May/June 2017 Torrance Refinery Update By Steve Dillow, Group Special Projects Chair Much has happened concerning the Torrance Refinery and its continued use of hydrofluoric acid (HF or MHF) in the last few months. On the second anniversary of the major explosion, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance (TRAA), supported by the Sierra Club and others, held a major rally and march to the refinery. Despite a steady rain, about 500 people took part – this in a city that never has protests or marches. Coincidentally, on the same morning there was yet another fire at the refinery. On February 17, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi introduced a series of bills to phase out MHF and otherwise make the refinery safer. On March 8, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion by Janice Hahn calling for a ban of MHF, in a letter to AQMD and the State Legislature. On March 28, the EPA released preliminary findings about its inspection of the refinery. It found numerous safety violations, especially regarding in its handling of MHF. That evening, the city held a Refinery Workshop in which several hundred citizens gathered in support of a city resolution to require the refinery to phase out MHF from their process. Dr. Sally Hayati of the See Refinery, p. 2 Put down the spade and pick up the phone: What I learned from the Native Plant Society By Judy Herman, Foggy View Editor The national election results hit David Berman hard. “I felt shocked, depressed, paralyzed, and afraid,” the president of the South Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society said. But he knew he couldn’t remain paralyzed. It was time to act. He invited staffers from officials’ offices to a CNPS meeting to teach how to influence legislators. Representatives of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Congressman Ted Lieu, California Sen. Ben Allen and Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi fielded questions at the April 3 rd meeting. The most effective way of influencing public officials is by meeting with them or their staff in person, the panel members agreed. Since Sen. Feinstein represents the entire state of California, forget about individual meetings with her, advised her field representative Sabiha Khan. But group meetings, town halls or community meetings are effective. Look for annual events like Earth Day and events honoring community activists. If your group forms a coalition with other groups, officials are more likely to attend your events. Sign up for officials’ newsletters to find out where they will be. Rep. Lieu is active on Twitter, according to his district director Nicolas Rodriquez. Phone calls and meetings with field office staff are good too. It’s hard to get through to D.C. offices; local field offices are easier. Calls can be quick and painless, just long enough to say you are a constituent and you favor or oppose a piece of pending legislation, according to Andrew Deblock, Senior Field Representative for Muratsuchi. You can also spend more time getting to know staff See Influencing legislators, p. 2
Transcript
May/June 2017
Torrance Refinery Update
By Steve Dillow, Group Special Projects Chair
Much has happened concerning the Torrance Refinery and its continued use of hydrofluoric acid (HF or MHF) in the last few months. On the second anniversary of the major explosion, the Torrance Refinery Action Alliance (TRAA), supported by the Sierra Club and others, held a major rally and march to the refinery. Despite a steady rain, about 500 people took part – this in a city that never has protests or marches. Coincidentally, on the same morning there was yet another fire at the refinery.
On February 17, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi introduced a series of bills to phase out MHF and otherwise make the refinery safer. On March 8, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion by Janice Hahn calling for a ban of MHF, in a letter to AQMD and the State Legislature. On March 28, the EPA released preliminary findings about its inspection of the refinery. It found numerous safety violations, especially regarding in its handling of MHF. That evening, the city held a Refinery Workshop in which several hundred citizens gathered in support of a city resolution to require the refinery to phase out MHF from their process. Dr. Sally Hayati of the See Refinery, p. 2
Put down the spade and pick up the phone: What I learned from the Native Plant Society By Judy Herman, Foggy View Editor The national election results hit David Berman hard. “I felt shocked, depressed, paralyzed, and afraid,” the president of the South Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society said. But he knew he couldn’t remain paralyzed. It was time to act. He invited staffers from officials’ offices to a CNPS meeting to teach how to influence legislators. Representatives of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Congressman Ted Lieu, California Sen. Ben Allen and Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi fielded questions at the April 3rd meeting. The most effective way of influencing public officials is by meeting with them or their staff in person, the panel members agreed. Since Sen. Feinstein represents the entire state of California, forget about individual meetings with her, advised her field representative Sabiha Khan. But group meetings, town halls or community meetings are effective. Look for annual events like Earth Day and events honoring community activists. If your group forms a coalition with other groups, officials are more likely to attend your events. Sign up for officials’ newsletters to find out where they will be. Rep. Lieu is active on Twitter, according to his district director Nicolas Rodriquez. Phone calls and meetings with field office staff are good too. It’s hard to get through to D.C. offices; local field offices are easier. Calls can be quick and painless, just long enough to say you are a constituent and you favor or oppose a piece of pending legislation, according to Andrew Deblock, Senior Field Representative for Muratsuchi. You can also spend more time getting to know staff See Influencing legislators, p. 2
