Commission in support of restoration/ Francisco Bay Estuary - Stakeholder public park proposal • East Bay Regional Conservation Investment Strategy - • 557 East Bayshore Road Project (Century 12 site), comment letter Redwood City, potential impacts to Bair Island — comment letter on revised project • Farallon Islands Invasive House Mouse Eradication Project - support letter • Coyote Hills Regional Park; Restoration and Public Access Plans for 296-acres of donated lands — • Newark Slough Mitigation Bank Proposal — periodic comment letters regarding the proposed project, check-in with agencies hired a consultant to discuss adverse impacts to • Regional Advanced Mitigation Planning - Stakeholder willow habitats 2 SAVE WETLANDS Fall 2019 the past. the past. The uture of the Bay ...continued from front page and greenhouse gas emissions by Bay ecosystem. We’ve been working future of the Bay — from forward revitalizing commuter rail lines, which diligently towards that goal, but have thinking strategies and projects to land could have consequences for adjacent only achieved less than half the acreage use plans that are firmly entrenched in tidal marshes. that is needed. the past. The protective measures described If we wish to secure the health of the above (sea walls and levees) harken Bay for future generations, we must back to traditional approaches to look for opportunities to protect lands stopping the sea. In some locations that can provide accommodation we will have no choice; we haven’t space for tidal marsh species. We left enough room between the Bay must switch from hardened forms and developed areas to implement of protection wherever possible to mitigation measures that also benefit nature-based solutions (e.g. restoration the environment. In those areas, of beaches, submerged aquatic tidal marshes, the drivers of the Bay’s vegetation, tidal marsh ecotone levees, biodiversity, will likely be lost. etc.) that support ecosystem function. Over 90% of our Bay tidal marshes We should be creative and look for have been lost to development, or partnerships to accomplish nature- diked off from the Bay for agriculture, based solutions. For example, in the salt extraction and landfills. In the case of the rail projects, can hydrologic 1990s, Bay Area scientists, academics, connections in existing marshes be and regulatory and resource restored or upland migration space agencies released the Baylands provided? Ecosystem Habitat Goals Report that The articles in this edition of Save recommended large-scale restoration Wetlands present the full spectrum efforts to achieve a total of 100,000 of approaches to planning and how American White Pelican grooming in acres of tidal marsh for a healthy today’s decisions might affect the Adobe Creek. Photo courtesy of Carin High. Actions on projects impacting special-status species • Facebook Environmental Community Group and water quality impacts in the Bay Region: Representative, Advisory role, Corporate Real Estate • Clean Water Act/Endangered Species Act violations Planning • Carnegie SVRA, Tesla Park, Alameda County: Extreme • Friends of the Estuary Board Member special-status species habitat destruction • Google Ecology Club Member, Advisory role, Corporate • Upper Berryessa Creek Flood Reduction Project, Real Estate Planning Milpitas: Monitor outcomes of built project. • Menlo Park Stakeholder, Bayfront Bedwell Park Master Plan Oversight Committee • Resilient by Design — served as “Local Leader” speakers Actions of CCCR as Facilitators, Stakeholders, for tours at various locations Representatives at meetings/conferences and on • San Jose Environmental Services Division, Boards: Environmental Community Group Representative • Adapting to Rising Tides — Stakeholder and host for • Santa Clara Valley Conservation Council Member presentation to environmental groups • Santa Clara Valley Water District: Stakeholder, Reverse • Alviso Neighborhood Community Meetings Osmosis Concentrate County-wide planning • Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan • San Francisco Bay Joint Venture Management Board • BCDC Fill for Habitat Amendment • San Francisco Estuary Partnership Implementation • BCDC Rising Sea Level Workshops Committee • CCCR-Hosted, Capitol Corridor presentations • Shoreline Advocacy Workshop • CrossBay Transit - Stakeholder • South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project