Coastal Issues

Protecting the assault of our pristine coastal areas from oil/gas, real estate developers and winery expansion.

Lobbyist Feeding Frenzy Consumes Coastal Commission

Maybe it is time to close the loopholes or an outright ban on lobbyists who are making our “democracy” a sham. http://www.independent.com/news/2016/feb/25/what-hell-going/ Santa Barbara Independent What the Hell Is Going On? By Barney Brantingham Thursday, February 25, 2016   SHARKS IN THE WATER: Seaside life goes on despite scheming at the agency that regulates the coast. Lobbyist …

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“Coastal Commission’s shady firing”……. Thank you Press Democrat!

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/5217045-181/pd-editorial-coastal-commissions-shady?artslide=0 PD Editorial: California Coastal Commission’s shady firing of Charles Lester In the end, the numbers didn’t matter. The 1,000 or so people who showed up at the California Coastal Commission meeting Wednesday to show support for embattled Executive Director Charles Lester didn’t matter. The 10 hours of public testimony by some 250 speakers didn’t …

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“Something Fishy”, letter to the editor from coastal commission hearing

Something fishy EDITOR: A narrow majority of Coastal Commissioners, while professing love of the coast, threw overboard a man eminently qualified to assess development proposals under the Coastal Act for the long-term. Some commissioners chose not to work with their executive director in a constructive manner, allowed their personal pet peeves to be exploited, felt …

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Who appointed who on the California Coastal Commission and how they voted

Did the California Coastal Commission members already have their minds made up before the vote? Many of the activists that attended Wednesdays hearing thought so.  The bad players here are Vargas, McClure, Turnbull-Sanders, Uranga and Diaz. Good players are Mary Shallenberger, Carole Groom, Mary Luevano, Steve Kinsey, Dana Bochco and Gregory Cox. Governor Brown, what were …

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Coastal Coup and the NY Times

Ken Sund, who initiated the second Wine & Water Watch meeting in the coastal town of Jenner, has the following letter in the PD today. I have included the link, in case people want to comment online.  14,000 letters have been received by the Commission in support of Dr. Lester.   http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/5197538-181/tuesdays-letters-to-the-editor Coastal coup EDITOR: …

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SWiG’s letter supporting the coast and Dr. Lester

Dear California Coastal Commissioner Kinsey, This message from the Sebastopol Water Information Group (SWiG) opposes the current move to terminate the appointment of Dr. Charles Lester as Executive Director of the California Coastal Commission, thereby weakening the California Coastal Commission’s role as protector of the coastal environment, its abundant natural resources, and public access to …

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