Refinery, from p. 1 TRAA spoke of the dangers: “It’s not just the corrosive burns from the acid …, but it is also a systemic poison by virtue of the fluoride. Ions can get absorbed through your skin and your bloodstream, damage your organs, stop your heart, suffocate you — kill you.” Despite that EPA report, 500 letters to the council, and dozens of speakers urging a yes, the city voted down the proposal, and instead adopted a watered-down substitute, merely saying they would to go along with the AQMD’s rules. On April 1, the SCAQMD held a daylong hearing about the refinery and its own proposed rule 1410 to ban MHF. It was preceded by a press conference with Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, County Supervisor Janice Hahn, the two Torrance councilmen who supported the ban (Tim Goodrich and Kurt Weiderman), the mayor, and representatives from TRAA and FLARE. At the hearing there were presenta-tions by the AQMD, CalEPA and other state agencies, the federal EPA, local agencies, and local representatives. Then over one hundred members of the public gave their comments. On April 4, there was another MHF leak to the refinery, large enough to set off sensors, but not enough to be reported to the AQMD. There was lots of news coverage of both the city council workshop and the AQMD hearing, from the Daily Breeze, LA Times, all the TV networks, and KPCC. Next we need letters or emails of support, both to the AQMD http://www.aqmd.gov/home/regulations/compliance/torrance) and to Assemblyman Muratsuchi (https://a66.asmdc.org/ ). For more information visit the AQMD website, or the TRAA Web page (https://safetorrancerefinery.wordpress.com/) and sign the petition there.
Influencing legislators, from p. 1 members and sharing expertise you may have. Personal information and anecdotes help strengthen the connection and increase staffers’ understanding of why the legislation is important, and may make them more likely to discuss your views with their bosses, Deblock said. How can you keep current on pending legislation? Good sources are representatives’ newsletters, contacts with their staff and social media. The Sierra Club was highlighted as a source for legislative priorities on the environment. (Check out the “Hot Links” at http://www.sierraclub.org/california, including 2017 Priority Bill List.) Other sources for current bills are www.congress.gov and www.leginfo.ca.gov. For background to help make your case in favor of a particular bill, contact the organization backing it or the author of the bill. If you see a problem with a bill, connect your representative with an expert who can explain the problem. Pressed to rank the influence of calls, emails, postal mail and petitions, of letters from prominent groups like the Sierra Club or from individuals, staffers demurred. They’re all important, they said. What about protest marches and rallies, like the March for Science and the Women’s March? They do have an effect. Khan said that when Sen. Feinstein saw the protests that spontaneously broke out at airports around the country when President Trump’s first travel ban was announced, she introduced legislation opposing the ban the next day. Thanks to David Berman and the CNPS for organizing the panel and for letting me share what I learned. For more info about CNPS visit www.sccnps.org.
2
“Mamma Mia!” at the Bowl, July 29 Join PV South Bay Sierra Club at the Hollywood Bowl, Saturday, July 29, for the annual staged musical “Mamma Mia!” featuring ABBA’s timeless songs. For $25 you get a bus ride from Wilson Park (Crenshaw between Sepulveda & Carson) and a seat at the Bowl. Send a check made out to PVSB SIERRA CLUB along with a stamped self-addressed envelope to Joyce White, 789 W 29th St., San Pedro, CA 90731. Buses load between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Bring food & drink to eat at your seats or in picnic areas. For more information call Joyce White 310-383-5247
Along the Path: A Young Person’s Guide to Exploring Nature
ANewWayof“Seeing”
BySusanRothrockDeo
We depend on our senses—sight, hearing, taste, smell
and touch—to help us understand the natural world. We use our eyes most, but some animals learn about their
world more from their other senses. Dogs, for example,
SusanRothrockDeo have an area of their brain devoted to analyzing smells
that is forty times the size of the one in our brains. The elephant has an even bigger olfactory (smell) center. Dogs and elephants also have a keen sense of hearing. So do moths. Bats and
dolphins use a special kind of hearing called echolocation. They make a sound and listen to the
echo that bounces back to observe the animals and objects around them.
Let’s challenge ourselves to use all our senses, not just our eyes. Here are some ideas.
