There are not a lot of good choices available.
Salmon fishermen face dire choices
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, March 15, 2008
California salmon fishermen, at best, will be allowed to chase a tiny number of treasured chinook on just a few days this year.
Under one of three preliminary options adopted Friday by fisheries managers meeting in Sacramento, commercial fishermen would be allotted just 9,000 fish to catch in one month, and only north of Pigeon Point, near San Francisco. South of there, no commercial catch is allowed under any scenario.
With about 565 salmon boats working in California last year, that's just 15 fish per boat. Oregon would fare slightly better.
The other two options are worse in both states. One closes commercial fishing entirely. The other creates a government-subsidized program that allows fishermen to catch salmon for a genetic study, but the fish would have to be released alive.
Zeke Grader of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations said some fishermen could survive by catching other species, such as crab. Others won't survive.
"It's going to have a big effect on our coastal communities," he said. "Our economies in places like Fort Bragg were built upon salmon, not slime eels. They were built upon working, not handouts."
The Pacific Fisheries Management Council will choose one of the three options to set rules for the 2008 salmon season when it meets next month in Seattle.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Parkway Access
The biggest issue here, Parkway access, is threatened by the policy of charging for parking in the designated places for parking, forcing those who are only using the Parkway for a short time, to find parking other places, which usually means in someone’s neighborhood.
Parkway access should be free for everyone, as it now is for those who live close enough to walk in from their homes.
Sacramento County residents already pay taxes for park upkeep and should be able to use those parks without the imposition of additional fees.
Parkway users fuming at river parking prohibition
By Ramon Coronado - rcoronado@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, March 13, 2008
Bill Mumma has been doing it for 30 years. Tom Richards said it's been at least 25 years for him.
But a sign recently bolted up in the parking lot of Bannister Park is telling the Fair Oaks men they can no longer use the park's parking lot while they enjoy the American River Parkway.
Officials at the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District have banned parking for users of the river and trail at the request of area residents and to reserve the 47 free parking spaces for district activities.
Acquired as a park in 1957, the property on Bannister Road off Fair Oaks Boulevard, near San Juan Avenue, has long been used as a river access point.
Though a paved bicycle path with dirt shoulders on either side runs a mile up from the river parkway through Bannister Park and connects to Bannister Road, Fair Oaks park district officials say that portion of the path that cuts through their park is technically an easement and not an official river access.
"That's going to irritate a lot of people," Mumma said recently as he wiped the sweat from his forehead after a run. "How are they going to enforce that?"
Parkway access should be free for everyone, as it now is for those who live close enough to walk in from their homes.
Sacramento County residents already pay taxes for park upkeep and should be able to use those parks without the imposition of additional fees.
Parkway users fuming at river parking prohibition
By Ramon Coronado - rcoronado@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, March 13, 2008
Bill Mumma has been doing it for 30 years. Tom Richards said it's been at least 25 years for him.
But a sign recently bolted up in the parking lot of Bannister Park is telling the Fair Oaks men they can no longer use the park's parking lot while they enjoy the American River Parkway.
Officials at the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District have banned parking for users of the river and trail at the request of area residents and to reserve the 47 free parking spaces for district activities.
Acquired as a park in 1957, the property on Bannister Road off Fair Oaks Boulevard, near San Juan Avenue, has long been used as a river access point.
Though a paved bicycle path with dirt shoulders on either side runs a mile up from the river parkway through Bannister Park and connects to Bannister Road, Fair Oaks park district officials say that portion of the path that cuts through their park is technically an easement and not an official river access.
"That's going to irritate a lot of people," Mumma said recently as he wiped the sweat from his forehead after a run. "How are they going to enforce that?"
Wild Horses
A very nice story.
Taming wild mustang is 'a dance' for horse and trainer
By M.S. Enkoji - menkoji@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, March 14, 2008
As a child, Gena Wasley swept stalls and scooped manure in exchange for the knowledge that brought her here, to a small paddock in Orangevale.
Wasley, 35, trains horses for a living – gentles them, if you will.
But this is a new challenge for her: a 3-year-old wild mustang mare never molded by voice commands or human hands. An animal with legendary roots in the Old West. A horse she must transform into a gentle riding companion in 90 days as part of a unique federal competition set for June.
"In the beginning, the part that takes the longest is building this trust," Wasley says, as she gingerly slips her petite frame between the steel bars of the corral. "It's an honor when they trust you."
A pair of her chaps hang from the bars, something to remind the mare of the scent of its new boss.
Standing regally, a symbol out of synch with the police siren wailing and the lawn mowers grinding nearby, the mare eyes every movement the woman makes, its ears twitching with Wasley's quiet, cautious murmurs. A back hoof cants, ready to kick at any startling movement.
"Good girl, good girl, good girl," Wasley says as she slowly steps through hay, enclosed in a space no bigger than a backyard swimming pool.
As she steps, the mare steps, maintaining the distance between them.
"It's a dance. And I lead the dance," Wasley says.
She is one of 33 trainers who signed up for the June competition in Sacramento, which offers cash prizes to trainers demonstrating the most progress. All the horses will be auctioned off to qualified buyers. The better the training, the higher the bids.
Taming wild mustang is 'a dance' for horse and trainer
By M.S. Enkoji - menkoji@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, March 14, 2008
As a child, Gena Wasley swept stalls and scooped manure in exchange for the knowledge that brought her here, to a small paddock in Orangevale.
Wasley, 35, trains horses for a living – gentles them, if you will.
But this is a new challenge for her: a 3-year-old wild mustang mare never molded by voice commands or human hands. An animal with legendary roots in the Old West. A horse she must transform into a gentle riding companion in 90 days as part of a unique federal competition set for June.
"In the beginning, the part that takes the longest is building this trust," Wasley says, as she gingerly slips her petite frame between the steel bars of the corral. "It's an honor when they trust you."
A pair of her chaps hang from the bars, something to remind the mare of the scent of its new boss.
Standing regally, a symbol out of synch with the police siren wailing and the lawn mowers grinding nearby, the mare eyes every movement the woman makes, its ears twitching with Wasley's quiet, cautious murmurs. A back hoof cants, ready to kick at any startling movement.
"Good girl, good girl, good girl," Wasley says as she slowly steps through hay, enclosed in a space no bigger than a backyard swimming pool.
As she steps, the mare steps, maintaining the distance between them.
"It's a dance. And I lead the dance," Wasley says.
She is one of 33 trainers who signed up for the June competition in Sacramento, which offers cash prizes to trainers demonstrating the most progress. All the horses will be auctioned off to qualified buyers. The better the training, the higher the bids.
Sacramento Zoo Announcement
Sacramento Zoo passes accreditation inspection
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, March 14, 2008
SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums independent accrediting commission, the organization announced Thursday.
The Maryland-based association said the Sacramento Zoo went through an investigation to be sure it meets standards that are becoming more demanding.
Those standards concern animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education and safety.
The AZA requires zoos and aquariums to complete the accreditation procedure every five years to be members of the association.
"Not only does the Sacramento Zoo meet or exceed AZA's high standards, but it provides every visitor with a chance to connect to global wildife conservation," AZA President Jim Maddy said in a news release.
