The document summarizes a Sierra Club member's account of attending a public meeting regarding a Bureau of Land Management proposal for motorized vehicle routes on public lands. The meeting was contentious, with many residents voicing opposition to the BLM representative there. A positive outcome was that a letter to the editor was published the next day supporting the Sierra Club's position against the proposed routes. The member found it encouraging that the club's activism was influencing public opinion and debate on the issue.

1. The Roadrunner
Bimonthly Publication of the Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club — Sept./Oct. 2001
CONVERGENCE PLANS RESTART From Chapter Chair:
OLD CHAPTER TRADITION. OCT OUR CHAPTER IN ACTION AGAIN!
13th & 14th ARE DATES. PREPARED TO JOIN LEGAL SUIT
Many thanks are owed to Theresa Stump, who DEMANDING CLEAN AIR!
made all the arrangements for our accommodations At a recent press conference in Fresno, the Kern-
at California Hot Springs and who spearheaded the Kaweah Chapter joined with two other Sierra Club
revivial of this fine, much cherished event. chapters and with social justice organizations to
Soaking in the springs, (water temperature: 125 demand enforcement of the Clean Air Act. The press
degrees) dancing (wonderful post-fire oak floor) conference was called to announce that Earthjustice,
hiking, sharing a potluck supper and meeting folks acting on behalf of three Sierra Club Chapters in the
from all over the chapter will be parts of the week- San Joaquin Valley, Latino Issues Forum, the Center
end’s program. There will be business for those who on Race, Poverty and the Environment, and the
wish to take advantage: a hike-leaders training ses- Medical Alliance for Healthy Air had sent a letter to
sion on Saturday and a chapter excom meeting open EPA and to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air
to all who wish to attend on Sunday. Pollution Control District in Fresno. The letters
The setting for this encampment is the California served formal notice that Earthjustice and the plain-
Hot Springs Resort located at an altitude of about tiffs will sue the federal government and the regional
3000 ft. Weather: obviously uncertain but bring air quality control district for enforcement of the
some warm clothing just in case! Clean Air Act in the San Joaquin Valley.
The Leaders Training session will be taught by The air in the San Joaquin Valley is among the
Gordon Nipp and Larry Wailes. Basic skills of being most polluted in the nation. Air in the San Joaquin
a leader responsible for a group under the Sierra Valley violates national air quality standards for
Club banner will be covered in the morning; the use both photochemical smog (ozone) and particulates
of compass and map will be included as part of the (soot). Air pollution increases the risk of heart
afternoon 1 PM hike led by Gordon Nipp. attacks, emergency room visits, and absenteeism in
Cost: (yes, there are charges!) Campground $14 school and at work. The Valley’s air pollution also
per tent; $21 for camper hook-up. Pool charges are exacerbates asthma.
per day: $8 for non-camper, $4 for overnight camp- Arthur Unger, retired medical doctor and himself
ers. All fees will be paid at the Resort. After Sept. an asthmatic, represented the Kern-Kaweah Chapter
15th, call to make reservation if you want to be sure at the press conference.
of place. Telephone number 661.548.6582, a good At the press conference, Dr. David Pepper of the
number to leave with relatives at home and for Medical Alliance for Healthy Air said that “While
anyone who might get “lost” on the road. most other areas in the country have shown at least
Food and beverages: Bring your own plus a dish modest improvement in controlling smog and soot,
to share at the Saturday Night Potluck. However, deli in a few years the San Joaquin Valley will become
sandwiches, breakfast, coffee and drinks are also the most smog-polluted region in the United States.
available on site. Medical professionals are shocked by increasing
Directions for going to California Hot Springs: numbers of children and the elderly forced into the
From Highway 99 take Highway 65 North. Take J22 emergency room each summer because they cannot
at Ducor and go 27 miles. See you there! breath.”