Hearing: The next time you are in your backyard, at the beach, or on a hike, stop for a minute. Take a seat on the ground or a bench and close your eyes. What do you hear? Are the ocean
waves the same at the beach, on top of the cliff, or among the tide pool cobblestones? Do you
hear the wind rustling through the palm trees or whistling through the pines? Can you recognize the birds in your neighborhood by their calls: peafowl, mockingbird, great horned owl? Or
distinguish different calls of one kind of bird, like the song of a hummingbird compared with his
“stay away from my territory” scolding? Or the buzz of his wings as he hovers over a flower?
Smell: Can you smell the dampness in the air after a rain, or the fishy ocean air when the
breeze is just right? We love smelling flowers, but did you ever try smelling leaves? Southern
California has many native plants that are aromatic. If you hike with an adult who knows plants, they can treat you to amazing smells like sage or sagebrush.
Touch: The textures of leaves, the trunks of trees offer many surprises: some are smooth and satiny while others are fuzzy or feathery, rubbery, bumpy or sharp. (Again, be sure what you are
touching is safe. You want to avoid the sting of nettles or the itch of poison oak.) You can feel
with more than your fingers too: the sun’s heat on your back, the tease of the breeze about your
face, the soggy sand squishing through your toes, the moist, coolness of the air beneath the trees.
So, next time you are outside, take a moment to “see” the world with more than your eyes. You’ll “look” at the world in a whole new way!
Susan Deo is a Sierra Club member with a master’s degree in environmental education. She
has taught life science, marine biology, and environmental education from pre-school through the college level. A longtime docent with Los Serenos de Point Vicente, Susan has published
short stories and essays and is working on several picture books and middle grade novels.
“Along the Path: A Young Person’s Guide to Exploring Nature” is a recurring column, by various
authors, for the eternally curious.
3
IMPORTANTNOTICES
In order to participate on one of the Sierra Club's outings, you will need to sign a liability waiver. If you would like to read a copy of the waiver prior to the outing, please see http://content.sierraclub.org/outings/local-outdoors/resources or call 415-977-5528. In the interest of facilitating the logistics of some outings, it is customary that participants make carpooling arrangements. The Sierra Club does not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assumes no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing, or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among the participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel. For bus trips, our seller of travel number is CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
NOTICEREGARDINGMINORS
Each minor participant must have a Minor Waiver form, available at
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/sites/angeles.sierraclub.org/files/docs/get_outdoors/SierraClubMinor_Waiver.pdf . If the minor is not accompanied by a parent or guardian, they must also have a Medical Treatment Authorization & Consent Form (Minor Release) available at
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/sites/angeles.sierraclub.org/files/docs/get_outdoors/SierraClubMinorRelease.PDF signed by a parent or guardian. Minors not having these signed forms shall not go on the hike.
Weekly Activities
Conditioning Hikes: Wear lug sole boots.
Arrive early. Rain cancels. Bring red lens
flashlight.
Monday Nights O: Rancho Palos Verdes:
Slow moderate 2 hr 4-6 mi hike. Not for
beginners. Leave 6:30 p.m. from Rancho del Mar High School parking lot. Hike the trails of
Portuguese Bend Reserve, Filiorum, and some
streets. Some steep trails. Only one group. Wear sturdy shoes or lug sole boots and bring a
red lens flashlight. Rain cancels. Ldrs: Bill
Lavoie, Zoltan Stroll, Kevin Schlunegger.
Tuesday Nights O: San Pedro/PV: 2 hr, 5-8
mi hike. Moderate (suitable for newcomers/
beginners). Leave 6:30 p.m. from 8th and Averill. Ldr: Joyce White.
Tuesday Nights O: Hermosa/Manhattan
Beach: Moderate 1 1/2 hr, 4 mile hike on
Greenbelt and hilly streets. Good for beginners. Leave 7 p.m.. from far end of parking lot of
Hermosa Valley School (1645 Valley Dr.) Ldrs:
Chris Albertson, Paul Rosenberger.
Thursday Nights O: Palos Verdes Peninsula:
2 hr, 5-8 mi hike, flat/hilly streets/trails. Up to 5
hiking groups: slow, slow mod, mod, fast mod, fast/strenuous. Leave 6:30 p.m. from parking lot
near Rite Aid Drugs at Hawthorne & Silver
Spur. Ldrs: Brooks Chadwick, Joyce White, Jacques Monier, Bill Lavoie, Dorie Chadwick,
Zoltan Stroll, Kevin Schlunegger.
Weekend Hikes: For all Sat or Sun hikes,
wear lug sole boots, bring a snack & water. If
you anticipate rain, wear rain gear.
