National Public Lands Day -Saturday Oct 3

This Saturday morning The National Wildlife Refuge at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station will host the event to remove invasive weeds and plant native vegetation.   

The stations environmental pprogram has been awarded a grant to restore a 3 acre area with native flowers, shrubs and and grasses in upland habitat  adjacent to the wetland.  This area is being choked out by invasive fennel, thistle, and mustard.  This work will create a much needed transitional habitata for native birds, reptiles, mammals and pollinating insects.

The project starts at 8:30 a.m. and will be completed by noon.  If you or your family, friends, or neighbors are interest PLEASE call the refuge office at 562-598-1024 and get your name on the list to be one of those working for a few hours this Saturday.   This will be a day you and your children will long remember and perhaps get you interested in becoming a regular docent for the refuge. 

Did you know that the  Naval Weapons Station is the ONLY national wildlife refuge in the five county area?  That it is home to the largest year round red-tailed hawk population in the Western U. S.?   That it is now the ONLY KNOWN burrowing owl population left in Orange County?  

The 911 acres of salt marsh was established to protect all birds but primarily the Least Tern and Clapper Rail.  Recently Green Sea Turtles have been found to be “nesting” in the refuge…and are a welcome addition.  The agriculture grown on part of the 5,000 acres contributes no pollutants or poisons to the refuge and actually contributes over $1 million dollars annually to benefit the refuge.

Don’t miss out this Saturday.  Call 562-598-1024 right now before you forget!

You’ll be glad you did!

“Goodbye Capt. Kurtz…Welcome to town, Jon!”

When the assignment to cover the retirement ceremony of the Base Commander at the Weapons Station dropped in my lap my first thought was, “just another retirement…. No big deal.”

I was told the Change of Command Ceremony was a “time honored tradition” particular to the Navy. No other branch of our services has such a ceremony. Nevertheless I was completely unprepared for the elegance of day.

Captain Jonathan Kurtz was retiring from his Command, after 27 years in the Navy, the  last few as  the Commanding Officer of the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach. Technically he was being “relieved” by Captain Terry Auberry, and therein lies what makes such a rite particular to the Navy.

It originated with Royal Navy in the 16th Century and no one is sure how long the U. S. Navy has been doing it but most likely for 200 years. The men and women of the Navy Munitions Command, Continental U.S. West Division made sure that Captains Kurtz and Auberry received the full honors they were entitled to.

Over 250 guests and servicemen and women were present including two Rear Admirals (Hering and French) and a Major General. (USMC)  and I sat behind over 20 four-stripers (Captains) and saw more brass and medals than at a pentagon dinner.

Kurtz was graduated from Annapolis in 1982 and began his duties as an officer on destroyers and after becoming the Flag Lieutenant on the staff of the Group Commander he went back to Annapolis as an instructor. From there his career was blazoned with personal awards, Master’s Degrees and Service Medals and Commendation awards. While at Seal Beach he and his staff received several commendations for environmental improvements and substantial cost saving improvements in excess of $3 million dollars.

Rear Admiral Len Hering, a personal friend as well as a man Capt. Kurtz served under twice during his career, was the guest speaker and he joked that S.B. Weapons Station probably had more green grass than all the other bases under his command . . . . even though in 2008 the base had established a record reduction in water use!

Capt. Auberry who will be the new Base Commander and Auberry is “Mustang.” In military parlance a mustang in an enlisted man who becomes an officer and some of our greatest officers have been “Mustangs.” Auberry graduated from basic seaman training in 1974 and then spent 10 years in various Mine shops and vessels during which time he became a commissioned officer. His last assignment before coming to Seal Beach was as Chief of Staff, Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command in Corpus Christi, TX.

I thought the high light of the ceremony was “Retirement of the Colors.” After Capt. Kurtz was presented with an honor and scroll from President Obama, an honor guard of commissioned men and women presented a flag that flew over the Capital in Washington D.C. to the Captain. The honor guard was made up of officers of different rank, but each one represented a rank that Kurtz had held during his career. An Ensign, a Lt. JG, a Lt, a Lt. Commander, and a Commander and, of course, he was the Captain. Many, including Admiral Hering felt that Kurtz could easily have had his own Star. (Admiral)

The ending was when Kurtz asked to be relieved of command (just as navy captains have for over 400 years) and Capt. Auberry said “I relieve you sir.” The plaintive cry of the boatswain’s whistle followed as Capt. Kurtz and his wife, daughter and parents were whistled into his new life.

The Kurtz family, originally from Delaware, intends to remain in Seal Beach much to the delight of their friends and neighbors. Welcome Home,  Jon Kurtz!

The EPA wants public input on Four Corners Power Plants

SAN FRANCISCO– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on its technical analysis and options for reducing air pollution from two power plants in the Four Corners area that affect air quality and visibility at nearby national parks, wilderness areas, and national monuments.

The advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), among other criteria, compares the cost and visibility modeling inputs used by the facilities with those inputs used by the EPA. The agency is providing a 30-day public comment period on the ANPR and is not taking action or proposing a best available retrofit technology determination at this time.  The EPA expects to propose the technology that will be used to reduce air pollution coming from the two power plants this fall.

“This action is a first step towards improving visibility at areas impacted by these two facilities,” said Deborah Jordan, the EPA’s Air Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. “It is important for the public.to understand how we evaluate air pollution control technologies and to have input on our process.”

Although the ANPR focuses on the visibility improvements at the surrounding national park and wilderness areas, and the cost effectiveness of applying best available retrofit technology at the two power plants, the agency will accept comments on other factors, such as the remaining useful life of the facilities, existing controls at the facilities, energy and non-air quality environmental impacts.

The best available retrofit technology provisions of the regional haze rule require reductions in emissions of air pollutants that impact visibility based on a multi-factor analysis that considers cost effectiveness and the degree of visibility improvements.

The Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Generating Station are two of the largest pollution sources in the United States. Air pollution from the Four Corners Power Plant and the Navajo Generating Station impacts many of our most pristine and precious natural areas.

Additional information on the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking is available on the EPA’s Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/air/navajo/index.html

Conservation Group to Honor Nancy Donaven

The Orange County League of Conservation Voters announced their annual dinner is scheduled for Thursday, May 14 at the University Club on the UCI campus. This year Nancy Donaven Past President of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust is receiving a Special Lifetime Environmental Achievement Award for her decades of work in protecting the environment.

Other honorees are Elizabeth Lambe, for her work in stopping the toll road extension.  Jerry Collamer is also being recognized for his efforts along with the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association. Preventing the extension of this road was a huge environmental win this year and the board of the OCLCV thought it appropriate to recognize some of the leaders involved in the fight.

The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach is being recognized as the Environmental Non-Profit of the Year. They take in wild birds and mammals, which are all too often injured due to human activity. The work they do in healing injured and sick wild animals is truly commendable.

The recognition dinner is an important fundraiser for the OCLCV, which supports candidates for local office who share our concern for the health of our local environment.

For more information or to make a reservation contact Kathleen Shanfield at <kshanfield@aol.com> or call 714-270-1096 or call Linda Moon at 714-846- 2674 . Sponsorships are available.

“Earth Day” is also “Save Our Beach Day”

Earth day is the day each year when beach residents are especially cognizant of  what they can do to help the beaches and wetlands of  our Southern California coast.  Seal Beach, Long Beach and Huntington Beach folks come out in droves to do their bit. 

Unfortunately our beach towns are the first stop for the trash that  floats across the Pacific as if on an oceanic highway from  China and Tokyo to the California coastline. Our beaches are also a dumping ground for everything that 8 million people in the L.A. basin toss  into the storm drains near the Sierra Madre mountains and all the towns in between.  That’s a lot of trash.

You’ll find that helping out even one day a year is therapy for the soul.  You‘ll feel so good and set such an example for your children that you’ll be talking about it for months.

Go to either http://www.saveourbeach.org/ or http://www.bolsachicalandtrust.org and find out where you can meet  this Saturday.  

And don’t forget to write back and send a photo, or better yet, have your children write  to us and tell us of their experience

Sand Car Group Fined $600,000

Sand Car Association pays $600,000 for illegal vehicle sales

Penalties apply to 37 manufacturers 

 

SACRAMENTO – Last month the California Air Resources Board fined a consortium of sand car sellers $600,000 for its members’ illegal engine and vehicle sales between 2006 and 2008.

ARB investigators found that illegal engines and vehicles were being sold in California by several sand car manufacturers. The penalties from this case apply to 37 members of the newly formed association that were selling uncertified products.

“Industries that cater to off-road enthusiasts must also consider their product’s impact on the environment,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “Uncontrolled emissions from these vehicles add to California’s already serious smog problems.”

As a result of the investigation, most major sand car manufacturers and some engine suppliers located in California formed the Sand Car Association. to ensure that its members build compliant products. The association’s formation has resulted in industry self-enforcement and California certification of three engines for use in sand cars.

For a complete list of the 37 manufacturers included in the settlement go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/scalist.pdf.

ARB is still investigating other sand car manufacturers that are producing and selling illegal non-California certified vehicles. 

Sand cars are off-road vehicles popular at state and federal recreation areas like Pismo Beach and Glamis Dunes. The Department of Motor Vehicles can revoke registrations of illegal vehicles; therefore, it is important that dealers and purchasers ensure that the vehicles are legal in California.

Clean vehicle engines cut smog-forming emissions and improve fuel economy and reduce harmful greenhouse gases. 

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.

Land Trust To Save Burial Grounds

The Bolsa Chica Land Trust, who in conjuction with the Amigos de Bolsa Chica helped save the Bolsa Chica Wetlands is now trying to save a Native American burial site.   Caslled the ORA-83 project, it encompasses 6 acres that is near the Brightwater Homes Development on the Bolsa Chica Mesa.