– Bill Lindelof
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, March 14, 2008
SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums independent accrediting commission, the organization announced Thursday.
The Maryland-based association said the Sacramento Zoo went through an investigation to be sure it meets standards that are becoming more demanding.
Those standards concern animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education and safety.
The AZA requires zoos and aquariums to complete the accreditation procedure every five years to be members of the association.
"Not only does the Sacramento Zoo meet or exceed AZA's high standards, but it provides every visitor with a chance to connect to global wildife conservation," AZA President Jim Maddy said in a news release.
– Bill Lindelof
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Placer Transit on a Roll
Good for the economy, good for the air, good for congestion, and good for those still driving, a good thing all around.
Editorial: Placer County residents discover the allure of transit
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, March 13, 2008
Curious about whether the run-up in fuel prices and the slowing economy are beginning to force people out of their cars? Look no farther than Placer County.
Demand for bus service has grown so fast in recent months that the county's transit system has run out of seats on its popular commuter express run between Colfax, Auburn, Loomis, Rocklin, Lincoln and Sacramento.
Placer County Transit sent out an extraordinary notice to its express bus customers this week warning them that future ticket sales will be limited to existing Placer Commuter Express customers. "If you have purchased a pass or ticket from us for Placer Commuter Express in the past three months you will be able to continue purchasing passes and tickets from us," the notice said. The jaw dropping kicker followed: "We will establish a waiting list for people wishing to be new Placer Commuter Express passengers."
A waiting list for buses in Placer County? Amazing.
Placer has always been car country. Transportation officials never thought they would see the day when demand for buses outstripped supply, but that day is here.
To keep up with rising demand, the transit service put out extra buses for its most popular routes and times the past few weeks, but officials say they haven't the funds to sustain that kind of extra expense.
Placer County transportation revenue has declined 5.2 percent. The jurisdictions that subsidize the commuter buses are having trouble just maintaining existing services. So expansion will be a real challenge.
Editorial: Placer County residents discover the allure of transit
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, March 13, 2008
Curious about whether the run-up in fuel prices and the slowing economy are beginning to force people out of their cars? Look no farther than Placer County.
Demand for bus service has grown so fast in recent months that the county's transit system has run out of seats on its popular commuter express run between Colfax, Auburn, Loomis, Rocklin, Lincoln and Sacramento.
Placer County Transit sent out an extraordinary notice to its express bus customers this week warning them that future ticket sales will be limited to existing Placer Commuter Express customers. "If you have purchased a pass or ticket from us for Placer Commuter Express in the past three months you will be able to continue purchasing passes and tickets from us," the notice said. The jaw dropping kicker followed: "We will establish a waiting list for people wishing to be new Placer Commuter Express passengers."
A waiting list for buses in Placer County? Amazing.
Placer has always been car country. Transportation officials never thought they would see the day when demand for buses outstripped supply, but that day is here.
To keep up with rising demand, the transit service put out extra buses for its most popular routes and times the past few weeks, but officials say they haven't the funds to sustain that kind of extra expense.
Placer County transportation revenue has declined 5.2 percent. The jurisdictions that subsidize the commuter buses are having trouble just maintaining existing services. So expansion will be a real challenge.
Salmon Fishing Stopped
The final ruling to shut it for the entire 2008 season will be decided next month.
Officials shut salmon fishing in seven coastal areas of California, Oregon
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wildlife officials moved Wednesday for early closure of seven coastal salmon fishing zones in California and Oregon, a sign of dire conditions facing the Central Valley chinook.
The action came in a conference between fisheries managers gathered in Sacramento for a series of meetings by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
Officials representing California, Oregon and the federal government opted to close the seven zones to protect salmon that remain alive in the ocean.
They decided early closures are needed because the council won't make a final ruling on the 2008 salmon season until mid-April, and seasons that normally open before then could jeopardize the species.
Commercial and sport fishing are affected, from Oregon's Cape Falcon to the Mexican border.
The California Central Valley fall chinook salmon, a normally robust run that underpins the fishery in both states, is in steep decline.
Last year's run was the second-lowest in 35 years of record-keeping; this year is likely to be worse.
Officials shut salmon fishing in seven coastal areas of California, Oregon
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wildlife officials moved Wednesday for early closure of seven coastal salmon fishing zones in California and Oregon, a sign of dire conditions facing the Central Valley chinook.
The action came in a conference between fisheries managers gathered in Sacramento for a series of meetings by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
Officials representing California, Oregon and the federal government opted to close the seven zones to protect salmon that remain alive in the ocean.
They decided early closures are needed because the council won't make a final ruling on the 2008 salmon season until mid-April, and seasons that normally open before then could jeopardize the species.
Commercial and sport fishing are affected, from Oregon's Cape Falcon to the Mexican border.
The California Central Valley fall chinook salmon, a normally robust run that underpins the fishery in both states, is in steep decline.
Last year's run was the second-lowest in 35 years of record-keeping; this year is likely to be worse.
Global Cooling?
A great post, with tons of neat graphs.
To Tell the Truth: Will the Real Global Average Temperature Trend Please Rise? Part I
A guest post by Basil Copeland
Everybody talks about the weather, but rarely has a scientific debate engaged the public as have concerns about climate change and and anthropogenic global warming. It is a scientific issue or debate that everyone can have an “informed” opinion about just by going outside, or by thinking about how climate has changed in their lifetime. If they cannot understand the physics of GCM’s (global climate models) they can read a thermometer and opine whether it is getting colder or warmer “than it used to be.” Few scientific issues or debates are as reducible to an everyday metric — a thermometer reading — as the debate over global warming.
The experts merely fan the fires when they issue press releases about how this year or that is the warmest since whenever, or that the earth’s temperature is rising at X degrees per decade and is likely to continue to rise Y to Z degrees for the rest of the century. The truth is that taking the earth’s temperature is no easy task. Some would argue that it is not even possible to speak of a global temperature as such, e.g. that climate is regional, not global. Others, such as the host of this blog, have drawn attention to serious questions about the accuracy of the station records on which estimates of global average temperatures are frequently based.
Then there are the stat geeks, like myself, who understand how hard it is to accurately or meaningfully measure the “average” of anything! It begs reciting the old saw about a statistician being someone who can stand around with one foot in a bucket of boiling water, and the other foot in a bucket of ice water, and say that “on the average” they feel fine.
…However you look at the data, since 2001 the “trend” in all four metrics has been either flat, or negative. There has been no “global warming” since 2001, and if anything, there has been “global cooling.” But is it “statistically significant?” I imagine that one could fit some simple trend lines through the data in Figure 3 and show that the trend is negative. I would also imagine that given the variability in the data, the trends might not be “statistically significant.” But since statistical significance is often measured by reference to zero, that would be just another way of saying that there has been no statistically significant warming since 2001.
But that may not be the most insightful way to look at the data, or frame the issue. Prior to 2001 we have a much longer series of data in which there has likely been a positive trend, or “global warming.” What can we say, if anything, about how the period since 2001 compares to the period before it? Rather than test whether the trends since 2001 are significantly different than zero, why not test whether the trends since 2001 are significantly different than the trends in the 23 years that proceeded 2002?
