Juliana Vidich
Lake Group Chair

May Meeting

At our May 4th general meeting, we heard a fascinating talk about Oak woodland conservation from Janet Santos Cobb from the California Oaks Foundation. For more information see the COF website, www.californiaoaks.org.

Clear Lake Hitch Study Initiated

The Clear Lake Hitch is the oldest fish in Clear Lake and may be in danger of becoming extinct. A coordinated effort to assess the status of the Hitch, in order to explore the possibilities of restoring their populations, was recently initiated by Peter Windrem of the Sierra Club Lake Group. As a result of Peter's efforts, on May 5, the Lake County Water Resource Department convened a workshop, attended by biologists, representatives of local Indian tribes and other concerned citizens, in order to discuss the status of the fish and make plans for monitoring them. This is an outstanding example of the difference that one person can make. Look for a more detailed report on this project in a future issue of the Redwood Needles.

Grading Ordinance Advisory Committee

The committee has been reviewing a draft ordinance and testing it against some hypothetical grading permit applications to assess its strengths and weaknesses.

Lake County GMO Ban Debated

Clear Lake Environmental Action Network (CLEAN)

CLEAN received a $50K EPA "TAG" Grant to hire a Community Technical Advisor to review all EPA plans regarding the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) Superfund Site and act as a technical liaison between the Community and the EPA. For more information see www.cleanlake.org or contact Holly or Chuck at 707-998-0135, info@cleanlake.org.

Geothermal Advisory Committee Progress

The committee is rewriting the the Geothermal Resource and Transmission Element (GRTE) of the Lake County General Plan. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, June 2, 5:30 pm, and is open to the public.

Lake County Board of Supervisors Hearing of Appeal for Six Sigma Ranch Diamond Mine Vineyard Proposal is on Tuesday, June 8, at 1:30 pm at the Courthouse in Lakeport. The Board of Supervisors will conduct a public hearing on an appeal of the Planning Department's approval of a mitigated negative declaration for a 130 acre conversion of oak woodland to vineyard on Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake. This project would remove up to 1100 oak trees and potentially have a large impact on local hydrology.