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MCE: Competition + Choice = Lower Prices

Dear Editor,

Contrary to what PG&E would have us believe, running a municipal utility is not rocket science and in the case of Marin Clean Energy the issue is Econ 101. Open markets and freedom to compete for customers are the energy currency that built America. This is an issue of CHOICE v.s. the Power of a Corporate Monopoly, subsidized at that, to spend millions of dollars distorting the facts to protect their revenue stream. One in four Californian’s already receive their energy from a municipally run utility and I hope Marin County will be the next.

PG&E is not only spending my rate-payer dollars for their own political gain, they are the sole funders of Proposition 16 which would institutionalize their monopoly for decades to come. PG&E has committed to spend over 35 million of our rate-payer dollars to fund a political campaign that dramatically distorts the facts to protect their bottom line. This is a perfect example of the nightmare of powerful corporations manipulating our political process for their massive profit.

I am so grateful to Susan Adams, Hal Brown and Charles McGlashan for their pragmatic leadership, sticking to the facts and keeping their eyes on the county’s bottom line. Corporate monopolies have no incentive to improve their product as PG$E has demonstrated by constant and significant rate hikes-while still not meeting their renewable requirements. I look forward to our energy dollars staying in our own community through Marin Clean Energy.

Gail Curtis Graham, Stinson Beach

We are on the map

Dear Editor,

The Final CDFA/LBAM Eradication EIR states that treatments ranging from aerial and ground pesticide spraying to releases of millions of native wasps and millions of irradiated male moths are planned for “anywhere an LBAM infestation is determined to exist.”

The state makes clear it would use warrants and law enforcement to force treatments of private property if landowners refuse.

It seems to me to be nothing short of utter madness for our government to be dumping pesticides into the air that is our breathe of life.

Kinsey’s letter stating that aerial spraying is not planned is reassuring and we certainly appreciate his involvement, however, ground spraying was not mentioned. We are waiting to hear from him whether we are a target area for the other treatments.

In the meantime, it is our intention to stop this unsafe, unnecessary Eradication Program.

Please come to the meeting March 9 at 7 at the Dance Palace.

Tell our representatives to protect us and stop CDFA/LBAM Eradication program.

More information at: eastbay.stopthespray.org;

CONTACT: Supervisor Kinsey:.499-7331,skinsey@co.marin.ca.us

Congresswoman Woolsey: 507-9554, lynn.woolsey@mail.house.gov

Senator Boxer: 403-0100, senator@boxer.senate.gov

Senator Feinstein: 393-0707, go to website to send email: http://feinstein@senate.gov

Assemblyman Huffman 4794920, assemblymember.huffman@outreachassembly.ca.gov

Please contribute to the lawsuit to stop the spray:

North Coast Rivers Alliance with a notation on the check, Volker LBAM Trust and mailed to North Coast Rivers Alliance, Att: Frank Egger, 13 Meadow Way, Fairfax, CA 94930.

Eleanor Lyman, Bolinas

No aerial spraying

Dear Editor,

A number of people have called to express concerns regarding the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s draft Environmental Impact Report on the Light Brown Apple Moth.

I am writing to assure you that there will be no aerial spraying in any part of Marin County. At our Board of Supervisors meeting on March 2 we received a report from our Agricultural Commissioner, Stacy Carlsen, on this important health and safety issue.

Mr. Carlsen reported that, in response to our Board’s earlier letter opposing spraying, the State Department of Agriculture has stated in writing that no aerial spraying will be required in Marin County.

Because of the confusion caused by maps in the LBAM Final draft EIR, we authorized our Board President to write again to the State and direct them to their previous assurance that protects Marin County from future aerial spraying.

In addition, we requested that they open a period of time for public response to their document.

Working together, the community, the Ag Commissioner, and the Board of Supervisors are holding the line on future aerial spraying in our county. Thanks for your support.

