Category: Environment

Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Appoints Executive Officer

Mitch Sears

(From press release) The Valley Clean Energy Board of Directors is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mitch Sears as VCE’s full-time Executive Officer. Sears has served as the agency’s Interim General Manager since its launch in 2018.

Sears has contributed his depth of experience to VCE gained through nearly 28 years with the City of Davis serving in various staff and management roles. Most recently he served as the City’s Sustainability Manager for over a decade, leading comprehensive efforts to address climate change, including implementation of community energy projects. Prior to that, he oversaw Davis’ Agricultural Land Conservation Program, helping permanently preserve over a thousand acres of Yolo County farmland.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Mitch accept this permanent appointment,” said Jesse Loren, VCE Board Chair and Winters City Council member. “His leadership and vision during VCE’s formation and launch have carried the agency through many complexities and have positioned VCE well as we step into the future.”

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September 2, 2022
Seeds of Justice Speaker Series

(From press release) The Episcopal Church of St. Martin is pleased to announce the second season of its Seeds of Justice speaker series, which explores the racialized history of the land on which Yolo County residents live and work. It asks: What is our responsibility as community members to the original inhabitants of this land, the ancestral homeland of the Patwin-Wintun people, and to those who have worked the land and stewarded it? What is the legacy of environmental racism, exploitation, and ecological degradation? How can we heal and repair the harm?

Professor Beth Rose Middleton Manning

Professor Beth Rose Middleton Manning from the Department of Native American Studies, UC Davis, is our first presenter. Prof. Middleton Manning’s talk is titled:

“In Relation to Water: Indigenous Leadership in Restoring and Re-Envisioning Watershed Stewardship,”

and will be held on 18 September, 4:00pm, in person and online at the Episcopal Church of St Martin, 640 Hawthorn Lane, Davis CA 95616. To attend, please register at the following website:

https://churchofstmartin.org/2022/08/03/save-the-date-seeds-of-justice-continues/

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August 30, 2022
Tree Davis Leader To Move On

(From press release) Tree Davis is gearing up for a new season of events and activities that will bring community members together to enhance the living landscapes of our urban environment. With this change of seasons, the Tree Davis team has a bittersweet announcement that after five years of planting trees and growing community Executive Director Erin Donley Marineau’s tenure is coming to a close as she moves on to a statewide role in a Western-region conservation organization.

Erin and Board President, Greg McPherson, sat down for a conversation as the organization manages this transition and seeks recommendations for a new Executive Director:

Greg: Over the past five years, Tree Davis has overseen major tree planting projects in Davis, West Sacramento and Woodland. During your tenure, Erin, over 3,000 trees were planted and thousands of volunteers were engaged in stewardship activities. You forged new partnerships with the City of Davis, Woodland Tree Foundation, UC Davis, Sutter Davis, DJUSD and numerous other organizations that have enhanced appreciation and investment in our urban forest. Looking ahead, what important work do you see for Tree Davis?

Erin: First, it has been an immense privilege to serve in this role and to work with a passionate and engaged Board, stellar staff, and active volunteer community. Our tree community and the greater communities of Davis and Yolo County are so special in their willingness to search and reach for community and environmental betterment. I want to extend my personal thanks to Tree Davis’ founders, Board members, staff, donors, community partners, and volunteers for pulling together to do incredible work over the past 5 years.

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August 26, 2022
Urban Forest Management Plan Photo Contest
(From press release) Did you know that the City of Davis is undertaking an effort to plan for the next 40 years of urban forestry in our community? This is a time for all community members to deepen their understanding and awareness of our town's urban tree canopy. Tree Davis is partnering with the City to help bring awareness to the value of the urban forest and the opportunities for engagement on the Urban Forest Management Plan creation process through a photo contest:

Tree Davis invites all amateur photographers to enter the City of Davis Urban Forest Management Plan Photo Contest! Photos will be judged by a panel of Tree Davis staff, board members, and a representative from the City of Davis. Judging will be based on originality, educational value, and relevance to the Urban Forest Management Plan, a 40-year plan that will guide the management of the City's urban forest.