SC REGIONAL CONSERVATION The action was spearheaded by Kevin Hall of the
COMMITTEE (RCC) CONFAB Club’s Tehipite Chapter. “Other regions of the
IN SLO, SEPT 8th & 9th. United States have balanced the need for clean air
This is where decisons concerning Sierra Club with economic development,” said Hall, a Fresno
California’s conservation efforts are made. Pros and native. “Even Los Angeles has made significant air
cons as to undertaking state-wide initiatives re: sprawl quality improvements over the last decade while
and protection of old-growth trees on private lands things have not improved here. Unfortunately, the
are already on agenda. Much more will be added. scales in the Valley have repeatedly tipped in favor
An excellent opportunity for SC members involve- of unrestrained pollution. The regional Air District is
ment. See Calendar, p. 6, for more details. allowing pressure from industry groups to trump

2. 2 THE ROADRUNNER
public health. Agency inaction has forced this scoping letter for the management plan. Instead, the
community to sue to protect the health of our Forest Service issued a letter with “preemptory de-
families.” cisions, locked in the old school mentality of reliance
The “notice of intent” is simply a formality. on human manipulation, separating out ecosystems
None of the parties expect that EPA or SJVUAPCD from the forest that sustains them, and hoping for
will comply with the Clean Air Act in the 60 day commodity production (ie, timber cutting). We be-
period required. While EPA has taken some actions lieve that the Forest Service, in promoting their bias,
recently to address the severe pollution in the Valley, has structured the itinerary of the Science Board so
it’s too little, too late to bring EPA and the air district as to narrow the range of management options that
in compliance with the law. they were given to review and taken into the field to
“When state and local agencies responsible for view.”
clean air violate the Clean Air Act, the EPA is 3. “Your definition of grove ecological areas of
required to enforce standards and deadlines,” said influence is not adequate or necessary upon which to
Deborah Reames, attorney for Earthjustice. “When base protection of groves and other Monument re-
the EPA fails to do the job, the Act empowers citizen sources. To make management decisions that are
groups to sue for enforcement. Residents of the San based on sound forest ecology, one does not need
Joaquin Valley seem to have little choice but to sue if carefully contrived definitions of groves. The entire
they want to protect public health.” forest in the Monument is one ecosystem. . . . The
Indeed, the Kern-Kaweah Chapter’s participation proclamation makes it clear that all the lands are
was precipitated by the actions of local political fig- protected and that none of the lands is superfluous or
ures. State assemblyman Roy Ashburn (R-Bakers- of lesser importance. Zoning should not designate
field) told the Bakersfield Californian that “We're separate areas of the Monument for differing levels
not going to have pristine air in Bakersfield,” of protection based on arbitrarily selected sub-
im–plying that there was no need to curb pollution ecosystems or species of trees. That is the antithesis
because the air was already dirty—and would remain of an integrated ecosystem approach. . . . The only
so. Not to be outdone by a Republican, Dean Florez acceptable approach is to embrace inclusively the
(D-Shafter) quickly sided with polluters when new protection of all elements within the boundaries of
regulations were proposed by the air district. These the Monument, regardless of species, narrowly
actions forced the chapter’s hand. defined sub-ecosystems, elevation, habitat type, or
The plaintiffs expect to file suit in September. watershed in an inclusive, holistic, and landscape
approach that interferes to the least extent possible in
A PS to this article from a note from Lorraine Unger: natural processes and elements.”
”We had a very successful press conference in Fresno 4. “A great deal is already known about pre-
on the air suit. Brett Newell of the Center on Race, serving sequoia groves and utilizing prescribed fire
Poverty, and the Environment rode up with us. We to mimic natural fire, thanks to decades of work in
met Kevin Hall from Tehipite and also their chapter the neighboring Sequoia National Park. Utilize and
chair Bill Fjelbo who is really nice and is an build on their experience for guiding prescription
attorney.” The rewards of activism! burns, under the guidance of the Scientific Advisory
Committee . . . There is no need for further experi-
CARLA CLOER RESPONDS TO USFS mentation. . . . There is no need to place any grove at
SEQUOIA SCOPING LETTER risk to replicate activities that have already occurred."
What follows is a very condensed version of the 6000 5. “The Monument is NOT just about groves of
plus word comment letter written by Carla Cloer sequoiadendron giganteum." Just a few examples in
regarding the initial scoping letter issued by Sequoia the Proclamation of items to be included in
National Forest in regards to the Sequoia National Monument protection are “rich and varied
Monument Management Plan (SNMMP). The items landscape,” “scientific and historic resources,” “a
in quotation marks are taken directly from Carla's great belt of coniferous forest, jeweled with mountain
letter. meadows,” “an extraordinary number of habitats”
1. The Sequoia National Monument Management and “paleontological resources."
Plan should be based on the Monument Procla- 6. There is no mention of how to deal with four
mation, which provides for greater protections than decades of logging damage in the non-grove areas,
the Sequoia National Forest Plans and would not be which should receive equal protection under the Pro-
subject to what could basically be termed politically clamation.
