Tejon condor concreting will be decided this Monday...

-
UPDATE: Kern County Supervisors Unanimously Rubber-stamp Tejon Mountain development

read the blow-by-blow from the Bakersfield Californian: http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Jburger/50267

Imagine these hills along the I-5 and Grapevine covered in 3400 homes, plus another 25,000 nearby, all in fragile endangered species habitat along the San Andreas and Garlock earthquake faults! SAVE TEJON RANCH!

-

Monday October 5th is Showdown for Sprawl Pavers v. Open Space fans, Drivers, breathers and critters

Will the sprawl of L.A. merge with the sprawl of Palmdale and the sprawl of Bakersfield?

Tell Kern County's Board of Superviser's NO!

WHEN: 9 A.M., Monday October 5th
1115 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301 - 4617

E-Mail your opposition to the Tejon Mountain Village development to:
clerkofboard@co.kern.ca.us

You can also watch the hearing here:
http://kern.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

Plus--all the staff reports are here: http://www.co.kern.ca.us/planning/pubntces.asp


Map borrowed, (and sprawl outlines added) from http://www.cuddyvalley.org/blogs/nimby/?p=392

Headwaters Forest Dealings not over yet...

-
Federal Appeals Court rejects Pacific Lumber Creditor's Bid to overturn the $500 million+ Price Paid by Mendocino Redwoods co in the Bankruptcy battle

9/29/2009

But other issues may get a re-hearing...

I'm not a lawyer (yet) so I can't say what this ruling really means, but it seems that the main issue in the Pacific Lumber bankruptcy dispute has been resolved in favor of the new management that were installed by the lower bankruptcy court.

for the whole ruling:
http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5Cpub%5C08/08-40746-CV0.wpd.pdf

"We conclude that the MRC/Marathon plan, insofar as it paid the
Noteholders the allowed amount of their secured claim, did not violate the
absolute priority rule, was fair and equitable, satisfies 11 U.S.C.
§ 1129(b)(2)(A)(iii), and yielded a fair value of the Noteholders’ secured claim."

and how the court ruled on all the issues:

"We hold that equitable mootness does not bar review of issues raised on appeal concerning the treatment of the Noteholders’ secured claims; nor does it bar re-evaluation of whether their administrative priority claim was correctly calculated; nor does it bar review of the plan’s release clauses insulating multiple parties from liability. Equitable mootness does foreclose our review of issues related to the treatment of impaired and unsecured classes. Finally, we reject the Noteholders’ complaints against the plan’s payout of cash in full for their allowed secured claim, but we remand the administrative priority claim. We also reverse in part the broad non-debtor releases."

Oct. 2009 Nat-Geo Walks the Redwood Coast...

-
National Geographic Explores California's Redwoods

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/10/redwoods/bourne-text

The article also features info on the threat of more redwood destruction by Green Diamond in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.

What the maps show is that 18% of the historic range of the Coast Redwoods is protected in public or privately preserved lands.

That means that 82% of the historic range of the trees is open for logging.

However, 80% of the ancient or "second growth" redwoods are preserved.

CLICK ON MAPS TO ENLARGE!!

ABOVE: SANTA CRUZ TO THE OREGON BORDER

ABOVE: THE BIG SUR COAST TO MUIR WOODS (OVERLAPS WITH THE TOP MAP)

PArks Linkage Bill proposed in east Mojave desert...

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Senator Feinstein is Drafting Bill to Link Joshua Tree and East Mojave Parks

excerpted from http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_monument16.447149a.html

9/16/2009--...Earlier this year, preservationists said they sought Feinstein's support to create a 2.4 million-acre preserve to protect public land from military use and energy development. The area would be called the "Mother Road National Monument" because it would include 70 miles of historic Route 66...

One supporter said Tuesday that the senator now is working on a more modest plan than initially discussed. ..

Elden Hughes, a member of the Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee and a Joshua Tree resident, said Feinstein is crafting legislation for a smaller monument than envisioned earlier by conservationists.

He said he hopes the Schwarzenegger administration doesn't stop Feinstein's effort, because a monument designation would protect corridors for wildlife to move between Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Such swaths of undisturbed land will be especially important as global warming changes habitat, he said.

"Severing the desert would be a huge mistake," Hughes said. "We need the wildlife and plant corridors to remain open."

20,000 Acres may become public's in Orange County...