Steve Kinsey, County Supervisor

Note: Those interested can listen to a report from Stacy Carlsen to the Board of Supervisors at Tuesday’s meeting by going to: http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/BS/Archive/Meetings.cfm

Click on “video” to the far right of the date, March 2. Then click on the agenda item “Administrator’s Report”, about 20 minutes and 15 seconds in to the meeting.

Superintendent has vision

Dear Editor,

All who would like the new superintendent of Yosemite National Park to be a strong, stalwart defender of the natural environment, should rejoice that Don Neubacher is the new superintendent.

Don and I were on the board of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin in the early-mid 1980s when Don was the assistant superintendent. At that time only a few had the vision to see the possibility of the Giacomini Ranch restored as the wonderful marsh it is today. Don’s leadership helped make this vision real-come and visit.

Despite the ugly name calling taking place today as we here in West Marin debate the rival goods of a great oyster producer and the very needed protection for marine environments that the proposed wilderness area in the Point Reyes National Seashore can offer, Don Neubacher has been a steady, thoughtful force for good and is not the person that these hit pieces imply.

Marty Frankel, Inverness Park

PS: Some of the very active environmental visionaries in the 70s and 80s whose vision led to the Park’s purchase of the Giacomini Ranch for wetlands who have not yet been honored are Ann and John West and Leo Cronin.

From Friends of Wil Lafranchi Field

Dear Editor,

Thank you to the Nicasio community for its tremendous support of the Wil Lafranchi Field fundraiser held at Druid’s Hall this past Saturday.

Your generosity helped to raise funds to begin the renovation of the field and will help move us toward our goal of bringing West Marin Little League back to Nicasio for the 2011 season.

Thank you also to everyone who donated items for our fabulous raffle basket of locally-produced items and to the numerous people who gave their time to help make this event so successful, especially the Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Amy Morse, Friends of Wil Lafranchi Field

Oystergate Reactions

West Marin v. Flint, Michigan II

Dear Editor,

I find it rather amusing that the usual cast of left-leaning characters have risen up in anger over the 4-minute Oystergate video, put together contentiously by a 24-year old self proclaimed instigator.

These are the same people who flock to Michael Moore films, which in themselves are instruments of long form instigative propaganda. The “agitprop” of the Communist Party days, if you will.

These are also the ones who hang on every word by obvious leftist propagandists such as Bill Press, Robert Reisch, Norman Solomon, et al, and who recoil in horror at someone taking a political jab at their favorite sacred eco-cow.

This video is no more heinous than any of the printed political hit pieces sent out regularly by Jonathan Freiman, nor the pieces usually put out by the Park service and the various Ec-Action groups.

Freedom of speech is a guarantee in this country. If you get to spout your own political venom, you have to respect the rights of others to spew against you.

I may not agree with your point of view; but I will defend your right to say it. That was the political mantra of the Old Left that I remember.

John Neff, Inverness

Stopping justification in its tracks

Dear Editor,

Your call for comment on the video raises difficult issues around propaganda and distortion. On first viewing, phrases came to mind like amateurish, overly simplistic and poorly produced.

Then I caught myself being a film critic, making aesthetic value judgments. Was I being too cortical, splitting hairs much as the Left has splintered over the past few decades?

Isn’t the question of scientific falsification the central issue? And don’t we have to have to expose the actions of the NPS, whatever it takes?

And there’s the rub: “Whatever it takes.” Right side - wrong means. Who’s to judge?

Initially, I said ”Bravo” to the video because I believed in its message. At that point, I too had a hidden agenda: support of the cause no matter what.

I was willing to let impassioned distortion slide for the sake of the ends. By so doing, scientific falsification is just another symptom of our inability to sort fact from fiction.

So I guess it is no endorsement from me.

Let the video be out there with all the other bits of information on the horribly divisive issue.

My thanks go to The Citizen for once again making me think locally.

Bruce Bramson, Tomales