motivated changes of management. 7. “Human use of the Monument is specifically
2. The required Scientific Advisory Board should addressed in the Proclamation. Present developments
have been appointed, educated concerning the within the Forest should be allowed to stand. Future
Sequoias, and have been a vital part in preparing the plans for human use should be“based on geography,

3. THE ROADRUNNER 3
environmental sensitivity and the mandated Trans- users—those in the Westlands water district for
portation Plan.” example—would receive a new entitlement of
8. The largest bulk of the Monument’s un- guaranteed water shipments that never existed
developed forest lands should should have the same anywhere else before, is not part of their present
management goals and objectives: restoration and water supply contracts, and which would of necessity
continuation of the processes that created them and come out of water that the CALFED ROD envisioned
protection FROM human destruction or interference reserving for environmental restoration. There’s
in those natural processes. simply nowhere else it could come from.
Calvert’s plan ignores conservation and efficiency
ENERGY CRISIS NOW, efforts—equally important for water consumption as
WATER SUPPLY CRISIS NEXT. for energy consumption—in favor of a relentless
CAL-FED WATER PROPOSALS FACE push for more supply. His bill is largely silent on the
THREAT FROM CALVERT-FEINSTEIN BILLS. environmental restoration provisions of the ROD and
READ ON! the principle that the beneficiaries of the water
This is a slightly shortened version of a communique development projects, and not the taxpayers, should
written by Carl Zichella. regional Sierra Club Staff pay for them.
Director, California-Nevada-Hawaii. Representative George Miller, the environmental
Just about a year ago, it seemed that at long last leader of the California’s House delegation on
some help was on the way for the troubled 738,000 resource issues, has taken Calvert on, proposing his
acre San Francisco-San Joaquin Bay Delta. All those own legislation to implement CALFED. His Cal-
with a stake in the delta’s future had wrestled with the ifornia Water Quality and Reliability Act re-
problems of California water development, supply, authorizes CALFED without changing the program’s
quality, and wildlife issues and proposed meaningful direction.
solutions. After hundreds of public meetings the Miller’s bill balances water development with
federal and state governments were poised to jointly environmental restoration as laid out in the CALFED
implement a restoration plan. A landmark agreement, ROD, emphasizes and provides incentives for water
known as the CALFED Record of Decision (ROD) recycling and conservation, and encourages ground-
was adopted, generally spelling out how things would water storage and management.
go. Each side, environmentalists, large-scale Feinstein’s proposal, while somewhat less harsh,
agricultural interests and urban water users had made repeats many of the same errors Calvert’s bill makes.
concessions. Now all Congress and the California Senator Feinstein is extremely worried about water
legislature had to do was authorize the program and supply issues for agriculture and proposes similar
ante up the cash to make it work. A cease-fire in the guarantees to irrigation interests as Calvert. Unlike
state’s relentless water wars seemed at least possible. Calvert, however, she is negotiating with Senator
Now CALFED may be on the verge of collapse, a Barbara Boxer over language that could remove the
victim of legislative proposals by Rep. Ken Calvert guarantees and back off from provisions for the
(R-Riverside, HR 1985) and U.S. Senator Diane preauthorization of water development projects. The
Feinstein (S 976), that split the ROD apart and play situation is very fluid and there are broad areas of
favorites with some of the interests that have reduced disagreement between the two senators. But Senator
the once-rich estuary to a system in deepening eco- Feinstein’s bill will not advance without Senator
logical trouble. All CALFED deals are apparently off Boxer’s support, and both senators are still talking.
for water users who are abandoning commitments Senator Boxer, for her part, is defending the en-
they made just 12 months ago. vironmental restoration portions of the CALFED
Instead of studying the need for proposed new ROD, and striving to present a more balanced bill.
water storage projects, as the ROD specifies, Calvert’s The Sierra Club and our allies in the Environ-
bill would “preauthorize” them, greasing the skids mental Water Caucus have been working hard to
of congressional consideration, and making it make members of the Senate aware of the short-
difficult to impossible for Congress to reject un- comings of Senator Feinstein’s bill as introduced.
