Sierra Club Endorses Lovelace for Supe
The Sierra Club has endorsed Mark Lovelace in his race for the District 3 Supervisor seat vacated by John Woolley. Mark gained the endorsement for his strong record on conservation and land use planning issues through the Humboldt Watershed Council, Healthy Humboldt Coalition, and Sunnybrae Arcata Neighborhood Alliance. He has been actively involved in Humboldt County's multiyear General Plan Update and helped foster public understanding of Pacific Lumber's bankruptcy proceedings.

Bi-Annual Banquet Set for Oct 4
The North Group Banquet will be held Saturday, October 4, in the View Room of the Plaza Grill, Arcata. The speaker will be Carl Zichella, director of the Sierra Club's Western Regional Office, discussing the energy situation in California.

Please Reply to Camper Fund Mailer
All members should have received a letter soliciting support to send three local children age 10-12 to a "Towering Trees & Tide Pools" camp in Orick. Operated by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, this is billed as the most affordable comprehensive science camp experience on the West Coast. 2008 marks the 14th year that North Group will provide a camping experience for children through its Lucille Vinyard/Susie Van Kirk Environmental Education Fund. Please reply by June 1 to PO Box 238, Arcata 95518. Children age 10-12 interested in attending the camp should contact Sue Leskiw (sueleskiw@suddenlink.net) for an application form.

North Coast Streams Need Water
At the April ExCom meeting, fisheries biologist Patrick Higgins gave a presentation about the draft policy for maintaining in?stream flows in coastal streams south of the Mattole that was recently issued by the State Water Resources Control Board. His research found hundreds of illegal dams whose diversions are creating a water supply crisis for salmon and steelhead. He also noted a failure to regulate groundwater withdrawals. Comments are due by May 8. A copy of Higgins's report, as well as other information, is available at www.yournec.org.

Science Project Receives Award
For the second year, the North Group sponsored an award at the annual Humboldt County Science Fair held in mid?March. "Filtration Frenzy," a project by Tanner Doan, a 5th-grader at Blue Lake Elementary School, was selected as the best project dealing with environmental issues. Tanner tested 6 types of filters - charcoal, sponge, paper coffee filter, automotive fuel filter, cotton cloth, and sand/gravel - to see which would clean polluted water best. Results found that charcoal removed 95% of the soil added to the water samples, followed by the coffee filter (90%), fuel filter (75%), cotton cloth (50%), and sponge (0%). Tanner noted that much of the water used by homes and businesses must be filtered before release into the environment, and "clean water is critical to plants and animals, our environment, and our own health." The $50 prize was awarded during a ceremony at HSU.