Monthly Activities
Executive Committee Meeting. First
Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. the PVSB
Group Executive Committee meets to discuss matters relevant to the Group. Meeting open to
all Sierra Club members. Call secretary for
meeting location.
Moonlit Hikes in Palos Verdes O. Friday
before or on full moon. Meet 7:30 p.m. Easy to
moderate 1.5-2 hr hike in Palos Verdes hills. Go for pizza afterwards. Check website for details
and exceptions.
4
See Slideshows and Links in the Foggy View Online
The Foggy View is published bi-monthly on the PV-SB website:
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/palos_verdes_south_bay/foggy_view. To receive an email notice when the Foggy View is
posted, fill out the form below and mail it to PV-SB Group Sierra Club, PO Box 2464, PVP, CA 90274, or send that
information to [email protected]. Contact the Membership Chair if you have any questions.
Name: _____________________________________Sierra Club #:___________________Exp. Date: _________
May 6 Sat No hike. This weekend’s hike is on Sunday.
May 7 Sun O: Three Sisters Reserve Hike. Yes, this hike is on a Sunday with new, improved time of 9:00 a.m.! Join us on a
6-mi, 1000' gain, 2.5-hr hike -- moderate with one long, steep climb. Trails include McCarrell Cyn, Barkentine, and Three
Sisters. Meet at Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall, 30940 Hawthorne Bl. Be prepared* Rain cancels. Minors’ policy2. Ldr: Terri
Straub, Asst Ldr: Kevin Schlunegger.
May 13 Sat O: Forrestal Area Hike. Moderate 5 mi. Meet at 8:00 a.m. Take Palos Verdes Dr S to Forrestal Dr, north to
gate. Be prepared * sun protection. Rain plan.1 Ldrs: Brooks Chadwick & Dorie Chadwick.
May 20 Sat O: Malaga Cove Hike. Moderate 6 mi, 600’ gain. Meet 8:00 a.m., Malaga Cove Plaza fountain (Palos Verdes Dr
W & Via Corta). Trails & fire roads overlooking Bluff Cove with exceptional panoramic views. Be prepared,* sun-protection.
Rain plan.1 Minors’ policy
2 Ldrs: Minoo Hart and Steven Morris.
May 26-29 Fri-Mon I: Memorial Day in Wawona Cabin Trip
Rideshare Fri to cabin in the Wawona area near Yosemite's south entrance for moderately paced 8-12 mi, 1200'-3000' gain
hikes each day. Highlights: cascading Chilnualna Falls, panoramic vistas of Yosemite Valley from Panorama Trail & Glacier
Pt, possible alternative venues. Not for beginners or sightseers. Cost includes 3 nights lodging in modern cabin (2-3 per
bedroom, shared bathrooms & kitchen), 3 continental breakfasts, Sat Happy Hour, Sun group dinner. Send $275 (Wilderness
Adventures - $40 cancel penalty, no refund of balance after 4/24 unless trip is full & replacement found), 2 SASE (or 1 SASE
& email), H&W phones, recent hiking experience to Ldr: Keith Martin, P.O. Box 336, Groveland CA 95321. Email:
[email protected]. Asst: Beth Powis Martin. 2nd Cabin Ldrs: Sherry Ross & Kent Schwitkis. We have reserved 2
cabins w/ a few private rooms for couples. If the trip is not filling by 4/24, we will cancel a cabin. For a chance of a couple’s
room, have a check to the Ldr by 4/24. With the predicted snowpack this year the falls should be spectacular!
May 27 Sat O: George F Canyon Hike. Slow 6-mi, 1200' gain, 2.5 hr. hike on trails near the Nature Center. Start 8 a.m. from the trailhead on PV Dr. E 1/8 mile S. of PV Dr. N. LSW.* Rain cancels. Ldrs: Judy Shane & Linda Werk.
Jun 3 Sat O: Ocean Trails Hike. Moderate 4 mi, 1000’ gain. Meet at 8:00 a.m. Take Palos Verdes Dr S to La Rotonda Dr to
end, and into the trail parking lot (inside the gate). We will take the Prickly Pear, Ocean Vista, East Portal, Gnatcatcher,
Switchback, Dudleya and Lakeview Trails, and will walk beside the ocean and visit tidal pools. LSW.* Rain plan.1 Minors’
policy.2 Leaders: Steven Morris and Emile Fiesler.
Jun 10 Sat O: Malaga Cove Hike. Moderate 6 mi, 600’ gain. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Malaga Cove Plaza fountain (Palos Verdes Dr W & Via Corta). The route covers trails and fire roads overlooking Bluff Cove with exceptional panoramic views.