needed or uneconomical projects. Two congressional Now it's your turn—WHAT YOU CAN DO:
committees would have to reject the projects within Contact Senator Feinstein and respectfully
60 days or they would be automatically approved urge her to amend her bill to remove provisions that
under Calvert’s scheme. would preauthorize water development projects and
Projects that would raise Shasta Dam, enlarge the guarantee water supplies.
existing Los Vaqueros reservoir, and develop a new Contact Senator Boxer. Thank her for her
Sites reservoir would be tough to stop. Once au- leadership on CALFED. Urge her to demand that
horized, porkbarrel appropriations would be highly water conservation and environmental restoration
likely to follow and very hard to prevent. Some water portions of the CALFED ROD be treated equally in

4. 4 THE ROADRUNNER
authorization legislation, that water users be re- Holloway made it pretty unpleasant. At least one of
quired to pay for capacity enhancements. Addresses the papers mentioned his presence.
for Senators on p. 8. The next day Mary Ann Henry’s fine letter ap-
peared. So far I’ve seen no letters in Holloway's
MINI-DRAMA: A FIRST PERSON favor. There’s another meeting this Thursday, and
REPORT FROM THE FIELD OF we’ll see what the tone of the mob is this time. It’s
gratifying to know that we’re actually getting to
ACTIVIST ACTION. people enough to engender acknowledgement.
The situation was this:
That's enough typing for me and more than
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sched-
enough reading for you. Thanks,
uled a public meeting from 6:00 PM to 9 PM on
By Jeanie Haye, Owens Peak Group
Tuesday, July 10, 2001, at the Kerr-McGee Center in
Ridgecrest, California to accept written and verbal
comments regarding the suggested motorized vehicle
route network for public lands in the El Paso
Letters to the Editor
Mountains, south and west of Red Mountain, and
There are several political causes that could use at
immediately south of Ridgecrest.
least some of your tax rebate. Opponents of Pre-
Jeanie Haye wrote the following description of the
sident Bush come to mind.
meeting: Stan and I attended the BLM meeting on
• Have you noticed that our local California
the route designation process. Dennis Burge and
legislators rarely support Sierra Club legislation?
Mary Ann Henry were also there. The paper esti-
• Sierra Club California’s Political Action Com-
mated there were 75 people there. Stan and I were
mittee supports the assembly members and state
the only ones who spoke from the enviro viewpoint.
senators who pass the bills we support.
Stan spoke early, and I spoke late—I was able to
• Please make your check out to Sierra Club
counter a couple of opposition arguments. One had
California PAC and send it to Emil Lawton,
said “I’m not a mathematician, but . . .”. It felt
Treasurer, 13025 Hesby Street, Sherman Oaks,
good to say “I am a mathematician and earned my
CA 91423.
living that way, and I don't buy your argument
because . . .”.
REACTION: A second e-mail from Jeanie Haye Conservation UpDates
contained the following: The fallout from the Keep your pencils sharpened and your computers
meeting has been interesting. Both local papers humming!
carried “guest editorials” by city council member
Chip Holloway. Though he didn't use my name, Help Protect The Kern River Bluffs
some was clearly aimed at me as I was the only The Bakersfield City Planning Commission will
female enviro who spoke on the 10th. Usually people conduct a public hearing on Thursday, September
are angry with Stan, but, armed with data on wildlife 20, on the proposal for preserving 1500 acres of the
biology (won’t say where I got it), I'm taking the northeast Bakersfield bluffs as open space and park-
heat this time. land. Please come and speak. Ask for more land and
He derided my remarks. One paper toned his ask them to keep the houses off the edge of the
diatribe down a little, but the other said things like bluffs. Contact Gordon Nipp at 661-872-2432 or
“Well, Ms Sierra Club, . . .” and claimed to know email at gnipp@att.net for more information.
what “The real motivation is . . .”. We aren’t sure Wetlands Under The Gun Again. Every five years all
whose motivation he means, but maybe he knows Nationwide Wetlands Permits (NWPs) come up for
something about my motives that I don’t. These review and reauthorization. The new Bush proposal
aren’t verbatim quotes but give the flavor. He wants would allow the Army Corps of Engineering to waive
people to stop being complacent and mobilize many of the environmental conditions meant to limit
against BLM and people like us who support them. the use of nationwide permits, especially in flood-
We may only be pawns, but I’m not sure. It must be plains and in environmentally sensitive waters.
up to his readers to figure out some of it. Specifically the proposal would:
Stan typed a response from me, thanking the · Allow the Corps to waive the 300-foot limit on
papers for pointing out via his editoral that people stream destruction, meaning a developer could dig or
here are not all in agreement with Mr. Holloway. fill a mile (or more) of a stream under a general
The next day there was a really angry letter from a permit that is only supposed to allow “minimal
man I didn't even know, another fed up Liberal (I’ve adverse effects.”
since called to thank him). He also went to the latest · Loosen restrictions on filling wetlands in flood-
City Council meeting and spoke up there. He says plains.