(click on map to enlarge)

-
Irvine Company May Finally Turn Land Preserve over to the Government

9/16/2009
excerpted from:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-irvine16-2009sep16,0,5077469.story

...A single real estate transfer proposed by his company would expand the Orange County park system by more than half, potentially opening 20,000 rolling acres to public access.

The land includes uniquely scenic and historic sites, such as a spectacular sandstone ravine called the Sinks or "Little Grand Canyon," the red-rock cliffs of Black Star Canyon and Hangman’s Tree, a creek-side sycamore from which members of the infamous Juan Flores gang were lynched in 1857.

The Irvine Co. set aside about 9,000 acres of the land as mitigation for development; then, in 2001, Bren announced that an additional 11,000 acres would become permanent open space, overseen by a nonprofit conservancy and turned over within about 10 years to public agencies....

-------------------------

More on the deal is here:

http://abhiking.blogspot.com/2009/09/acquisition-of-irvine-co-lands-by.html

AND OTHER INFO ABOUT THE IRVINE RANCH'S PARKS

Irvine Ranch Conservancy-new trail 7-2009

http://irconservancy.com/newsletter/2009/august/progspotlight.aspx

http://www.irlandmarks.org/

http://www.irvineranchwildlands.org/activities/index.asp

http://www.irvineranchwildlands.org/

http://www.irlandmarks.org/Explore/Mountains-to-Sea-Trail.aspx

mountains to the sea trail

http://www.irvineranchconservancy.org/

http://www.irvineranchconservancy.org/where/map.aspx#

map

Wind Power v. Wildlife in the Southern Sierras?...

-

L.A. DWP Threatens to Buy Onyx Ranch in Sierras-to-Tehachapi Wildlife Corridor for Mega Wind Energy Farm Using Eminent Domain

Land Was Bought by Wind Energy company and the City of Vernon in 2008 from the longtime owners



read the full story here from the 9/15/2009 L.A. Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wind15-2009sep15,0,839175.story

to read our stories on Onyx Ranch dealings:
http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Onyx%20Ranch

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE
Green Line on map shows the southern portion of Onyx Ranch now owned by the City of Vernon. The northern portion of the ranch is owned by Renewable Resources Group.

Water Hogs will not be fed this time...

Steinberg's Efforts to Revamp California Water Policy Thwarted

12/12/2009--Broad Coalition Protects the Delta http://restorethedelta.org Restore the Delta volunteers, friends, and supporters, heard the calls last week and worked diligently to help stop the inadequate Delta policy package and bond bill developed in back door negotiations between Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a handful of non-Delta legislators, the Metropolitan Water District, Westlands Water District, and a few corporate environmental organizations who have chosen to ignore Delta fishery representatives and Delta communities. The policy package was withdrawn from consideration late Friday night by proponent Assembly Member Jared Huffman, while Restore the Delta supporters and friends from other environmental organizations were meeting with legislators throughout the Capitol. It is also our understanding that at the same time Senator Steinberg could simply not pull together adequate support for the bond bill. Before we launch into our long lists of thanks and praise for all who contributed to this effort, we must remember that this is simply a brief respite in what will prove to be a long and drawn out political process. That is why in the days ahead Restore the Delta will be making a series of announcements as to what we must see included in future legislative efforts to restore the Delta. We are thankful to the over 1000 supporters who sent letters and made calls this last week. You are what this movement is all about. We are grateful to the following supporters, friends, and colleagues for all that they have done to help during this summer's extended campaign effort. It is an honor to work with all of you. (List is in random order. And we may miss a few people here. Mea culpa in advance.) Jane Wagner-Tyack, Jessica Iniquez, Margot Tyack, Russ Fisher, Mike Robinson, Roger Mammon, Bob Ferguson, Rogene Reynolds, Barbara Daly, Kim Glassard, Bill Jennings, Jerry Neuberger, Gary Adams, Mike ? from California Striped Bass, Roger from Organic Sacramento, David Scatena, Dave Hurley, Assembly Member Mariko Yamada, Assembly Member Joan Buchanan, Senator Mike Machado (ret), John Herrick, John Banks, Brett Baker, Dante Nomellini Sr., Dan Nomellini Jr., Debbie Davis, Jim Metropulos, Charlotte Hodde, Steve Evans, Jennifer Clary, David Nesmith, Michael Jackson, Tom Zuckerman, Dino Cortopassi, Klein Family Farms, Jarred Foster, Bill Wells, Dave Cobb, Norma Cobb, Tim Neuharth, Bruce Connelly, Larry Collins, Lieutenant Governor Mike Hudson, Marc Franko, Izzy Martin, Assembly Member Bill Berryhill, Senator Mark DeSaulnier, Robert Johnson, Dan Bacher, Rudy Mussi, Mindy McIntyre, Jonas Minton, Susan Treabess, Kathryn Gray, Joseph Gray, all our donors, Mantelli Brothers, Speckman Family Farmers, Ridge Tract Farms, Assembly Member Alyson Huber. And a special, special thanks to the "Defender of the Delta," Senator Lois Wolk! May you all rest, play, rejoice, and prepare for what's next.