To Tell the Truth: Will the Real Global Average Temperature Trend Please Rise? Part I
A guest post by Basil Copeland
Everybody talks about the weather, but rarely has a scientific debate engaged the public as have concerns about climate change and and anthropogenic global warming. It is a scientific issue or debate that everyone can have an “informed” opinion about just by going outside, or by thinking about how climate has changed in their lifetime. If they cannot understand the physics of GCM’s (global climate models) they can read a thermometer and opine whether it is getting colder or warmer “than it used to be.” Few scientific issues or debates are as reducible to an everyday metric — a thermometer reading — as the debate over global warming.
The experts merely fan the fires when they issue press releases about how this year or that is the warmest since whenever, or that the earth’s temperature is rising at X degrees per decade and is likely to continue to rise Y to Z degrees for the rest of the century. The truth is that taking the earth’s temperature is no easy task. Some would argue that it is not even possible to speak of a global temperature as such, e.g. that climate is regional, not global. Others, such as the host of this blog, have drawn attention to serious questions about the accuracy of the station records on which estimates of global average temperatures are frequently based.
Then there are the stat geeks, like myself, who understand how hard it is to accurately or meaningfully measure the “average” of anything! It begs reciting the old saw about a statistician being someone who can stand around with one foot in a bucket of boiling water, and the other foot in a bucket of ice water, and say that “on the average” they feel fine.
…However you look at the data, since 2001 the “trend” in all four metrics has been either flat, or negative. There has been no “global warming” since 2001, and if anything, there has been “global cooling.” But is it “statistically significant?” I imagine that one could fit some simple trend lines through the data in Figure 3 and show that the trend is negative. I would also imagine that given the variability in the data, the trends might not be “statistically significant.” But since statistical significance is often measured by reference to zero, that would be just another way of saying that there has been no statistically significant warming since 2001.
But that may not be the most insightful way to look at the data, or frame the issue. Prior to 2001 we have a much longer series of data in which there has likely been a positive trend, or “global warming.” What can we say, if anything, about how the period since 2001 compares to the period before it? Rather than test whether the trends since 2001 are significantly different than zero, why not test whether the trends since 2001 are significantly different than the trends in the 23 years that proceeded 2002?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Garbage Burns
This might be a problematic development in the plans.
Sacramento garbage-to-energy plant could burn toxic trash
By Chris Bowman - cbowman@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sacramento city proponents of a garbage-to-energy power plant said they will look beyond curbside trash to more lucrative – and hazardous – hospital and industry wastes.
"Our desired outcome is to have a new revenue stream for the city, and if that means having a medical waste or hazardous waste feedstock, then we certainly are going to have those discussions," Marty Hanneman, assistant city manager, said Tuesday.
The interest in toxic trash also is driven by a city requirement that the expensive waste converter not cost taxpayers more than they pay to bury their trash in a landfill.
Hanneman said he doesn't believe that can happen without taking the higher-value hazardous wastes, effectively subsidizing the high-tech disposal of municipal trash.
"They are going to have to look at electronic waste, tires and medical wastes so that they can charge a higher fee to put it into the system," Hanneman said of the developer, U.S. Science & Technology of Sacramento.
Sacramento garbage-to-energy plant could burn toxic trash
By Chris Bowman - cbowman@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sacramento city proponents of a garbage-to-energy power plant said they will look beyond curbside trash to more lucrative – and hazardous – hospital and industry wastes.
"Our desired outcome is to have a new revenue stream for the city, and if that means having a medical waste or hazardous waste feedstock, then we certainly are going to have those discussions," Marty Hanneman, assistant city manager, said Tuesday.
The interest in toxic trash also is driven by a city requirement that the expensive waste converter not cost taxpayers more than they pay to bury their trash in a landfill.
Hanneman said he doesn't believe that can happen without taking the higher-value hazardous wastes, effectively subsidizing the high-tech disposal of municipal trash.
"They are going to have to look at electronic waste, tires and medical wastes so that they can charge a higher fee to put it into the system," Hanneman said of the developer, U.S. Science & Technology of Sacramento.
Salmon Season
It is looking pretty grim, but no one knows why.
Dire salmon figures may doom season
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:25 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A complete closure of salmon fishing in California and Oregon this year appeared more likely Tuesday after federal managers grappled with the hard facts.
The drastic proposal – which would mean fresh local salmon would not be available in stores, restaurants or farmer's markets – is driven by a dramatic decline in Central Valley fall-run chinook populations. The total has dropped by more than 90 percent since 2002.
Meeting in Sacramento, the Pacific Fishery Management Council was told by its expert staff that even with such a drastic closure, only an estimated 59,100 chinook salmon will spawn this fall in California's Central Valley rivers, including the Sacramento, American and Feather.
That low number is well below the minimum conservation goal of 122,000 fish, leaving officials with few options.
All fishing south of Point Falcon in Oregon could be affected – including commercial and recreational, in the ocean and rivers – which has never happened.
"There's no way you can divide up the fish available and end up with any kind of fishery," said Duncan MacLean, a commercial fisherman from Half Moon Bay. "This whole thing sucks."
The fall run is the largest on the West Coast, underpinning a fishing industry worth at least $103 million annually.
Last year, the run saw its second-worst numbers in 35 years, surprising officials who expected average returns. No one is certain why the run is suffering.
Dire salmon figures may doom season
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:25 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A complete closure of salmon fishing in California and Oregon this year appeared more likely Tuesday after federal managers grappled with the hard facts.
The drastic proposal – which would mean fresh local salmon would not be available in stores, restaurants or farmer's markets – is driven by a dramatic decline in Central Valley fall-run chinook populations. The total has dropped by more than 90 percent since 2002.
Meeting in Sacramento, the Pacific Fishery Management Council was told by its expert staff that even with such a drastic closure, only an estimated 59,100 chinook salmon will spawn this fall in California's Central Valley rivers, including the Sacramento, American and Feather.
That low number is well below the minimum conservation goal of 122,000 fish, leaving officials with few options.
All fishing south of Point Falcon in Oregon could be affected – including commercial and recreational, in the ocean and rivers – which has never happened.
"There's no way you can divide up the fish available and end up with any kind of fishery," said Duncan MacLean, a commercial fisherman from Half Moon Bay. "This whole thing sucks."
The fall run is the largest on the West Coast, underpinning a fishing industry worth at least $103 million annually.
Last year, the run saw its second-worst numbers in 35 years, surprising officials who expected average returns. No one is certain why the run is suffering.
Forests & Global Warming
In yet another case of the uncertainty of the science surrounding planetary environment, it appears this conjecture may be a tad cloudy, or smoky, as the case may be.
'Green' storage in forests may be going up in smoke
Study: Wildfires emit more global warming gases than thought
By Tom Knudson - tknudson@sacbee.com
Published 5:59 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A new study has found that California wildfires emit more greenhouse gases than previously believed largely through the post-fire decay of dead wood, a finding that is raising questions about how effective the state's forests are at storing carbon and slowing global warming.
The study by Thomas Bonnicksen, a retired forestry professor at Texas A&M University, found that four major wildfires – from the Fountain fire near Redding in 1992 to the Angora blaze at Lake Tahoe last year – are responsible for the release of 38 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, far more than the 2 million tons the state estimates that fires produce on average each year.