5. THE ROADRUNNER 5
· Allow coal mining companies to continue to bury *Join Mineral King Group E-Mail List Want
and destroy hundreds of miles of streams with updates on local club news? Send us e-mail request
mountaintop removal “valley fills”—with virtually with subject: Mineral King Group list. You will
no limits or conditions. receive one or two e-mail messages a month. More
· Bypass the minimum requirement that there be at details? call Harold Wood, 559-739-8527 or e-mail
least one acre of wetlands protected or created from harold.wood@sierraclub.org, or snail mail address:
every acre destroyed (1:1 acreage mitigation). P.O. 3543, Visalia, CA 93278. (and don't forget the
“Giving the Corps the discretion to ignore key all chapter e-mail alert list. see page 8! )
environmental standards is tantamount to eliminating *Sequoia Public Hearings: Hats Off to these folks!
those standards altogether,” said Joan Mulhern, Attending the Bakersfield session: Bonnie East,
Earthjustice legislative counsel. “The Corps rarely Lorraine and Art Unger, Monte Harper, Ann
follows the law and implements environmental con- Williams, Doug Dodd, and Mary Ann Lockhart. Eva
ditions even when they are required by law to do so. and Gordon Nipp attended the Porterville session.
It would be foolish for anyone to believe that making If your name should be here, please let us know. We want to honor
these conditions discretionary will provide any all those who break up their routines to make the effort to turn out
protection for wetlands and streams at all.” and do their part in responding to plans for the Sequoia National
Call, write, e-mail protesting this new Bush pro- Monument and other proposals.
posal. Send copies to all Feds listed on page 8 and *Sierra Club Chapter, Group Elections coming up
Think about volunteering to run for the open offices
do it now. Time is running out! in your group or on the Ex-com. It is a great way to
Roadless Areas. last chance to comment easy way help with the efforts under way to support the goals
Check: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/anpr1.See of the environmental movement.
last issue of Roadrunner and write snail mail.
Around the Chapter FALL FEATURES
*Kern River Freeway. Where were you in January of september/october
1998? You were commenting on the DEIR for the
Kern River Freeway alignment, put out by CalTrans, Conditioning Hike. Every Thursday Evening. 4-5
the US DoT and KCOG. The FEIR came out in June miles in northeast Bakersfield area. Meet at 7 PM at
2001. Most of the anti-freeway comments were from the Chevron station at the corner of Hwys 178 and
those who lived near the proposed freeway. Most of 184. Call Leaders: Eva/Gordon Nipp 661.872.2432
you do not live near the Freeway; it was the Sierra or Larry Wailes 661.861.1186 for details.
Club, us, who showed the powers that be that not all Slo-Go Hikes . Every Sunday morning, 8 to 9:30
comments came from Nimbys. The EIR has not AM. Meet at tennis courts. PMC (Pine Mt. Club).
deterred the decision-makers, but there will be more Will continue thru October. Rain, cold will cancel.
EIRs before the Freeway can be built and there is still
Details? 661.242.0432.
a chance the Freeway will never be built. It is un- Sept 7-9 (fri-sun) Freeman Creek Grove
likely anyone will sue on this EIR. Contact me if you Proposed Wilderness Outing . Join us for
wish to see the EIR, it only weighs about five pounds.Friday/Saturday car camping at Quaking Aspen
Commentors, in no particular order, were Nestor Campground and/or shuttle-hike in the Freeman
Mesa, Carol Benston, Jean Pretorius, Monte Harper, Creek Sequoia Grove and proposed Wilderness
Gordon Nipp, Bonnie East, John Hervey. It is a addition on Saturday. Sponsored by Mineral King
privilege to know such people. Arthur Unger. Group and Sequoia Wild Heritage Project. Trip
*Mineral King Group Seeks Volunteers Leaders: Harold Wood and Carla Cloer. Details? Call
The Mineral King Group is becoming increasingly 559.739.8527. e-mail harold.wood@sierraclub.org.