Sept 10 is First Big Hearing on Tejon development...

-

UPDATE: The Kern County Planning Commission has approved Tejon's Mountain Village project by a 3 to 2 vote. The County Supervisors will hear the project on October 5th

to watch the hearing, http://kern.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&event_id=19

or try here:
http://kern.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=9

----------------------------------

First Big Public Hearing on Plan to Develop 10% of Tejon Ranch

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5396&current_edition=2009-07-31

A public hearing is slated for September 10 before the Kern County Planning Commission (1115 Truxtun Avenue, Board of Supervisors chambers at 7 p.m.) in Bakersfield for Tejon Mountain Village, 3450 homes surrounding Castac Lake along the 5 Freeway east of Frazier Park.

-------------------------

Wonder What 3450 Homes in an Eco-Paradise Looks Like?

According to the developer's pictures, they are invisible!!

FIGURE 4.1-7B from Tejon Mountain Village Draft EIR as seen from "viewpoint 2a";

"Viewpoints 2 and 2a would provide views to the
greatest amount of physical changes....overall there would be little change in views." DEIR page 4.1-16

(Click on image to enlarge)

---------------------------------------------------------------

TRC was only planning to develop 5% of their ranch anyway…(see page 2 of their 2005 newsletter)

So the threats to develop more (claimed by some eco groups in 2008 as why they cut the deal) are bogus

http://www.tejonranch.com/data/news/newsletter/Tejon%20Ranch%20Grapevine%20-%20Spring%202005.pdf

COMMENT LETTERS ON TEJON’S CONDOR PLANS:

http://www.mountainenterprise.net/images/TejonRanch/ScientistsCommentTUMSHCP.pdf Comments from Scientists on the TUMSHCP (52 KB PDF)

http://www.mountainenterprise.net/images/TejonRanch/CBDCommentsTejonMSHCP7.7.09.pdf
Comments from the Center for Biological Diversity (5.2 MB PDF)

-------------------

WHERE TO READ ALL OF THE EIR'S

(ALL ARE MASSIVE DOCUMENTS)

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/planning/pdfs/eirs/TejonMountainVillage.pdf

THE COUNTY/TEJON RANCH'S RESPONSES TO COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT EIR:

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/planning/pdfs/eirs/TejonMountainVillage_RTC.pdf

---------

Also, Kern County Planners are tougher on next-door project

8/28/2009

http://www.turnto23.com/south_county/20595804/detail.html

Kern co planning dept recommends only 188 homes at Frazier Park Estates, down from 662 sought by the developer

--“The county has never approved a project built on such steep slopes in its history, according to Lorelei Oviatt of the Kern County Planning department.”

---------------------------------

A COLLECTION OF THIS SUMMER’S NEWS COVERAGE:

SEPTEMBER:

9/4/2009

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x616725528/Massive-Tejon-project-headed-to-first-vote

olanning commission to hear Tejon Mountain Village on Thursday sept 10

------------------------------------

AUGUST:

8/2/2009--Tejon Water Magick

http://www.cuddyvalley.org/blogs/nimby/?p=359

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8/3/2009

Tejon Ranch asks court to lift gag on negotiations

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/business/growth/x944962870/Tejon-Ranch-asks-court-to-lift-gag-on-negotiations

8/3/2009 TRC press release

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090803006213&newsLang=en

--------------------

8/4/2009

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/los-angeles-times-08-04-2009.html

Secret Condor Documents Released by Tejon Ranch

Thanks to relentless pressure from the Center for Biological Diversity and growing public outcry, this Monday Tejon Ranch finally acceded to the release of secret documents related to its plans for a destructive megadevelopment known as Tejon Mountain Village. The development is planned for the heart of federally protected habitat for the endangered California condor. To build there, the ranch needs to gain a "take" permit to cover its butt regarding the condor's fate (and the fate of 25 other imperiled plants and animals on the ranch). But negotiations on permits for the development -- and what to do about those pesky 26 species in the way of it -- have been kept under wraps by the ranch and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ever since the ranch sued the Service in an effort to derail the condor's recovery.