*Wear lug sole boots; bring snack & water 1If you anticipate rain, wear rain gear. 2Minors are permitted if accompanied on the hike by a parent.
5
Current Leaders active in the PV-SB Group Name Phone Rating
Chris Albertson 310-848-0731 O
Frank Atkin 310-378-5008 I
Terry Bass 310-539-8227 O
Bob Beach 310-375-0898 M
Alix Benson 310-379-8066 O
Richard Boardman 310-374-4371 M
Barry Bonnickson 310-519-0778 O
Dennis Bosch 310-328-3874 O
Stephen Bradford 310-993-5501 O
Sharon Brossier 310-376-1416 O
Ursula Carmody 310-539-2259 O
Brooks Chadwick 310-544-0600 O
Dorie Chadwick 310-544-0600 O
Arlene Chao 310-541-3902 O
Mike Dillenback 310-378-7495 I
Emile Fiesler 720-834-2878 O
Sandy Graham 714-282-5661 O
Minoo Hart 310-375-3340 O
Greg Hitchings 310-541-3902 O
Name Phone Rating
Dave Hixson 310-676-8848 O
Barry Holchin 310-378-3780 M
Donna Lauck 310-541-4416 O
Bill Lavoie 310-378-8723 O
Keith Martin 310 693 9224. M
Jacques Monier 310-320-1249 O
Steven Morris 310-530-8708 O
Mary Beth Oubre 310-640-8386 O
Paul Rosenberger 310-545-3531 O
Kevin Schlunegger 619 804-6616 O
Kent Schwitkis 310-540-5558 I
Judy Shane 310-379-1111 O
Terri Straub 310-544-5017 O
Zoltan Stroll 310-378-8975 O
Linda Werk 310-676-6171 O
Phil Wheeler 310-346-2619 I
Joyce White 310-383-5247 O Catherine Whittington 310-532-2380 O
Wear lug sole boots, bring lots of water, a snack, and sun-protection. If you anticipate rain, wear rain gear. Minors are
permitted if accompanied on the hike by a parent. Leaders: Steven Morris and Kevin Schlunegger.
Jun 17 Sat O: Forrestal area hike. Moderate 6 mi hike. Meet 8:00 a.m. Take Palos Verdes Dr S to Forrestal Dr, north to
gate. Wear lug sole boots, bring lots of water, a snack, and sun-protection. If you anticipate rain, wear rain gear. Ldrs:
Kevin Schlunegger & Emile Fiesler.
Jun 24 Sat O: Point Vicente hike. Moderate 7 mi, 800’ gain, 3 hours, with occasional stops for flora & fauna. From the
southern end of Hawthorne Bl, where it meets Palos Verdes Dr W, go south on Palos Verdes Drive West (with the ocean on
your right-hand side). Stay in the right-most lane and, after 0.3 miles, take the first right, which is marked Point Vicente.
Proceed to park on the unpaved parking field next to the Point Vicente Lighthouse. Meet at parking field, overlooking the
ocean, at 8:00 AM. Wear lug sole boots, bring lots of water, a snack, and sun-protection. If you anticipate rain, wear rain
gear. Leaders: Emile Fiesler and Kevin Schlunegger.
Jul 27-30 Thu-Sun O: Mammoth-Yosemite-Bristlecone Pine Forest Bus Trip
Hike through grassy meadows under towering pines, soak your feet in pristine alpine lakes, and feast your eyes on snow-capped granite peaks. Enjoy 4 days of glorious hiking on some of the most spectacular trails in the Sierras & the Hoover wilderness near Yosemite. Grand finale: hiking among the oldest living things on the planet in the ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Participants must be fit enough to hike 5-7 miles in hilly terrain at high altitudes. Stay all 3 nights in Mammoth Lakes’ Sierra Nevada Inn. Price includes bus, shared motel room, driver’s gratuity, & snacks. Depart early Thu. from Redondo Beach and return Sun. night. $40 cancellation fee. If you cancel less than 30 days before departure, you will receive a refund only if the trip is full. Send 2 business-size SASEs, H&W phones, gender (M or F), email address, & check to PVSB Sierra Club for $370 to Terri Straub, 28017 Indian Rock Dr., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. 90275. Ldrs: Minoo Hart ([email protected]), Terri Straub ([email protected])
Co-Ldrs: Emile Fiesler and Tejinder Dhillon.
Send article or photo ideas to [email protected]. Completed work for next issue is due June 15.