active in Tulare and Kings County. We are involved Sept 8-9th (sat.-sun) SLO California Nevada
in local and national conservation issues, scheduling Regional Conservation Committee (RCC) holds
more outings, group meetings (see calendar) and regular semi-annual statewide meeting in San Luis
special programs like our successful Energy Semi- Obispo at Rancho El Chorro. All Sierra Club mem-
nar. Internet activities are on the increase. Ex-com bers are invited. Make reservations with the Ives
has two vacancies. Volunteer. Come and help us Community Office, 112 Harvard Ave. PMB 297,
enjoy and protect the Earth while having fun! Claremont, CA 91711. 909.621.7148. ivesico

6. 6 THE ROADRUNNER
@earthlink.net. Cost is $30.00. campsite; check made to Sierra Club with sase (self
Sept 8th (sat) Conservation Efforts In Asia- addressed envelope) and phone number to Carol
Pacific Areas. Slides. Speaker: Bernd Cortes. PMC, Wiley, 15457 Eto Camino Rd, Victorville, CA 92394.
Pool Pavilion Room. 6 PM, Potluck; 7 PM, program. Phone: 760.245.8734 cwiley @victor.cc.ca.us
Details? 661.242.0423. Oct 6th (sat) Rare Plants and Fun Facts. Mike
Sept 8th (sat) Excursion to CALM, FACT Native Foster, Los Padres NF Botanist. PMC, Pool Pavilion
animals centers. Bksf. Meet 8 AM, PMC Tennis Room. 6 PM Potluck, 7 PM program. Details? 661.
courts. Flying J, 8:20. Details? Call 242.0423. 242.0423
Sept. 8-9 (sat-sun) Hooker Meadow Backpack for Oct. 6 (sat) Oil Canyon/Ridgeline Hike To
children. Southern Sierra: Short Gain. 800’ in 2 mi Pacific Crest Trail. Moderate hike begins at
to camp by small stream/spring. Send 2 sase (self- 4300’, ends in cool pines at 6200’ on public lands in
addressed envelopes) plus $10 (refunded at trailhead) the proposed Middle Knob Wilderness, 7 miles east
to Jan Scow, 3887 Woodcliff Rd, Sherman Oaks, CA of Tehachapi. 7.5 to 9 miles total. Contact Georgette
91403; for info call 818.986.2079. Theotig, 661.822.4371, for details.
Sept. 14 (fri) Mineral King Grp Coffee Social. Oct 6-8 (sat-mon) Lone Pine Film Festival
Java Jungle, Visalia. 6 PM . (second Friday of each sponsored by International Community section of
month.) Angeles Chapter: Watch old Westerns and other
Sept 14 (fri) “ John Muir Around the World ”. classics (fee) filmed in the vicinity of Lone Pine,
Presenter: Harold Wood. 8 PM , LeConte Memorial Alabama Hills. More info? Call Rudi Beuermann
Lodge, Yosemite. 949.472.4105 or beuermannr@mta.net. or Armando
Sept 14-16 (fri-sun) Death Valley National Park SM@aol.com.
Car Camping: View Fossil Falls, Hunter Mtn. area, Oct.12 (fri) Mineral King Group Coffee Social:
Racetrack area. Moderate hiking, spectacular views, Wildflower Cafe, Exeter. 6 PM . (Second Friday of
desert camping without facilities. High clearance each month).
vehicles necessary. More info? Call Claus/Connie
Englehardt 760.872.4596 or ccengel @earthlink.net. Oct. 13-14 (sat.sun) Chapter Convergence. Once
Sept 15 (sat) KK Ex-Com Mtg Beale Library. 12 a year gathering for Kern Kaweah Chap members.
noon. All Sierra Club members welcome. California Hot Springs. See p. 1. More info? Call
Sept 17 (mon); Visit your local desert and Sierra Nipp 661.872.2432, gnipp@att.net or Larry Wailes
via photos Dolph Amster, Steve Smith and Dennis 661.861.1186, lewailes@lightspeed. net.
Burge will show slides of local areas. Maturango Oct. 15 (mon) Springtime in the Annapurnas.