Desired photo types:
- Tree portraits
- People with trees
- Wildlife with trees
- Streetscapes
1st place will receive their choice of a free shade tree or gift certificate to Redwood Barn Nursery

2nd and 3rd places will have a choice of a variety of Tree Davis swag

Submissions for the contest will be accepted from 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟳𝘁𝗵. Selected entries will be published in the City of Davis' Urban Forest Management Plan, to be published in Spring/Summer 2023, and used on Tree Davis and City of Davis websites and social media. By entering this contest, you give Tree Davis and the City of Davis the right to post your photo and use it in the Urban Forest Management Plan. Photographers will be credited where applicable.

Maximum 10 entries per person.

For more information visit www.treedavis.org, (530) 758-7337, or contact info@treedavis.org
August 16, 2022
City Seeks Public Comment on Davis Climate Action and Adaptaion Plan (CAAP)

Community Review Period Now Open for City's 2020-2040 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

From City of Davis Press Release:

Post Date:August 08, 2022 4:06 pm

The City of Davis announced today that the community review period for the City’s draft 2020-2040 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is now open to the public for an extended 60-day period that will close on October 10, 2022.

The CAAP establishes a roadmap for carbon reduction policies that will allow the City of Davis to achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2040, five years ahead of the State’s 2045 timeline. This accelerated goal stems from a 2019 City Council resolution declaring a climate emergency in response to current and expected future climate impacts, including increases in extreme heat, drought, tree mortality, wildfire and flooding. In addition, the CAAP complies with California legislation to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, address climate adaptation and incorporate environmental justice enacted since 2010, including Senate Bills 379 (2015) and 1000 (2018); Executive Order B-55-18; California Air Resources Board 2017 Scoping Plan; and Office of Planning and Research General Plan Guidelines.

“We all have a responsibility to take care of our environment as stewards for future generations,” said Mayor Lucas Frerichs. “Toward this goal, the CAAP will further develop and elevate the City’s commitment, advocacy and leadership to climate action and sustainability.”

Started in January 2021, the process for the CAAP is nearing the final stages of completion with this draft document community review period, to be followed by a finalized adopted CAAP and environmental review targeted for December 2022. Community engagement continues to be an integral component of developing and implementing the CAAP actions and have included multiple community workshops, presentations to community partners, ‘pop-up’ meetings downtown, online surveys, an online community forum, a dedicated City website and monthly progress reports to City Commissions. Additionally, an external Technical Advisory Committee met eight times over the last year to provide input and expertise on the process and content of the CAAP. Through these efforts, the CAAP’s project management team was able to be responsive to local experts, community suggestions, information requests and adjust products and schedules in response to public input, all indicative of the importance of the community-based approach in developing the CAAP update.

The CAAP describes achievable, measurable GHG emissions reduction and climate change adaptation actions that align with the City’s goals and priorities. When implemented, these actions will reduce GHG emissions by 42% below 2016 levels by 2030 and set the community on a trajectory toward its 2040 carbon neutrality goal. The CAAP actions will also prepare the community for climate change impacts, improve public safety, address environmental justice and enhance the quality of life for residents.

To submit a comment for the community review period, visit: https://cityofdavis.org/davis-CAAP-survey. To read the CAAP, visit: https://www.cityofdavis.org/sustainability/2020-climate-action-and-adaptation-plan-caap. Contact the Sustainability Coordinator Kerry Loux at: caap@cityofdavis.org.

August 10, 2022
Yolo County Upgrades to 100% Renewable Ultragreen Electricity From Valley Clean Energy (VCE)

(From press release) The Yolo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this week to upgrade to Valley Clean Energy’s 100% renewable, 100% carbon-free UltraGreen service. This action will include all County VCE business accounts that are not already covered by existing solar/renewable projects.

Taken as a whole, this decision is an important step toward ensuring that 100% of Yolo County’s electricity for its operations will be sourced from renewables, further decreasing the County’s dependence on fossil fuels and decreasing carbon emissions.

“We know that the power sector is one of the largest sources of carbon emissions,” said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair, Angel Barajas. “Moving toward 100% renewable, 100% carbon-free electricity for County facilities is a powerful step we can take to fight climate change. It’s directly aligned with our 2011 Climate Action Plan. And at only 1.5 cents more per kilowatt-hour, we find it provides a great cost/benefit ratio for our local communities.”

