Feature Archives

Fishing, farming, and environmental groups attended a packed Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting on June 23 to oppose a controversial action that would allow for the continuing decimation of Central Valley rivers and the already imperiled Sacramento Delta. Despite the huge showing of opposition, the Board voted to allow a 5 year extension of waivers that allow for agricultural operations to pollute the waterways of already damaged ecosystems in the Valley.Delta In Crisis | Read More

Old-growth forest near Siskiyou County’s wild and scenic Salmon River is headed for the auction block - and the chopping block - after losing a years-long battle in the court of appeals. The Knob Timber Sale is part of a large scale logging plan that included the Glassups Timber Sale which was cut in 2003, and the Meteor Timber Sale which is still winding through the courts.

George Cadman, host of "Peace Talks" on Free Radio Santa Cruz 101.1 fm, interviews Arty Mangan from the Santa Cruz County Genetic Engineering Subcommittee about the recent unanimous vote of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to accept the Subcommittee recommendation of a Precautionary Moratorium on the planting and production of GE crops in Santa Cruz County (.pdf). Read more

audio (mp3): Interview with Arty Mangan (45 minutes / 21 MB)

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board held a June 22nd hearing on the issue of agriculture waivers. The Regional Water Board voted to extend a waiver for irrigated agriculture which would allow 8 million acres of farmland to keep polluting the waters with pesticides and fertilizers without any accountability. In spite of protests, in 2003, the Board issued waivers for waste discharges from irrigated farm land. That waiver, which was adopted under pressure from powerful San Joaquin Valley agribusiness interests, provided for the establishment of “voluntary coalitions” comprised of farmers to establish voluntary programs to address massive pollution of Central Valley waterways. People planned to gather by 8:30am on the hottest day of the year so far for press conferences and protests.

On June 28th, the California State Assembly Agriculture Committee voted unanimously in favor of SB1056, a bill that could take away local government authority over seeds. It will next be heard by the full Assembly Floor, and if it passes there will go back to the Senate. If it passes, this bill would override restrictions on genetically engineered (genetically modified, or GM) crops and seeds, as well as all other local regulation of seeds. People who are concerned about food safety worry that GM foods are being rushed on to the market without adequate time to test the technologies and assure people that genetic engineering of foods is safe.

Several cities and counties in the state have voted to ban genetically-modified organisms within their territories, and these laws would be made invalid by SB 1056. SB1056 would prevent cities and counties from passing any local regulation on seeds, including a prohibition on GE crops, while undermining existing local ordinances that restrict GE in agriculture, and prohibiting any future citizen initiatives relating to food and agriculture. This would invalidate the recent vote by the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors to set up a Precautionary Moratorium on the planting and production of GE crops in Santa Cruz County.

Food safety organizations are asking for people to call, email or fax their Assemblymember to ask him or her to oppose SB 1056. Info about contacting Assemblypeople.

At 8:30am Friday morning, demonstrators staged a blockade at a central Santa Cruz intersection as a gesture of solidarity with the hundreds of families who lost their land in Tuesday's forced eviction of the South Central Farm in Los Angeles. Holding signs both large and small, the 30 or so demonstrators blocked traffic at the intersection with A-frames, a stray sofa, and at least four dumpsters rolled in from nearby businesses. At about the same time that the blockade began, a 20+ foot banner was unfurled over a Hwy 1 overpass reading "Remember South Central Farm--Fuck Ralph Horowitz--Fuck LAPD--SouthCentralFarmers.com"

On Saturday, June 10th, San Francisco will participate in the International Weekend of Resistance Against the Green Scare, along with some 40 other cities worldwide (List). These events will show solidarity and support for those facing charges and harassment in the recent wave of repression against Eco and Animal Rights activists. Organizers of the San Francisco event also aim to contextualize the Green Scare amidst the historic and on-going government oppression and harassment faced by people of color here and abroad, particularly in their struggles for liberation.

June 2006 marks the sixth year that Jeff “Free” Luers has been in prison, and of the 3rd year of International Days of Solidarity with him. Environmental activist Jeff "Free" Luers received a disproportionately long sentence (22.8 years) after confessing to attempting to burn three SUVs at a Romania dealership in Eugene, OR. At trial, Jeff clearly stated that his action was a desperate attempt to bring awareness to the destruction of the Earth by this unsustainable form of transportation and its external costs of global warming, pollution, and war for oil.

The San Francisco event will take place on Saturday at Station 40 (3030 B 16th Street @ Mission, San Francisco). Doors will open at 1:30pm, with the show at 2:00pm sharp. All donations will benefit political prisoners. More details There will also be an event in Arcata that evening Info.

Read more on Indybay's Police and Prisons and San Francisco News Pages | Free Jeff 'Free' Luers! | Resist Grand Juries | California Anarchist Prisoner Solidarity