Museum, 100 E. Las Flores, 7:30 PM . Call Dennis at Slide show to be presented by Mike Mumford.
760.375.7967 for further information. Owens Peak Group, Maturango Museum, 100 E. Las
Sept 22 (sat) Buena Vista Group celebrates Flores. 7:30 PM . Call Dennis at 760.375-7967.
First Day of Autumn. Patriots Park 2 to 6 PM. Oct. 22nd (mon) Business Meeting. Mineral King
Eats: $5 per person, children under 5 free. Games Group. All Sierra Club members welcome. Call
and prizes for kids. All welcome. Call for reser- 559.739.8527 or e-mail harold.wood@sierraclub.
vations: 66l.832.3382. org for time and place. (held regularly 4th Monday)
Sept 22 (sat) Loop hike from Blackrock Oct 23rd (tues) Birding in San Emigdio
roadhead to Casa Vieja and return via Canyon . 8 AM. Tennis Courts, PMC. Details?
Blackrock Pk. (cross country). Meet at the 661.242.7922
Ridgecrest Cinemas at 7:30 AM. For more info. call Oct.27 (sat) San Emigdio Canyon Hike. Pine
Dennis at 760.375.7967. Mtn. Club area. Strenuous. Downhill first. Go as far
Sept 22 (sat) Cerro Noroeste Sunset Potluck . as group cares to. Call Ches for further info. 661.
Meet 5 PM, Tennis Courts, PMC. Bring dish to share. 242-0423.
661.242.0423 for more info. Nov.10 (sat) Excursion to Aquarium of the
Sept 24 (mon) Business Meeting. Mineral King Pacific. Long Beach. Call Gita, 661.242.8258 for
Group. All Sierra Club members welcome. Call more details.
559.739.8527 or e-mail harold.wood@sierraclub. Nov 27th (tues) Birding at Carrizo Plain. Meet 1
org for time and place. (held regularly 4th Monday). PM, PMC tennis courts. 2000 to 6000 sand hill
Sept 25th (tue) Birding in Hungry Valley. 8 AM, cranes, hawks, etc. congregate in the late afternoon.
tennis courts, PMC. 8:30 Flying J, FrazPark off- Bring snack and plan for late return. Details?
ramp. Details? 661.242.7922. 661.242.7922
Sept 29/30 (sat-sun) East Mojave Car Camp at Dec. 1st (sat) Condor Group Holiday Party. 6
Afton Canyon : Visit Grand Canyon of the Mojave, PM. PMC, Pool Pavilion Room. Bring potluck item
Indian caves, side canyons to explore. Moderate day to share, white elephant for gift exchange. 6 PM
hikes and a potluck dinner Sat. Send $10 deposit for

7. THE ROADRUNNER 7
From my sister-in-law’s balcony the night before,
MIDGEBUZZINGS I had seen surfers and children of all ages playing in
Toward the end of July members of my family, the ocean water. She was confident, and I am too, that
ranging in age from six months to eighty-seven any hotel with a fine international reputation would
years, gathered for a week at a gracious old hotel on keep a close watch on the condition of the water.
a beach near San Diego. The grandmother recalled I assume the young man was well-intentioned, but
her own childhood vacations there, the youngest we did wonder whether he might have been merely a
children played happily in the sand, and our pre- disgruntled individual with a grudge against the
cocious eight-year-old spent as much time as she was hotel. Whatever the case, our children had been
allowed going up and down historic hallways looking allowed only in the chlorinated pool where they were
for boys and listening for the ghosts we invented for perfectly happy, and none of us had gone into the
her amusement now that she is reading the surf.
Goosebumps series. The staff were discreet, pleasant Just yesterday the Los Angeles Times had an
and busy. They were also followed closely by man- article on the closing of Southern California beaches
agers who ran their fingers over the woodwork and and a review by the EPA of sewage collection sys-
banisters and noted their findings on clipboards. tems in 25 coastal cities. Already that agency has
I have never seen so many pretty children in one filed suit against the city of Los Angeles to stop
place, nor so many engaged parents. Everywhere sewage spills averaging two per day. How in contrast
there was evidence of what we used to call “gentility that situation is to the image of children happily
and good breeding.” Now it is simply called playing in sand and water. Constant vigilance must
affluence. I had a great deal to think about as I be the order of the day. by Ann Williams
floated around in the softness of a complimentary
robe and trailed the essence of lovely hand soap not
on the budget of a retired school teacher.