Yolo County’s goal is to transition all remaining accounts to 100% renewable electricity in the upcoming billing cycle. Funding will be included in the 2023-24 County budget for that purpose.

“As the local not-for-profit public energy provider, VCE strives to provide simple, cost-effective ways for our customers and communities to take action on climate change,” said VCE Executive Officer Mitch Sears. “With this move the County becomes our largest UltraGreen customer and helps drive the clean energy economy forward.”

Valley Clean Energy is a not-for-profit public agency formed in June 2018 to provide electrical generation service to customers in Woodland, Davis, Winters, and the unincorporated areas of Yolo County. VCE’s mission is to source cost-competitive clean electricity while providing product choice, price stability, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission reductions and reinvestment in the communities we serve.

July 28, 2022
Please Donate to Help Us Stop Indiscriminate Open Pit Mining in Yolo County

Photo of Prime Farmland Set to be Destroyed by Proposed Open Pit Mine

The Sierra Club Yolano Group, together with its local partner, Yolo Land and Water Defense, is desperately trying to stop a massive new sand and gravel open-pit mining operation. This proposed project will forever destroy 300 acres of productive prime farmland just off of Cache Creek a few miles west of Woodland. Almost in the city's backyard, this huge new surface mine will leave behind a wasteland of methyl mercury contaminated impoundment ponds, no guarantees of successful farmland reclamation, potentially serious decreases in local groundwater levels, and greenhouse gas and priority pollutant emissions far greater than estimated (see below for more detailed information about the project's environmental shortcomings).

Our lawsuit challenges improper mining project approvals. Over vigorous objections about the lack of appropriate environmental protections as required under California law, this project was recently approved by the Yolo County Supervisors when they certified a defective Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and awarded lucrative 30-year sweetheart mining rights to Teichert Mining. The company is a subsidiary of a billion-dollar mining and construction behemoth. To stop this ill-advised and destructive project unless necessary protections are put in place, the Sierra Club with our partners recently sued Yolo County and Teichert Mining to rescind certification of the EIR and project approvals.

The Sierra Club and a number of members of both organizations have already made very substantial contributions, but we urgently need to raise $12,000 more to continue this lawsuit all the way through trial. Please help us force Teichert Mining to act responsibly so that our children and future Yolo County generations can enjoy unpolluted habitat, productive agricultural land, safe and reliable access to good quality water, and clean, breathable air.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation of any amount.

1) By Credit Card or Paypal – Click on the online donation link here (https://www.mightycause.com/story/Yolanogroupsc)

2) By Check – Send your check payable to Sierra Club Foundation, c/o Yolano Group, 2736 Brentwood Pl in Davis CA 95618.

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July 25, 2022
A Failure of Equity – Racist and Ableist Bike Share Returns to Davis

At the city council meeting tonight a pilot for e-bike and e-scooter share will likely be approved – and will start by September.

Bike share and scooter share are great things, despite all sorts of issues. Electric assist makes these "micromobility" devices even more of a joy. More and more bike share systems offer e-bikes, sometimes exclusively. Scooter share was always electric.

But as with Jump bike share – which ended in Davis a little over two years ago – the minimum age limit for use for bikes will be 18. Once again this age limit makes it racist.

Why is it racist?

It's simple: Youth have fewer mobility choices, even more so if they're members of economically-vulnerable households. Brown and Black people are over-represented in these households. There's no minimum age for using the type of bikes supplied by Lime. There's no formal impossibility for parents and guardians to take legal responsibility for necessary contracts. Therefore… it's arbitrary… and this means it's racist. It's doesn't mean that the City Council is racist. It means that unless we change their minds they are making a racist decision tonight.

Once again the speed is limited to 15 mph assistance without any evidence that this has any benefits for safety. Nor only does this make the bikes less competitive with automobiles, the speed assistance limit below what state law allows is biased against less strong people who might find it harder to get their bikes over 15 mph. This is probably ableism, yes?, or something else which City documents and various statements of the current City Council would naturally disavow.