The Service kept mum on what was in the files, denying the Center's request for all documents related to Tejon Ranch's pending take-permit application, and heightening concerns about what was so "secret." We formally appealed that denial and warned the Service we'd sue. Now faced with the real threat of a lawsuit, Tejon Ranch has announced it will give up on keeping the documents confidential. But conveniently for the ranch and bad for Tejon's condors, spotted owls, and California red-legged frogs, it's too late for the public to comment on its Tejon Mountain Village plans.

Read more in the Los Angeles Times.

8/4/2009-CBD press release

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/08/04-7

8/4/2009 CBD press release

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/tejon-ranch-08-04-2009.html

-------------------

8/4/2009

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2009/08/tejon-ranch-co-seeks-release-of-secret-california-condor-documents.html

-----------------------------------

8/4/2009

http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/16423/

-----------------------

8/4/2009

http://ecoworldly.com/2009/08/04/tejon-ranch-companys-development-plans-include-incidental-take-permit-for-california-condors/

8/5/2009

http://rssnews.renewable-energy-sources.com/2009/08/tejon-ranch-company%E2%80%99s-development-plans-include-%E2%80%98incidental-take%E2%80%99-permit-for-california-condors/

A luxury-home subdivision in the heart of designated California Condor habitat?

That’s exactly what Tejon Ranch Company (TRC) has in mind.

In fact, Tejon Ranch Company (TRC) has had it in for the California Condors since at least 1997. That’s when they sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prevent the reintroduction of the species into Southern California.

Also links to the Ecoworldly story

8/5/2009—links to Ecoworldly story

http://help4wildlife.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/double-blow-for-ca-condors/

---------------------------------

8/7/2009--Big Greens Ask that Tejon's Condor Gag Order be Lifted

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5399&current_edition=2009-08-07

“The June 29 letter, signed by Joel Reynolds for the Natural Resources Defense Council and Bill Corcoran for Sierra Club, continues: “...we are writing to urge you to resolve this dispute over public access to information, which is something we all should be able to agree is in the public interest and, more specifically, the best interest of our joint efforts toward conservation of Tejon Ranch.”

-----------------

8/7/2009

http://pinguinus.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/things-fall-apart/

Now that the public comment period is over, suddenly the Tejon Ranch developers are getting all disclose-y. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/los-angeles-times-08-04-2009.html

------------------------

8/26/2009

http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/17244/

Lynne Plambeck: Condors and confidentiality

Environmentally Speaking

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

JULY:

7/7/2009

My overriding considerations

http://www.cuddyvalley.org/blogs/nimby/?p=348

----------------

7/7/2009

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5244&current_edition=2009-07-03

Scientists Submit Opinion on Survival of California Condor Under Tejon Ranch Plan

-----------------

Condor Experts Condemn Proposed Tejon Ranch Development

7/8/2009

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/tejon-ranch-07-08-2009.html

7/8/2009—CBD press release

http://www.redrockaudubon.org/other-news/condor-experts-condemn-proposed-tejon-ranch-development/

7/8/2009

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/08/state/n134715D56.DTL&type=printable

-------------------

7/10/2009, Dry Wells, Student Safety Issues Raised to Trustees,

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5247&current_edition=2009-07-10

---------------------------------

7/13/2009

http://www.cuddyvalley.org/projects/tmv/tmv_deir.pdf

Tri-County Watchdogs’ comment letter on the TMV DEIR,

-------------------

7/14/2009

http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/environment/no-days-of-the-condor-will-tej/

No Days of the Condor: Will Tejon Ranch Doom the Birds?

Comment by Kristian Cowan

(Rare Earth News received a comment on one of our stories from a Kris that was received from Tejon Ranch Company’s internet server, so it’s possible that the comment critical of CBD on the L.A. Weekly website is from the same person. In both cases, Kris doesn’t reveal her ties to TRC). So consider the source…

-----------------

7/17/2009--

Watchdogs Bite into Tejon Village EIR,

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5297

-----------------------

7/17/2009

Tejon Ranch’s project in L.A. County: Centennial and Gorman School District Sign $233M Deal to Build Schools

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5328&current_edition=2009-07-17

“About Centennial
Centennial is planned to be a self-contained, self-reliant community that generates its own economic vitality. The new town will be set in harmony with its environment and fully integrated with housing, jobs, shopping, medical facilities, cultural and recreational amenities and educational institutions. It will not spring up overnight – but will grow organically over 20 years.