It was a wonderful place, and I would go there ROADRUNNER
again in a minute if I could afford it. But not if I had September-October, 2001
to drive there. A single word describes the area, You can find it on the web
including La Jolla, San Diego and Coronado:
“swarming.” It swarms with residents, commuters
http://kernkaweah.sierraclub.org
Activities, alerts, and special features six additional numbers of
and revelers on vacation. It swarms atmospherically Ann William’s Midgebuzzings, Write Ann Williams, 3112
with military overflights and with helicopters car- LINDEN AVE, BAKERSFIELD, CA, 93560. if you need copy.
rying traffic controllers and law enforcement
officers. It swarms with visitors from everywhere, General Publication Information
speaking all languages. It is, as the kids say, abso- Deadline: Oct 5th for next issue
lutely “maxed out” with the crush of humanity. One *Want to submit an article?
exercise in terror would be to imagine all those 650 words max., shorter is better.
beautiful children grown, with children of their own, *General questions about outings?
Call Theresa Stump, 559-781-0594
revisiting with their offspring the same scene.
*Calendar information?
More sobering than that was a short encounter at Send to alunger@juno.com
the door of our hotel as five Williamses set out to a
nearby restaurant. A polite young man stopped us ****Want to sign up to receive ALERTS?****
just as we emerged from the hotel. “Excuse me,” he Send to alunger@juno.com WE NEED MORE OF YOU!
said. “I don’t mean to upset you, but if I were you I *Submission after deadline? we will try.
wouldn’t allow my children to play or swim in that *Web questions? harold.wood@sierraclub.org
ocean.” All three adults anticipated what he was MANY THANKS To ANN WILLIAMS, MICHELLE
going to say further, because it had already occurred HOFFMAN, LORRAINE UNGER & HAROLD WOOD FOR HELP
to us. “They’ve been closing beaches all along the WITH ROADRUNNER
Southern California coast because of pollution. If
you want to swim in the ocean, go much farther Not a member of Sierra Club? Not a member of Kern
north.” Kaweah Chapter? Want this newsletter? Send $5 to
We thanked him and continued on, with appetites L. Unger, 2815 La Cresta Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93305
curbed. Happily, both of our little girls were obliv-
ious to the message. Annie is only four, and Sarah is RoadrunnerAddresses: jmal@frazmtn.com or
already more or less permanently attached to a por- Editor, Roadrunner, P. O. GG. Frazier Park, CA
table disc player. Their mother said that she had seen 93222
some “No Swim” signs, and I had too, but only in a
roped-off area reserved for a group. Take Action Numbers. Call, Write!

8. 8 THE ROADRUNNER
Federal Govt. Numbers: Yes, I want to join the Sierra Club. Check enclosed.
White House Comment Line: 202.456.1111
George W. Bush’s e-mail - president@whitehouse.gov
Name.......................................................................
Address - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20500 City.....................................State.............. Zip.........
US Capitol Switchboard - 202-224-3121. Check one:
Sen Barbara Boxer: 312 N Spring St., LA 90012-213.894.5000 Introductory $25........
Sen Diane Feinstein:11111 Sta. Monica Blvd. S.915, LA 90025 Regular $39....... Joint $47.........
Dir. Gale Norton, c/o Tom Fulton, Department of the Interior, Any of the following $24:
1849 C Street, NW, Washington Senior..... Student....... Limited Income.........
Dir. Ann Venneman. U.S. Dept of Ag, 14th & Independence F94QW 0600-1 Send to Sierra Club, POBox
Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20250. phone: 202.720.2791
California numbers: 52968, Boulder, CO, 80322
Gov. Davis: 1-916-445-2841 Calif. Legislative Switchboard
(receptionist will help you ID your Senator and Assembly
member if you are unsure): 916-322-9900.
Kern Kaweah Chapter Roster, 2001
Executive Committee 661.324.1923.PaulGipe,Chair
Buena Vista Grp 661.589.0595(Bakersfield);
Condor Grp. 661/242/0423(Pine Mtn. Club);
KaweahGrp 559.781.0594(Porterville);
Mineral King Grp 559.739.8527 (Visalia)
Owens PeakGrp 760.375. 7967 (Ridgecrest)