Many other cities have much less racist and ableist systems

There's no minimum age for the use of type 1 e-bikes, which will be the type supplied by Lime. The minimum required for use of an e-scooter in California is possession of a learner's permit, and being 16. However the Lime-supplied pilot requires a minimum age 18 for that as well. That's two years when kids can drive a car most of that by themselves before they can use bike share or scooter share in Davis. Bike share systems all over California and the USA allow users under age 18 (For example the system in Philadelphia allows 16 year-olds to use their e-bikes and 14 year-olds their "acoustic" bikes.) But we're the USA cycling capital! (Perhaps it's time to change our official City logo – to purge this anachronistic and anti-egalitarian high-wheeler bicycle from our community imagery?).

A major innovation that Davis can make here is by replacing the age cut-off with one based on peers. This is because the majority of youth have friends that are in the same grade. Not everyone in the same grade is the same age: We see this manifested when some high school students can get licensed before their friends. 14 would work – nearly everyone that age is tall enough to ride the Lime bikes – but connecting it with entrance to high school would still be much better than the current situation. See details below – this will get many on bikes at age 15. And then on e-scooters at age 16! Voila! Bikequity!! Fairscooterism!

Another good – and perhaps still innovative – new feature is that the park in the street like a motorcycle thing is a clear part of the rules. (This was done spontaneously by many Jump users and almost went forward officially before the bike share system was removed from Davis and UC Davis due to COVID.) However there's still a huge amount of the contract and rules based on the idea that the bikes will need to be moved within 90 minutes if there are badly parked. (In the pilot it's allowed to park like this in Downtown, but it's not even clear that there will be a sticker on the bikes to advise people of this. It's not really intuitive.)

The City Council has known about this issue for years

In March 2019 – when I was a member of the Bicycling, Transportation and Street Safety (BTSSC) - I created a lengthy report on the one year anniversary of bike share in Davis and UC Davis. I was able to initiate what became a unanimous vote to ask the City Council to ask its partners at SACOG – and the previous operator Uber/Jump – to consider lowering the age (and raising the weight limit). This sat on the long-range calendar until shortly after Uber removed the bike share system from Davis and UC Davis.

The other day I confirmed with Lime and that neither the e-bikes nor the e-scooters will have a maximum weight limit. That's good – the newer e-scooters are generally considered to be more robust than those available just a couple of years ago.

Oh, last time the DJUSD Board of Education was asked to support an under-18 age limit.. they were not interested. This may have been in 2019 – a partly-different board.

What to do?

Thank the City of Davis City Council for bringing back bike share and introducing scooter share, BUT:

* Demand that they allow the use of Lime e-bikes from the first day of 10th grade, or even better the first day of summer before 10th grade.

* Demand that – per state law – everyone 16 years old with a learner's permit be allowed to use Lime e-scooters.

July 19, 2022
Community Canopy – Free Shade Trees!

(From press release) Tree Davis is committed to enhancing and expanding Davis’s urban forest. As part of our mission, Tree Davis’s Community Canopy Program, in partnership with the City of Davis, offers free trees to homeowners in Davis.

This is the last season for homeowners to take advantage of this grant program! Now is the time to bring cooling shade, beauty, and improved public health to your home and neighborhood. Supplies are limited so please contact Tree Davis today: https://www.treedavis.org/city-of-davis-community-canopy/ . Our trained staff will visit you at your residence this summer to help you select the right tree for your front yard.

Plantings begin in October and we can either work with you to plant your tree if you wish, or we will plant the tree for you.

This is your last chance to request a tree for fall plantings. Please share this information with your friends and neighbors! Spread the word and contact us today to line up a consultation.

For more information visit www.treedavis.org, (530) 758-7337, or contact info@treedavis.org

June 28, 2022
Post-election statement from No on H campaign

(From press release) We are pleased by the overwhelming defeat of Measure H, which we believe would have resulted in a development that was harmful to Davis.

It was a true grassroots effort of many volunteers over many months, who poured countless hours of their personal time into the campaign. It was also the result of many passionate supporters who donated to the campaign, displayed lawn signs, wrote letters to the editor, and participated on social media. We thank everyone who was involved in the effort.

We hope the resounding defeat of Measure H leads to more collaborative community discussions that engage Davisites in creating future projects which will be truly sustainable and environmentally progressive.

June 10, 2022