"Up until now, we have not fully appreciated the magnitude of the impact of wildfires on climate change," Bonnicksen said. "This is a very important part of the problem."
His study, which is not peer-reviewed and has been found lacking by some, is one of a flurry of reports that have begun to explore the critical role that forests play in regulating carbon dioxide, the principal atmospheric gas responsible for global warming. Traditionally, forests have been viewed as green reservoirs of landlocked carbon, soaking up and storing CO 2 from the atmosphere in their leaves, needles, roots and soil.
Bonnicksen's study casts that view into question. Forests today are so overcrowded with spindly, unhealthy trees – partly the result of decades of fire suppression – that as they burn and decay they are turning into an actual source of greenhouse gas pollution.
'Green' storage in forests may be going up in smoke
Study: Wildfires emit more global warming gases than thought
By Tom Knudson - tknudson@sacbee.com
Published 5:59 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A new study has found that California wildfires emit more greenhouse gases than previously believed largely through the post-fire decay of dead wood, a finding that is raising questions about how effective the state's forests are at storing carbon and slowing global warming.
The study by Thomas Bonnicksen, a retired forestry professor at Texas A&M University, found that four major wildfires – from the Fountain fire near Redding in 1992 to the Angora blaze at Lake Tahoe last year – are responsible for the release of 38 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, far more than the 2 million tons the state estimates that fires produce on average each year.
"Up until now, we have not fully appreciated the magnitude of the impact of wildfires on climate change," Bonnicksen said. "This is a very important part of the problem."
His study, which is not peer-reviewed and has been found lacking by some, is one of a flurry of reports that have begun to explore the critical role that forests play in regulating carbon dioxide, the principal atmospheric gas responsible for global warming. Traditionally, forests have been viewed as green reservoirs of landlocked carbon, soaking up and storing CO 2 from the atmosphere in their leaves, needles, roots and soil.
Bonnicksen's study casts that view into question. Forests today are so overcrowded with spindly, unhealthy trees – partly the result of decades of fire suppression – that as they burn and decay they are turning into an actual source of greenhouse gas pollution.
Public Information Should be Public
We couldn’t agree more.
Editorial: When the public pays, it has a right to know
Only if public information is truly public can citizens see what government is doing
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
State government is by far the largest employer in the Sacramento region. Close to 28,000 Sacramento County residents work for the state of California. More than 40,000 residents of the four-county metropolitan area – Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado and Placer counties – work for the state.
Given state government's outsized role in the local economy, The Bee would be derelict if it failed to report on state government and its workers.
In a recent article, "State pay hikes soar – for some," The Bee's Phillip Reese compiled state employee salary and employment information that has long been available in public databases. The article revealed that those at the top of the state bureaucracy received bigger pay raises that those at the bottom.
It is admittedly an incomplete picture. The database doesn't include overtime pay. If overtime were included, the prison guards would zoom to the top of the salary scale. The Bee's database does not include benefits either. While public employee union representatives often argue that state workers are paid less than those with similar responsibilities in the private sector, the picture often looks different when benefits are factored in. Retirement benefits for state workers are guaranteed. They come with retiree health benefits unheard of in most private-sector employment contracts.
Editorial: When the public pays, it has a right to know
Only if public information is truly public can citizens see what government is doing
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
State government is by far the largest employer in the Sacramento region. Close to 28,000 Sacramento County residents work for the state of California. More than 40,000 residents of the four-county metropolitan area – Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado and Placer counties – work for the state.
Given state government's outsized role in the local economy, The Bee would be derelict if it failed to report on state government and its workers.
In a recent article, "State pay hikes soar – for some," The Bee's Phillip Reese compiled state employee salary and employment information that has long been available in public databases. The article revealed that those at the top of the state bureaucracy received bigger pay raises that those at the bottom.
It is admittedly an incomplete picture. The database doesn't include overtime pay. If overtime were included, the prison guards would zoom to the top of the salary scale. The Bee's database does not include benefits either. While public employee union representatives often argue that state workers are paid less than those with similar responsibilities in the private sector, the picture often looks different when benefits are factored in. Retirement benefits for state workers are guaranteed. They come with retiree health benefits unheard of in most private-sector employment contracts.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Cool Cars
Sounds like the future, at least in the short term for the big ships and locomotives that can fuel in large central ports, rather than the vast array of service stations indicating a technology able to serve the nations automobiles, which looks to be a very long way into the future.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development still in the slow lane
By Jim Downing - jdowning@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, March 11, 2008
When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the state's Hydrogen Highway in 2004, he said Californians were about to invent the future.
We're still working on it.
Boosted by $1.2 billion in federal money over the past five years, automakers have been making strides with hydrogen fuel cells. Building filling stations for those vehicles, however, is another matter – what a top Bush administration transportation official refers to as the equivalent of a moon shot.
So on Monday, about 40 automotive and air quality experts from around the country sat down at the California Fuel Cell Partnership headquarters in West Sacramento to brainstorm how to foster a national hydrogen-fueling network. The partnership is a collaboration of 32 organizations, including automakers, government agencies and energy and oil companies. It was created in 1999, and the West Sacramento headquarters opened in November 2000.
"The research is largely complete. What we need to do is focus on the infrastructure piece," said Paul Brubaker, who heads the Research and Innovative Technology Administration for the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Hydrogen is attractive as an auto fuel because it promises both the pump-and-go convenience of gasoline and no emissions of either greenhouse gases or smog-forming pollutants.
In a fuel-cell vehicle, hydrogen combines with oxygen, yielding a current that drives an electric motor. The tailpipe spews nothing but water vapor and heat.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development still in the slow lane
By Jim Downing - jdowning@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, March 11, 2008
When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the state's Hydrogen Highway in 2004, he said Californians were about to invent the future.
We're still working on it.
Boosted by $1.2 billion in federal money over the past five years, automakers have been making strides with hydrogen fuel cells. Building filling stations for those vehicles, however, is another matter – what a top Bush administration transportation official refers to as the equivalent of a moon shot.
So on Monday, about 40 automotive and air quality experts from around the country sat down at the California Fuel Cell Partnership headquarters in West Sacramento to brainstorm how to foster a national hydrogen-fueling network. The partnership is a collaboration of 32 organizations, including automakers, government agencies and energy and oil companies. It was created in 1999, and the West Sacramento headquarters opened in November 2000.
"The research is largely complete. What we need to do is focus on the infrastructure piece," said Paul Brubaker, who heads the Research and Innovative Technology Administration for the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Hydrogen is attractive as an auto fuel because it promises both the pump-and-go convenience of gasoline and no emissions of either greenhouse gases or smog-forming pollutants.
In a fuel-cell vehicle, hydrogen combines with oxygen, yielding a current that drives an electric motor. The tailpipe spews nothing but water vapor and heat.
Public Transit Ridership Announcement
Monday, March 10, 2008 - 2:11 PM PDT
Public transit ridership reaches highest level in 50 years
Sacramento Business Journal - by Melanie Turner Staff writer
Americans took 10.3 billion trips on public transportation in 2007, the highest level in 50 years, representing a 2.1 percent increase over the previous year, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
Public transportation use is up 32 percent since 1995, more than double the 15 percent population growth rate.
