Monthly Archives: May 2017
Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk Letter re Airport is no place for hawk preserve, May 29, 2017
This is where Sacramento plans to put nearly 3,000 new homes, by Tony Bizjak, May 30, 2017, The Sacramento Bee
Advocates for the Swainson’s hawk, listed as threatened by the state, are unhappy with the habitat mitigation land chosen for the hawks, which is an orchard west of the airport, adjacent to the Teal Bend golf course. Advocate Jude Lamare said the site is too close the airport, where 11 Swainson’s hawks have been counted as hit and killed by jets in the last four years.
The hawks forage in various places around the Natomas basin, but, as development continues, nesting areas will be reduced, forcing more birds into limited sites, including the one next to the airport. “If you are picking a ‘forever’ home for threatened avian species, it would not be next to a runway,” Lamare said. “You are squeezing the species down.”
A Message from Judith Lamare, President of the Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk, a member organization of Habitat 2020/ECOS. May 29, 2017
Here is a text you can copy and email to urge the City to reject the Moody Preserve as part of the Greenbriar project. Use this in the Subject line of your email: Item 19 May 30, 2017: No Hawk Preserve Next to Airport
Dear City Leaders:
- Please reject the proposed Moody Preserve as part of the Greenbriar Project at your meeting on Tuesday May 30. (Agenda Item 19)
- The property is about 600 feet from the Airport’s west runway.
Eleven Swainson’s Hawks have been listed as fatalities in the FAA bird strike data base for SMF between 2013 and 2016. - Airport operations are expected to grow by 30 percent over the next twenty years.
- This is the wrong location to preserve in perpetuity for conservation of a threatened bird species.
- Please require the Greenbriar developer to provide another mitigation site that offers more protection to the Swainson’s Hawk, listed as threatened under state law.
The email string to use is:
MayorSteinberg[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org, Angelique Ashby <aashby[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, Allen Warren <awarren[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, Jeff S. Harris <JSHarris[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, Steve Hansen <SHansen[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, Jay Schenirer
<jschenirer[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, Eguerra[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org,”Lawrence R. Carr” <Lcarr[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, Rick Jennings <rjennings[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org>, clerk[at]cityofsacramento[dot]org,swainsonshawk[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
Thank you for your help in averting a bad decision on conservation for our threatened wildlife.
Judith Lamare, President
Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk
www.swainsonshawk.org
swainsonshawk[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
Greenbriar: where Sacramento plans to put nearly 3,000 new homes, by Tony Bizjak, May 29, 2017, The Sacramento Bee
Advocates for the Swainson’s hawk, listed as threatened by the state, are unhappy with the habitat mitigation land chosen for the hawks, which is an orchard west of the airport, adjacent to the Teal Bend golf course. Advocate Jude Lamare said the site is too close the airport, where 11 Swainson’s hawks have been counted as hit and killed by jets in the last four years.
The hawks forage in various places around the Natomas basin, but, as development continues, nesting areas will be reduced, forcing more birds into limited sites, including the one next to the airport. “If you are picking a ‘forever’ home for threatened avian species, it would not be next to a runway,” Lamare said. “You are squeezing the species down.”
Volkswagen emissions fraud sleuth chosen to head Sacramento air agency
By Tony Bizjak
May 25, 2017
The Sacramento Bee
Alberto Ayala, a state air pollution executive who helped uncover Volkswagen’s massive diesel cheating scandal, has been named head of the Sacramento region’s air quality efforts.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District board voted on Thursday morning to name Ayala its executive director, replacing retiring executive Larry Greene.
Ayala, a deputy executive officer at the California Air Resources Board, launched the state’s initial review of diesel engines in 2012 that lead to the discovery that Volkswagen had illegally programmed millions of its vehicles internationally, including in California, to pass emissions tests.
Bizjak, Tony. “Volkswagen emissions fraud sleuth chosen to head Sacramento air agency.” Sacbee. SacBee, 25 May 2017. Web. 26 May 2017.
Despite city denial, developer saves spot for gas station in Crocker Village
By Tony Bizjak
May 23, 2017
The Sacramento Bee
The Crocker Village developer [Petrovich] has submitted updated plans to the city for the commercial portion of the project, showing more detailed designs, including a large market building and an empty spot where a gas station could go.
Bizjak, Tony. “Despite city denial, developer saves spot for gas station in Crocker Village.” Sacbee. Sacbee, 23 May 2017. Web. 30 May 2017.
Bike share starts in Sacramento. See where you can get one.
By Tony Bizjak
May 18, 2017
The Sacramento Bee
Bike share arrived in Sacramento Thursday with several dozen ready to rent in downtown Sacramento and along the West Sacramento waterfront.
The bikes, operated by a company called Social Bicyles, rent for $4 per hour, but can be rented in increments as small as a minute. Users tap into a smartphone app, which tells them where the nearest bikes are parked. Riders can then unlock the bikes by tapping a personal code into the pad behind the bike seat.
Most bikes will be parked at 14 designated bike stands in the street at popular central city locations, such as next to The Barn and Raley Field in West Sacramento, in Capitol Park and in front of Zocalo restaurant and across the street from Der Biergarten in midtown.
Bizjak, Tony. “Bike share starts in Sacramento. See where you can get one.” Sacbee. SacBee, 18 May 2017. Web. 26 May 2017.
