Redwood Tree Sit
As usual, EPIC is busy upholding environmental laws both at home, and across the nation. Over the past few months our staff has advocated for the protection of old growth in the Klamath National Forest, opposed the Federal Drought Bill and bad forestry bills, requested endangered species protections for monarch butterflies, requested action to protect families from harmful pesticides and submitted petitions on behalf of tens of thousands of people to protect wildlife and wild places. This list of documents is a sample of the many ways we engage with agencies and elected officials to make this world a better place, one issue at a time. Thank you to all of our members who take the time to make individual comments on these issues and for getting engaged with environmental protection on a deeper level. We are in regular contact with officials and it is clear that the agencies are listening and our comments are making a difference in the management of our natural resources.
Westside Scoping Comments – EPIC submitted substantive scoping comments to the Klamath National Forest on November 14, 2014. The post-fire project proposes logging over 40,000 acres, of which 20,000 acres are within Late Successional Reserves. Logging is also proposed in Wild and Scenic River Corridors, within watersheds critical for salmon recovery and within vital wildlife corridors.
Jess Petition – EPIC submitted 1,143 petition signatures to oppose logging old growth trees and vast forest canopy removal proposed on the North Fork Salmon River within the Klamath National Forest. Thank you for taking action.
Sage Grouse Rider Letter – Supporting an amendment to strike the Sage-Grouse Endangerment Rider from the 2015 appropriations bill, which would delay federal protection for sage-grouse, and threaten efforts to protect their habitat.
Letter Opposing Senator Feinstein & Representative McCarthy’s “Federal Drought Bill” – The bill directly undermines key statutory protections for fish, wildlife and groundwater protection, including water transfers from wildlife refuges and critical fish habitat of North Coast rivers.
Omnibus Letter – Encouraging committee on appropriations to pass a spending bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2015 that is free of policy riders that put polluting interests ahead of our air, water, lands, wildlife, public health and climate.
Nongame Fur Bearing Hunting Contest Comments EPIC submitted a petition containing 15,787 signatures to the California Fish and Game Commission in support of its proposed rulemaking to end inducements for hunting contests for nongame fur-bearing mammals.
Monarch Support Letter – Requesting support for that legal petition and protecting the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Letter to Governor Brown – Requesting that he take significant steps to protect California families from pesticides that have devastating consequences for children and their families.
Coalition Letter Opposing Bad Forestry Bills – The National Forest Jobs and Management Act of 2014 and the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act pose a serious threat to environmental stewardship, public involvement, wildlife conservation and the rule of law in our National Forests.
Non-profit Letter to Water Board – Supporting the restoration of freshwater flows from the San Joaquin River and its tributaries to the estuary.
Letter to Chief of the U.S. Forest Service – Supporting the Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program.
Organization Comments on “Effective Use of Programmatic NEPA Reviews” – Urging the Council to add clarification and direction in the final guidance making it clear that large-scale programmatic reviews without additional site-specific reviews are insufficient in the vast majority of cases.
Coalition Letter to Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board Regarding Land Retirement Benefits to Grasslands Bypass Project – Encouraging the retirement of 9,200 acres of irrigated land in the San Joaquin Delta, which would result in an estimated reduction of 14,000 acre feet of drainage, 92,000 tons of salt, 8,100 pounds of selenium and 282,000 pounds of boron discharges to aquifers and groundwater. This land retirement project would save water, prevent selenium contamination and reduce further impacts to endangered species.
Comment Letter to Forest Service Regarding Proposed Rule Governing Use by Over-Snow Vehicles -Rrequesting that the final regulation protect resources, promote safety and minimize conflicts between other uses.
Passenger Pigeon Proclamation Request Letter – Requesting a presidential proclamation commemorating the centenary of the extinction of the passenger pigeon and reminding Americans of the need to be continued good stewards of wildlife and nature.