Light rail had the highest percentage of ridership among all modes, with a 6.1 percent increase in 2007, followed by commuter rail with a ridership increase of 5.5 percent.
For the Sacramento Regional Transit District, light-rail ridership was up 1.41 percent for the year to 14.9 million riders, from 14.7 million in 2006.
Bus ridership for Sacramento RT, on the other hand, was down 5.2 percent for the year to 16.5 million passengers in 2007, from 17.4 million in 2006.
Public transit ridership reaches highest level in 50 years
Sacramento Business Journal - by Melanie Turner Staff writer
Americans took 10.3 billion trips on public transportation in 2007, the highest level in 50 years, representing a 2.1 percent increase over the previous year, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
Public transportation use is up 32 percent since 1995, more than double the 15 percent population growth rate.
Light rail had the highest percentage of ridership among all modes, with a 6.1 percent increase in 2007, followed by commuter rail with a ridership increase of 5.5 percent.
For the Sacramento Regional Transit District, light-rail ridership was up 1.41 percent for the year to 14.9 million riders, from 14.7 million in 2006.
Bus ridership for Sacramento RT, on the other hand, was down 5.2 percent for the year to 16.5 million passengers in 2007, from 17.4 million in 2006.
Infrastructure Funding
The big question, where is the money coming from, and the private sector is a good place to start.
Time to ask the infrastructure funding question
Richard G. Little
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The National Surface Transportation and Revenue Study Commission, a bipartisan federal effort to study the future of transportation funding in the United States, released its findings recently, and the results are neither pretty nor surprising. In a nutshell, the "Highway Trust Fund," the politically created lock box in which the government salts away money to pay for future transportation needs, is empty - and current revenues won't fill it back up.
This is particularly troubling because it comes at a time when much of the national transportation system, just like the Baby Boomers who grew up with it, has reached the end of its working life and needs to be replaced or renewed. This will come as no surprise to anyone with even a passing knowledge of how the federal government funds the transportation system.
For every gallon of gasoline or diesel fuel sold for highway use, the government collects 18.4 and 24.4 cents, respectively. These rates have been static for almost 15 years despite the fact that construction costs have more than doubled over that period. At the same time, better vehicle fuel economy has further reduced the revenue collected. Increasing costs and decreasing revenues are not the basis of a sustainable business model.
The commission members were of two minds about what to do to close the revenue gap. As an immediate fix, the majority view was to increase the fuel tax by 25 cents to 40 cents per gallon over the next five years and then to index future increases to inflation. The minority view, led by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, was to allow more toll roads financed, built, maintained and operated by private companies, as is now done around the globe and to a limited extent in the United States.
We will actually need to do both, and in California the time to make some hard choices is upon us. The governor recently proposed the widespread use of privately built toll roads to address the estimated $500 billion of infrastructure needs the state will face over the next 20 to 25 years.
Despite the incorrect claims of the Public Engineers in California Government that these arrangements are "proven failures," privately financed toll roads could be an ideal solution to address the state's needs for some projects, under some conditions. For example, an Interstate 710/210 tunnel connection under South Pasadena would lend itself nicely to a road supported by tolls and built and operated by a private party with some state oversight.
Time to ask the infrastructure funding question
Richard G. Little
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The National Surface Transportation and Revenue Study Commission, a bipartisan federal effort to study the future of transportation funding in the United States, released its findings recently, and the results are neither pretty nor surprising. In a nutshell, the "Highway Trust Fund," the politically created lock box in which the government salts away money to pay for future transportation needs, is empty - and current revenues won't fill it back up.
This is particularly troubling because it comes at a time when much of the national transportation system, just like the Baby Boomers who grew up with it, has reached the end of its working life and needs to be replaced or renewed. This will come as no surprise to anyone with even a passing knowledge of how the federal government funds the transportation system.
For every gallon of gasoline or diesel fuel sold for highway use, the government collects 18.4 and 24.4 cents, respectively. These rates have been static for almost 15 years despite the fact that construction costs have more than doubled over that period. At the same time, better vehicle fuel economy has further reduced the revenue collected. Increasing costs and decreasing revenues are not the basis of a sustainable business model.
The commission members were of two minds about what to do to close the revenue gap. As an immediate fix, the majority view was to increase the fuel tax by 25 cents to 40 cents per gallon over the next five years and then to index future increases to inflation. The minority view, led by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, was to allow more toll roads financed, built, maintained and operated by private companies, as is now done around the globe and to a limited extent in the United States.
We will actually need to do both, and in California the time to make some hard choices is upon us. The governor recently proposed the widespread use of privately built toll roads to address the estimated $500 billion of infrastructure needs the state will face over the next 20 to 25 years.
Despite the incorrect claims of the Public Engineers in California Government that these arrangements are "proven failures," privately financed toll roads could be an ideal solution to address the state's needs for some projects, under some conditions. For example, an Interstate 710/210 tunnel connection under South Pasadena would lend itself nicely to a road supported by tolls and built and operated by a private party with some state oversight.
Sacramento Conference on Infrastructure
Good to see this happening in town and one hopes good things come from it.
March 07, 2008 08:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Government Officials, Practitioners and Academics Gathered Together at a Conference in Sacramento to Discuss California’s Infrastructure Crisis
Keston Institute Forum Highlights Broad Range Of Public And Private Solutions For Financing California’s Infrastructure Needs
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading academics and policy-makers gathered in Sacramento yesterday to discuss solutions to one of California’s most pressing and controversial problems: how to meet infrastructure investment needs. The event, titled “Paying for Tomorrow’s Infrastructure: Options and Strategies for Sustainable Financing,” was hosted by The Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, which is based at the University of Southern California.
The conference consisted of four major sessions, and attracted interest from a wide spectrum of institutions and individuals, many of whom have a critical role in meeting this challenge.
“That over 100 government officials, practitioners, and academics devoted a full day to discussing infrastructure finance issues underscores the critical importance this issue plays with the people of California,” said Richard G. Little, Director of the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the University of Southern California.
“There’s a serious shortage of high-quality infrastructure services. The investment we’re talking about is not necessarily about growth, this is about building the infrastructure we need now for the economy and population that we have today,” said David Crane, Special Advisor for Jobs and Growth to Governor Schwarzenegger, who opened the conference with the morning keynote address. Crane emphasized the urgency and enormity of the problem California faces. He also discussed the wide variety of options for solving problems, stressing the need to develop beneficial partnerships with the private sector and to get the most of our every dollar spent.
California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer offered a contrasting perspective during the lunchtime keynote, calling for political leadership and public sector action to increase investment.
“Let’s explore public/public partnerships as well. Let’s figure out if there are ways to accelerate investment in these infrastructure needs by forging partnerships between state and local entities,” said Lockyer, who also highlighted his current proposal to establish an accountable and flexible statewide transportation authority to work with local and regional agencies that would address the most critical needs. He also emphasized the potential of immediate and enormous savings that could be achieved by investing in improved energy efficient public buildings.