Centennial will have approximately 30,000 jobs along with 23,000 homes (12,800 single-family detached homes; 6,200 attached condominiums and townhomes; and 4,000 rental apartments). The homes are designed to be affordable to 74% of those working in the community.”

-------------

7/31/2009

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5396&current_edition=2009-07-31

Sierra Club and NRDC push TRC to release secret docs…

A public hearing is slated for September 10 before the Kern County Planning Commission (1115 Truxtun Avenue, Board of Supervisors chambers at 7 p.m. in Bakersfield

------------------------

JUNE:

6/2009

LA Magazine story on Tejon

http://www.lamag.com/featuredarticle.aspx?id=16048

------------------

6/5/2009-

http://swiftspeech.blogspot.com/2009/06/tejon-ranch-and-subdivision-of.html

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6/19/2009

Tejon seeks permit for small building

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5161&current_edition=2009-06-19#thumb

-------------------

6/19/2009-

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5125&current_edition=2009-06-19

Gag Order on Secret Condor Documents Targeted by Lawsuit

-----------------------------

6/26/2009

On old plans for development around Castac Lake

http://www.cuddyvalley.org/blogs/nimby/?p=338

------------------

6/26/2009

Kern County Planner unclear on Condor facts

http://www.mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=5176

-----------------------------

6/26/2009

They Tried Before (and Failed)

http://www.cuddyvalley.org/blogs/nimby/?p=338

Plans to build houses around Castac Lake have been around for a long time. Samuel Bishop talked about in 1860, the Holabird appraisal in 1891 talked about it, and Harry Chandler thought about it around 1930. But the first serious plans were proposed in 1972. This resulted in the Tejon Ranch Lake DEIR and Specific Plan.

The project area was 8,100 acres, which includes Castac Lake. Of this 2,800 acres were to be developed, with about 6,000 dwellings. …

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OLDER STORIES, ASSORTED STUFF

6/29/2007

Showdown at Tejon Ranch

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=1106

---------------

http://images.tribe.net/tribe/upload/photo/909/8aa/9098aa23-d318-46fa-a32c-7d4eec26cd60

wildflowers photo

-------------

Tejon Ranch, Ritter Ranch: More Goodbyes to California

Same old same old

http://leblog.exuberance.com/2007/03/tejon_ranch_rit.html

---------------

Photos and biology of Tejon

http://www.environmentnow.org/urban.html

photos from the company

http://www.tejonfilm.com/lakes/lakes.htm

------------------------

More pretty pics

http://www.change.org/actions/view/preserve_tejon_ranch_as_a_new_natural_park

-------------------

Map of the old Ridge Route

http://www.ridgeroute.com/map.html

A National Park at Pinnacles in Monterey?

Pinnacles National Monument to Become a National Park? from http://www.caluwild.org 9/3/2009--A few weeks ago, Rep. Sam Farr (D-17) introduced a bill, H.R. 3444, which would make Pinnacles National Monument a national park. When originally designated in 1908 by Pres. Teddy Roosevelt, the Monument was only 2,000 in size. Since then, it had grown to nearly 26,500 acres, of which 16,000 is designated wilderness. Rep. Farr's bill would add another 2,900 acres of wilderness and rename the entire wilderness area after the Hain brothers, early homesteaders in the area, and whose efforts led to the Monument's designation.

Muir Heritage Land Trust celebrates 20th anniversary...

-
Nice Story on 20 years of work to save East SF Bay Hillside Parks

http://www.contracostatimes.com/therecord/ci_13246713?source=rss

9/1/2009--MARTINEZ'S OWN Muir Heritage Land Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Originally named the Martinez Regional Land Trust, it was established on July 26, 1989, by a group of local environmentalists. Since then it has grown into a dynamic organization with broad citizen, governmental and business support...

The group has preserved more than 2,000 acres of open space in its first 20 years. This will infuse environmental consciousness into future generations and provide them open space to enjoy — all for free...

http://muirheritagelandtrust.org