The Yodeler

General aerial photo of Delta patterns, July 15, 2004. Photo by Paul J. Hames.

Governor’s tunnel vision leaves out Delta protection

The following is the text of a letter sent on May 6, 2013, by Sierra Club California to Gov. Jerry Brown. Dear Governor Brown: Sierra Club California has for more than 26 years led legislative and regulatory advocacy in California for the Sierra Club, one of the largest and oldest volunteer-driven environmental organizations in the country. The Sierra Club itself, founded in 1892 by a group that included naturalist John Muir, was launched and is headquartered in our state. We open with this background—of which, as a student of California history, you are surely familiar—to underscore that we are not newcomers to California’s … [Read More]

Looking south-southeast down Doolan Canyon at the area that Pacific Union Homes wants to develop. Doolan Road is in the middle of the picture. The ridge in the distance is the East Bay Regional Park District's Ohlone Regional Wilderness containing Rose Peak, the highest peak in Alameda County, just 32 feet lower than Mount Diablo. Photo by Dick Schneider.

Prospects good for protecting Doolan Canyon

With strong local leadership and the backing of a unified environmental community, the prospects look good for stopping the development of Doolan Canyon. North of I-580 and east of Dublin in eastern Alameda County, Doolan Canyon is a strikingly beautiful habitat for rare and endangered wildlife, and supports ranching and other rural uses. The main part of the canyon is not visible from the freeway and is accessible only by Doolan Road, which deadends at the East Bay Regional Park District’s recently acquired Schmitz Ranch. This property was purchased as the first step in the creation of a future Doolan Canyon-Tassajara Hills Regional … [Read More]

Transportation

Photo from front cover of "Getting on Board".

“Getting on Board for Health”–first-of-its-kind study links bus access and health

Crowded buses, less frequent bus service, and longer commutes are linked to heightened stress, missed medical appointments, and more social isolation among transit-dependent bus riders. These are among the findings in a first-of-its kind study titled "Getting on Board for Health: A Health Impact … [Read More]

Bike to Work Day 2013–Thursday, May 9

Thursday, May 9. Take part in the San Francisco Bay Area's 19th annual Bike to Work Day, a part of National Bike Month. "Energizer stations" will be located along commute routes, where bicyclists can stop for refreshments, giveaways, and bicycling information or simply to be 'cheered on' by … [Read More]

Cleaning up greenhouse-gas emissions should be a major priority for any transportation plan. 580 and I80 Traffic Jam.

Will regional planning stumble on climate change?

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is on the verge of once more releasing a transportation plan that probably won’t take seriously the challenge of tackling climate change. Every four years MTC revises its long-term Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for the Bay Area, and the … [Read More]