Other panelists included Martin Wachs, Director, Transportation, Space and Technology, RAND Corporation; David E. Dowall, Director, Institute of Urban and Regional Development, UC Berkeley; Ellen Hanak, Senior Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California; Eric J. Brunner, Department of Economic, Quinnipiac University; Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University; Brian G. Thomas, Chief Finance Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; Steve Heminger, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission; Peter Gordon, Professor of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California; Michael Deane, Office of Water, United States Environmental Protection Agency; Michael A. Pagano, Professor of Public Administration and Interim Dean, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, Chicago.
A highlight of the day was Martin Wachs’ historical overview of transportation finance in California, “When the Gas Tax Runs Dry.” Wachs suggested that user fees for infrastructure are nothing new, but are absolutely critical to funding future needs. New technology for electronic tolling has made user fees easier to implement. Moreover, user fees could actually promote environmental goals and improve the efficiency of transportation systems overall, in that some commuters would likely seek alternatives to fees and thus be spurred on to car pool or take public transportation.
Another highlight was Asha Weinstein Agrawal’s informative presentation of recent survey results that suggested a major generation gap in attitudes toward financing innovation. According to the survey, young people are most likely to support private sector investment in new transportation infrastructure as well as support potential “green” fees that promote environmental goals.
Prof. David Dowall stressed the need for innovation and change in the approach to financing infrastructure, pointing out that California was no longer on the cutting edge. According to Dowall, in order to catch up and remain competitive, California should look to existing model programs and strategies implemented throughout the country and the world. As such, state and local leaders could benefit from lessons learned elsewhere and adopt approaches to financing that have already been tested and refined.
March 07, 2008 08:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Government Officials, Practitioners and Academics Gathered Together at a Conference in Sacramento to Discuss California’s Infrastructure Crisis
Keston Institute Forum Highlights Broad Range Of Public And Private Solutions For Financing California’s Infrastructure Needs
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading academics and policy-makers gathered in Sacramento yesterday to discuss solutions to one of California’s most pressing and controversial problems: how to meet infrastructure investment needs. The event, titled “Paying for Tomorrow’s Infrastructure: Options and Strategies for Sustainable Financing,” was hosted by The Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, which is based at the University of Southern California.
The conference consisted of four major sessions, and attracted interest from a wide spectrum of institutions and individuals, many of whom have a critical role in meeting this challenge.
“That over 100 government officials, practitioners, and academics devoted a full day to discussing infrastructure finance issues underscores the critical importance this issue plays with the people of California,” said Richard G. Little, Director of the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the University of Southern California.
“There’s a serious shortage of high-quality infrastructure services. The investment we’re talking about is not necessarily about growth, this is about building the infrastructure we need now for the economy and population that we have today,” said David Crane, Special Advisor for Jobs and Growth to Governor Schwarzenegger, who opened the conference with the morning keynote address. Crane emphasized the urgency and enormity of the problem California faces. He also discussed the wide variety of options for solving problems, stressing the need to develop beneficial partnerships with the private sector and to get the most of our every dollar spent.
California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer offered a contrasting perspective during the lunchtime keynote, calling for political leadership and public sector action to increase investment.
“Let’s explore public/public partnerships as well. Let’s figure out if there are ways to accelerate investment in these infrastructure needs by forging partnerships between state and local entities,” said Lockyer, who also highlighted his current proposal to establish an accountable and flexible statewide transportation authority to work with local and regional agencies that would address the most critical needs. He also emphasized the potential of immediate and enormous savings that could be achieved by investing in improved energy efficient public buildings.
Other panelists included Martin Wachs, Director, Transportation, Space and Technology, RAND Corporation; David E. Dowall, Director, Institute of Urban and Regional Development, UC Berkeley; Ellen Hanak, Senior Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California; Eric J. Brunner, Department of Economic, Quinnipiac University; Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University; Brian G. Thomas, Chief Finance Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; Steve Heminger, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission; Peter Gordon, Professor of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California; Michael Deane, Office of Water, United States Environmental Protection Agency; Michael A. Pagano, Professor of Public Administration and Interim Dean, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, Chicago.
A highlight of the day was Martin Wachs’ historical overview of transportation finance in California, “When the Gas Tax Runs Dry.” Wachs suggested that user fees for infrastructure are nothing new, but are absolutely critical to funding future needs. New technology for electronic tolling has made user fees easier to implement. Moreover, user fees could actually promote environmental goals and improve the efficiency of transportation systems overall, in that some commuters would likely seek alternatives to fees and thus be spurred on to car pool or take public transportation.
Another highlight was Asha Weinstein Agrawal’s informative presentation of recent survey results that suggested a major generation gap in attitudes toward financing innovation. According to the survey, young people are most likely to support private sector investment in new transportation infrastructure as well as support potential “green” fees that promote environmental goals.
Prof. David Dowall stressed the need for innovation and change in the approach to financing infrastructure, pointing out that California was no longer on the cutting edge. According to Dowall, in order to catch up and remain competitive, California should look to existing model programs and strategies implemented throughout the country and the world. As such, state and local leaders could benefit from lessons learned elsewhere and adopt approaches to financing that have already been tested and refined.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Public Administration
Good overview on a Governance Performance meeting, revealing that some public administrators are working hard at managing effectively.
The government rankings mentioned in the article can be found here
David S. Broder: Best leaders get results by good management
By David S. Broder -
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 10, 2008
The drama of this winter's presidential campaign obscures the fact that for most of us, the government services that most directly impact our lives are delivered from state capitols or city halls.
That's why, at the first break in many months on the primary calendar, I went to a briefing last week at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., on the 2008 Government Performance Project, a joint venture of the Pew Center on the States and Governing magazine.
For months, teams of journalists and academic researchers dug into the workings of all 50 states and graded them, from A to F, on detailed score sheets. The national average was B-minus, the same as in the previous study in 2005, but as the Pew people told me, "the expectations were higher across the board this year, so it took more to get the same grade." Combining the grades for managing employees, budgets, information systems and infrastructure planning – the four areas of focus – three states were at the top, with A-minus ratings: Utah, Virginia and Washington. At the bottom were Rhode Island and New Hampshire, scored C-minus and D-plus, respectively.
(California earned a C. The full results are available in the March issue of Governing magazine and pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp.) At the briefing, Neal Johnson, the director of the project, remarked that "a new generation of governors is focusing on management," in part because citizens are so skeptical of government, but also because tough economic times demand it and because their own backgrounds point them in that direction.
The first two governors he mentioned were Indiana Republican Mitch Daniels, the former head of the federal Office of Management and Budget, and New Jersey Democrat Jon Corzine, the former director of a giant Wall Street investment bank. Both are accustomed to measuring by results.
Two governor-managers were present for the briefing. Michigan Democrat Jennifer Granholm said she begins each workday in Lansing with reports from "my team" on the status of the benchmark goals they have set out to accomplish that week.
Georgia Republican Sonny Perdue recounted how, upon taking office in 2003, he recruited teams of businessmen to evaluate state agencies, telling them he wanted not voluminous reports but "actionable, 90-day steps" to improve services. So far, he said, they have produced 80 suggestions, among them systems that Perdue said have yielded $100 million a year in procurement savings and have cut the wait time for obtaining a driver's license to 10 minutes.
