Updates + News
Practice Green Friday: Buy Nothing Or Support Local!
November 23, 2020
Skipping the madness of Black Friday and big box stores this year is an especially great idea considering the current circumstances. Instead of opting for online big business, check out other online options for supporting small, local businesses and non-profits, or spend nothing and get outside! However, if it’s your day to get on top of holiday presents consciously, EPIC has you covered! We are excited to showcase our new 2020 merchandise that celebrates listing the Humboldt marten as threatened on the endangered species list. read more >>
Egregious Violations in Smith River Estuary Block Public Access and Harm Tidal Wetland Habitat
November 19, 2020
Reservation Ranch, owned by Steven Westbrook and located on the Smith River estuary in Del Norte County, has racked up multiple egregious public access and unpermitted development violations in and around the Smith River estuary that violate the Coastal Act and the Del Norte County Local Coastal Plan. These Coastal Act violations include grading and construction of roads, wetland fill, placement of fill in wetlands and tidal sloughs, damming of tidal sloughs, diversion and storage of freshwater for irrigation, dredging and channeling tidal sloughs, blocking public access to the ocean and public trust tidelands, removal of major riparian vegetation and placement of farm related structures.read more >>
11th-Hour Attacks On NEPA
November 19, 2020
We are witnessing the last gasps of the Trump administration--the frantic rush to get bad projects and harmful new regulations approved before their time ends on January 20. The Trump administration is rushing to issue oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Also in Alaska, the Trump administration appears ready to issue a permit for the controversial “Pebble Mine.” Today gives us another: new rules by the Forest Service for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).read more >>
The Bounty of Tanoaks
November 19, 2020
For many Americans, winter is associated with ham, eggnog and pecan pie, but for the Indigenous Peoples of California winter has traditionally meant acorns. Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples of what we now call California have consumed this nutritious nut. But don’t try to eat acorns right off the ground. The tannins within raw acorns make them toxic if consumed raw. Thousands of years ago, Indigenous women developed an ingenious system for safely preparing acorns which involves pounding them into a meal and then leaching out the tannins with water. read more >>
California’s Wild Turkeys
November 19, 2020
Prior to European colonization of North America, more than ten million wild turkeys roamed the continent, but by the turn of the twentieth century, wild turkeys were at the brink of extinction. Four hundred years of westward expansion and the overhunting, deforestation, and resource extraction that came with it left the population decimated. Today, due to conservation and reintroduction efforts, wild turkeys populations have rebounded to around seven million, and they inhabit about 18% of the state of California. While this successful reintroduction has often been deemed a conservation success story, there is debate over their place in California’s ecosystems.read more >>
Wolf Coalition Launches Challenge To Nationwide Wolf Delisting
November 11, 2020
On Friday, Nov. 6, EPIC and a coalition of Western wolf advocates filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, launching a challenge of the agency’s decision to prematurely strip wolves of federal protections in the contiguous 48 states, in violation of the Endangered Species Act. This notice starts a 60-day clock, after which the groups will file a lawsuit in federal court.read more >>
Are You A North Coast Co-op Member? Vote For EPIC By Nov. 19th!
November 11, 2020
EPIC is one out of twenty-seven local, nonprofit organizations that applied and qualified to be part of the Co-op’s Seeds for Change Round-up Program. Seeds for Change is a community-giving opportunity that allows customers to ‘round up’ their Co-op purchases to the nearest dollar and give directly to local organizations that are doing important work to better our community. Please vote for EPIC before Nov. 19th to become a recipient! read more >>
Thank You For An EPIC Virtual Fall Celebration!
November 11, 2020
Much like the willow tree, everyone this year has had to be flexible and bend to the strange winds we have been dealt. We weren’t sure how it would go having our Annual Fall Celebration––usually a raucous yet cozy affair with live bands and a full bar–– completely virtual. Yet, we bent and improvised and reassessed. Luckily, we found that we were able to offer much of what we usually have at our Fall Celebration. While we truly missed dancing and toasting in person, we were absolutely overtaken with how fun this year’s event still was. read more >>
The 2020 Election: Environmental Implications
November 10, 2020
Although votes are still being counted, it appears that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be our next President and Vice-President. It is likely that they will serve over a divided government, with the Republican Party likely to retain control of the Senate and the Democratic Party will to maintain a majority in the House of Representatives. (Note, it is possible that the Democratic Party could win both run-off elections in Georgia, effectively giving them control of the Senate too.) This swing of power has major implications for federal environmental law and application. read more >>
Lassen Pack Has Two Litters of Pups
November 10, 2020
Two females in the Lassen Pack had litters this spring, bringing the total of pups to a minimum of nine. LAS01F, the original matriarch of the family birthed at least five and LAS09F, her two-year old daughter had up to four. The new alpha male, who joined the pack last year, sired both litters. The origin of the black male is yet unknown. While multiple litters are uncommon, they most often happen when a genetically unrelated adult wolf joins a new pack.read more >>