For many  years advocates of saving the Bolsa Chica claimed that there were many skeletal remains, cogstones and bones that should be protected.  Recent unearthings have found over 100,000 bones and artifacts and over 80 human skeletons.

There are several new videos that cover this area and the need for protection and “What’s Up” editors are proud to be introduce you to the BCLT group and point out that there is still a long way to go in protecting this 9,500 year old site.

Go to: http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=UjA8PI9Nx4g

and also to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeviZTZ_OY8

The next BCLT  “meet up”  is on March 21.

http://www.meetup.com/Bolsa-Chica-Land-Trust/

Long Beach beaches still closed Monday due to sewage spill

According to a report by ABC7, beaches along the coast in Long Beach are still closed today, due to sewage contamination.  The beach became contaminated on Saturday after sewage spilled out of manhole cover in Pasadena and flowed into the Los Angeles river which ultimately drains in Long Beach.   Experts estimate 22,000 gallons of sewage overflowed due to a back up in the sewer system blamed on a grease plug.   To read more about the ABC report visit ABC7.

Canadian company awards natural gas contract to Seal Beach’s Clean Energy

Seal Beach, CA (March 4, 2009) —TransLink, the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, has awarded Clean Energy Fuels Corp of Seal Beach, CA. a new long-term contract to expand and maintain the compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel station that supports TransLink’s current fleet of 60 clean-burning CNG buses.
Located at the agency’s Port Coquitlam Transit Centre, in a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the Clean Energy-operated, high-volume station will be upgraded and reconfigured to accommodate potential fleet growth of up to 125 buses.
Clean Energy has been under contract to provide CNG fueling services to TransLink since 1998, with total CNG bus fleet consumption now topping 1.2 million US gallons annually. TransLink buses provide 700,000 passenger trips daily on 201 fixed routes in Metro Vancouver’s 695-square-mile service area.
Alberto Cayuela, TransLink’s Project Manager, said, “Our agency is committed to the reduction of emission impacts from the operation of our transit fleet. To meet this goal, TransLink works to surpass applicable emission regulations and standards in the procurement of new fleet vehicles, and seeks continuous improvement in emissions from the existing fleet by retrofitting or replacing existing equipment and using cleaner fuels. Our program ranges from an ongoing commitment to zero-emission electric trolleys and an investment in clean diesel/electric hybrids to our new fleet of CNG-powered coaches.”
James Harger, Clean Energy Senior Vice President, said, “In Vancouver and in every community and region we serve, Clean Energy is committed to helping reduce health-harming emissions and protecting environmental quality. The North American transit industry’s transition from diesel to natural gas power is accelerating in response to the need to curtail emissions, decrease fuel costs, and reduce dependence on imported oil.”
Harger explained that natural gas produces up to 23 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than diesel fuel in heavy-duty vehicles and is domestically sourced in the U.S. and Canada.
Clean Energy is the leading provider of natural gas (CNG and LNG) for transportation in North America. It has a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, ports, shuttle, taxi, trucking, airport and municipal fleet markets, fueling more than 14,000 vehicles daily at 176 strategic locations across the United States and Canada. Clean Energy owns and operates two LNG production plants, one in Willis, TX and one in Boron, CA, with combined capacity of 260,000 LNG gallons per day and designed to expand to 340,000 LNG gallons per day as demand increases. It also owns and operates a landfill gas facility in Dallas, TX that produces renewable bio-methane gas for delivery in the nation’s gas pipeline network. You can visit at www.cleanenergyfuels.com

Change Your Life On A Tour Of National Wildlife Refuge

Public Wildlife Refuge Tour
Last Saturday of Every Month
(Except December)

The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, 800 Seal Beach Blvd. provides tours to the public, however all volunteers must fill out a form in advance.

The forms are available on the website. Visit Website or call 562-598-1024 (leaving a voice mail is fine)

The tours are on the last Saturday of every month except December.
Saturdays from  8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Vans will run from 8:30 to 9:00 to transport visitors from the parking lot to the refuge, and will then run from 11:00 to 12:00 to take you back to your car.

IMPORTANT –  Because the National Wildlife Refuge is located on a Naval Weapons Station, all participants
must register at least two days in advance and provide their full name and phone number or they will be denied entrance.

To Volunteer at the Refuge call: Refuge Manager Kirk Gilligan at 562-598-1024 or http://www.pelicanvan.org

The website has a film discussing the central component of their presentation.  A  video ,”Refuges Are” , that relates the history of the National Wildlife Refuge System as sanctuaries for Endangered Species and Migratory Birds and the Important Work of Volunteers in the Recovery of and Maintenance of these Resources.

The Seal Beach refuge has been a spectacularly successful endeavor and we are all extremely proud of the work that’s been done.

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