The government rankings mentioned in the article can be found here
David S. Broder: Best leaders get results by good management
By David S. Broder -
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 10, 2008
The drama of this winter's presidential campaign obscures the fact that for most of us, the government services that most directly impact our lives are delivered from state capitols or city halls.
That's why, at the first break in many months on the primary calendar, I went to a briefing last week at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., on the 2008 Government Performance Project, a joint venture of the Pew Center on the States and Governing magazine.
For months, teams of journalists and academic researchers dug into the workings of all 50 states and graded them, from A to F, on detailed score sheets. The national average was B-minus, the same as in the previous study in 2005, but as the Pew people told me, "the expectations were higher across the board this year, so it took more to get the same grade." Combining the grades for managing employees, budgets, information systems and infrastructure planning – the four areas of focus – three states were at the top, with A-minus ratings: Utah, Virginia and Washington. At the bottom were Rhode Island and New Hampshire, scored C-minus and D-plus, respectively.
(California earned a C. The full results are available in the March issue of Governing magazine and pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp.) At the briefing, Neal Johnson, the director of the project, remarked that "a new generation of governors is focusing on management," in part because citizens are so skeptical of government, but also because tough economic times demand it and because their own backgrounds point them in that direction.
The first two governors he mentioned were Indiana Republican Mitch Daniels, the former head of the federal Office of Management and Budget, and New Jersey Democrat Jon Corzine, the former director of a giant Wall Street investment bank. Both are accustomed to measuring by results.
Two governor-managers were present for the briefing. Michigan Democrat Jennifer Granholm said she begins each workday in Lansing with reports from "my team" on the status of the benchmark goals they have set out to accomplish that week.
Georgia Republican Sonny Perdue recounted how, upon taking office in 2003, he recruited teams of businessmen to evaluate state agencies, telling them he wanted not voluminous reports but "actionable, 90-day steps" to improve services. So far, he said, they have produced 80 suggestions, among them systems that Perdue said have yielded $100 million a year in procurement savings and have cut the wait time for obtaining a driver's license to 10 minutes.
Governor’s Sacramento House
As the office is governor of the state, it is only important that the legislative office, in Sacramento, be occupied daily, but residence can be anywhere and living in the most populous area of the state is certainly not inappropriate, though the transport is expensive.
Editorial: Air Schwarzenegger
The governor wings his way home daily
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 10, 2008
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who once joked that Sacramento was "death," apparently doesn't want to spend many nights in the graveyard.
As the Los Angeles Times reported last week, the governor has been spending nearly every night in his Brentwood mansion, shuttling between Sacramento and Southern California in his private jet.
The governor uses his own money to pay for his Gulfstream flights, which price out at about $10,000 an hour, the Times reports.
And what about the cost to the environment? The governor's staff says he purchases "carbon credits." Such credits are aimed at offsetting the greenhouse gases generated by his flights but do nothing about the particulates and smog-forming compounds they spew into the air.
Obviously, this green-leaning governor (pictured last year on the cover of Newsweek with a globe on his finger) is sensitive about the apparent hypocrisy of his daily jet-setting.
Yet he said in an interview that he needs to spend more time with his family, and thus is spending fewer nights at a penthouse at the Hyatt.
Editorial: Air Schwarzenegger
The governor wings his way home daily
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 10, 2008
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who once joked that Sacramento was "death," apparently doesn't want to spend many nights in the graveyard.
As the Los Angeles Times reported last week, the governor has been spending nearly every night in his Brentwood mansion, shuttling between Sacramento and Southern California in his private jet.
The governor uses his own money to pay for his Gulfstream flights, which price out at about $10,000 an hour, the Times reports.
And what about the cost to the environment? The governor's staff says he purchases "carbon credits." Such credits are aimed at offsetting the greenhouse gases generated by his flights but do nothing about the particulates and smog-forming compounds they spew into the air.
Obviously, this green-leaning governor (pictured last year on the cover of Newsweek with a globe on his finger) is sensitive about the apparent hypocrisy of his daily jet-setting.
Yet he said in an interview that he needs to spend more time with his family, and thus is spending fewer nights at a penthouse at the Hyatt.
Salmon Fishing Ban?
It is being considered during a very low run.
Salmon fishing ban mulled in California as run suffers record plunge
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 10, 2008
J.D. Richey caught his first salmon in the American River as a seventh-grader. It was just over 13 pounds, hooked on a spinning lure from a canoe downstream of the Howe Avenue bridge.
The experience so impressed him that he became a fishing guide. Now, after 10 years helping clients from all over the world catch Central Valley salmon, 2008 could be Richey's final season.
A near-record-low fall chinook spawning run in 2007 has regulators considering an all-out ban on salmon fishing in California this year. It would protect surviving fish, but for Richey and others whose lives are tied to salmon, the future looks dim.
"Sacramento is pretty unique in that we've had world-class numbers of salmon coming through a major metropolitan area," said Richey, 39, who was born and raised in the city. "Sacramento has had more salmon than lots of Alaskan rivers. We took our bounty for granted."
The Central Valley fall chinook run is the mainstay of commercial and recreational salmon fishing on the California and Oregon coasts, worth $103 million annually. This does not include dollars generated by inland fishing on rivers.
After 15 years of historically robust returns, the 2007 fall run saw a plunge to near-record lows – surprising regulators who expected an average year.
Biologists aren't certain what caused the plunge. But they suspect poor ocean conditions.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has measured ocean food productivity since 1975, both near California and in the larger Pacific Ocean.
In 2005, for the first time in that data-keeping record, California productivity failed to follow the larger ocean. Food declined in the ocean near California, while increasing elsewhere.
Young salmon entering the ocean from their California spawning rivers may not have found enough to eat. Because salmon return to their home rivers after two to four years at sea, last year's poor run may be just the first proof of this theory. Fall 2008 may be worse.
"It's going to be a hard year for the fishermen," said Peter Dygert, a biologist at the fisheries service. "The circumstances this year for Sacramento fall chinook in particular – but for some other stocks too – are pretty bad. I don't recall a time when fisheries have been so constrained."
Salmon fishing ban mulled in California as run suffers record plunge
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 10, 2008
J.D. Richey caught his first salmon in the American River as a seventh-grader. It was just over 13 pounds, hooked on a spinning lure from a canoe downstream of the Howe Avenue bridge.
The experience so impressed him that he became a fishing guide. Now, after 10 years helping clients from all over the world catch Central Valley salmon, 2008 could be Richey's final season.
A near-record-low fall chinook spawning run in 2007 has regulators considering an all-out ban on salmon fishing in California this year. It would protect surviving fish, but for Richey and others whose lives are tied to salmon, the future looks dim.
"Sacramento is pretty unique in that we've had world-class numbers of salmon coming through a major metropolitan area," said Richey, 39, who was born and raised in the city. "Sacramento has had more salmon than lots of Alaskan rivers. We took our bounty for granted."
The Central Valley fall chinook run is the mainstay of commercial and recreational salmon fishing on the California and Oregon coasts, worth $103 million annually. This does not include dollars generated by inland fishing on rivers.
After 15 years of historically robust returns, the 2007 fall run saw a plunge to near-record lows – surprising regulators who expected an average year.
Biologists aren't certain what caused the plunge. But they suspect poor ocean conditions.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has measured ocean food productivity since 1975, both near California and in the larger Pacific Ocean.
In 2005, for the first time in that data-keeping record, California productivity failed to follow the larger ocean. Food declined in the ocean near California, while increasing elsewhere.
Young salmon entering the ocean from their California spawning rivers may not have found enough to eat. Because salmon return to their home rivers after two to four years at sea, last year's poor run may be just the first proof of this theory. Fall 2008 may be worse.
"It's going to be a hard year for the fishermen," said Peter Dygert, a biologist at the fisheries service. "The circumstances this year for Sacramento fall chinook in particular – but for some other stocks too – are pretty bad. I don't recall a time when fisheries have been so constrained."
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Mayoral Race
Yep, it’s in the garbage can already, but let's hope they can climb out, dust themselves off and talk to the community with knowledge and passion about those issues important to our growing capital city.
Editorial: An important campaign begins disappointingly
Published 2:00 am PDT Sunday, March 9, 2008
Well, that didn't take long.
Last Thursday we penned (well, OK, keyboarded) an editorial extolling the virtues of having a real contest in the race to be Sacramento's next mayor. In it, we also expressed the hope that the candidates will conduct campaigns that steer away from personal attacks and instead address the very real issues now facing the city.
Alas, about the time we were finishing that piece, Bee reporters were learning that charges Mayor Heather Fargo had leveled at challenger Kevin Johnson are, to be charitable, a bunch of baloney.
On Wednesday, Fargo had said that Johnson owed more than $45,000 in back taxes and liens on his properties. Late Thursday, under pressure from Bee reporters Dorothy Korber and Terri Hardy to document that claim, a campaign spokesman finally delivered documents related to the accusation.
Unfortunately for the mayor's credibility, those documents didn't back up her allegations about Johnson. Some related to liens that had already been paid. None involved Johnson's personal finances. Added together, the various liens didn't total $45,000 – a figure that Fargo's campaign characterized as an estimate.
All in all, it was a disappointing beginning for an important political contest. And Johnson was quick to seize the rhetorical high ground.
Editorial: An important campaign begins disappointingly
Published 2:00 am PDT Sunday, March 9, 2008
Well, that didn't take long.
Last Thursday we penned (well, OK, keyboarded) an editorial extolling the virtues of having a real contest in the race to be Sacramento's next mayor. In it, we also expressed the hope that the candidates will conduct campaigns that steer away from personal attacks and instead address the very real issues now facing the city.
Alas, about the time we were finishing that piece, Bee reporters were learning that charges Mayor Heather Fargo had leveled at challenger Kevin Johnson are, to be charitable, a bunch of baloney.
On Wednesday, Fargo had said that Johnson owed more than $45,000 in back taxes and liens on his properties. Late Thursday, under pressure from Bee reporters Dorothy Korber and Terri Hardy to document that claim, a campaign spokesman finally delivered documents related to the accusation.
Unfortunately for the mayor's credibility, those documents didn't back up her allegations about Johnson. Some related to liens that had already been paid. None involved Johnson's personal finances. Added together, the various liens didn't total $45,000 – a figure that Fargo's campaign characterized as an estimate.
All in all, it was a disappointing beginning for an important political contest. And Johnson was quick to seize the rhetorical high ground.
Green Houses
A very nice housing project downtown.
Environmental houses hailed in downtown Sacramento
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - mlvellinga@sacbee.com
Published 1:00 am PDT Sunday, March 9, 2008
It would be easy to miss the small cluster of nine tall, skinny houses tucked around a courtyard on F Street a few blocks north of downtown Sacramento.
But city leaders and local environmental groups say the tiny 9onF project has a significance that goes far beyond its size:
It is one of the greenest new housing projects in the region, and the first in Sacramento's central city to be officially certified as environmentally sustainable by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Representatives from the city, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, environmental groups and businesses gathered at 9onF Saturday to praise the project and promote their ideas for a sustainable Sacramento.
"This is exactly the kind of infill addition we want to see in the city," said Mayor Heather Fargo, who arrived with SMUD director Genevieve Shiroma in a SMUD plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Projects like 9onF, Shiroma said, "mean we don't have to build new power plants that run on fossil fuel."
The three-story houses range in size from 1,300 to 1,550 square feet and are priced at about $495,000, said developer Jeremy Drucker.
He said one of the units is in escrow, and another one has been reserved.
The units of the project that line F Street look more traditional, with clapboard siding. The houses along the courtyard have a more contemporary, loft-like feel.
Drucker estimated that the energy bills for 9onF will be 75 percent lower than normal.
Three of the nine three-story homes come with solar panels already installed. The use of solar prevents 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide – considered the chief culprit in global warming – from being emitted into the atmosphere each year, said Wade Hughes, manager of SMUD's SolarSmart homes program.
Solar is an option on three more of the 9onF houses, but the final three along F Street get too much shade for solar to be viable, Hughes said.
All of the houses use geothermal technology for heating and cooling. A pipe filled with water sits in a well deep underground. It cools and warms the air for the heating and cooling system – a major energy savings.
SMUD's Hughes said it's the first residential project he knows of on the West Coast that combines solar and geothermal systems. "That's pretty cool stuff."
Environmental houses hailed in downtown Sacramento
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - mlvellinga@sacbee.com
Published 1:00 am PDT Sunday, March 9, 2008
It would be easy to miss the small cluster of nine tall, skinny houses tucked around a courtyard on F Street a few blocks north of downtown Sacramento.
But city leaders and local environmental groups say the tiny 9onF project has a significance that goes far beyond its size:
It is one of the greenest new housing projects in the region, and the first in Sacramento's central city to be officially certified as environmentally sustainable by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Representatives from the city, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, environmental groups and businesses gathered at 9onF Saturday to praise the project and promote their ideas for a sustainable Sacramento.
"This is exactly the kind of infill addition we want to see in the city," said Mayor Heather Fargo, who arrived with SMUD director Genevieve Shiroma in a SMUD plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Projects like 9onF, Shiroma said, "mean we don't have to build new power plants that run on fossil fuel."
The three-story houses range in size from 1,300 to 1,550 square feet and are priced at about $495,000, said developer Jeremy Drucker.
He said one of the units is in escrow, and another one has been reserved.
The units of the project that line F Street look more traditional, with clapboard siding. The houses along the courtyard have a more contemporary, loft-like feel.
Drucker estimated that the energy bills for 9onF will be 75 percent lower than normal.
Three of the nine three-story homes come with solar panels already installed. The use of solar prevents 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide – considered the chief culprit in global warming – from being emitted into the atmosphere each year, said Wade Hughes, manager of SMUD's SolarSmart homes program.
Solar is an option on three more of the 9onF houses, but the final three along F Street get too much shade for solar to be viable, Hughes said.
All of the houses use geothermal technology for heating and cooling. A pipe filled with water sits in a well deep underground. It cools and warms the air for the heating and cooling system – a major energy savings.
SMUD's Hughes said it's the first residential project he knows of on the West Coast that combines solar and geothermal systems. "That's pretty cool stuff."
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