What a nice way to end the week!  Our Governor signed a bill today to ban the trade of shark fins in California.  We are thrilled that California has taken the right step towards doing their part to curb their contribution to the global shark fin trade.  While California wasn’t necessary the leader on this one (as states including Hawaii, Oregon and Washington have already passed similar bans), our state has certainly joined a courageous effort to crack down on one of the leading contributors of shark species decline, which is the international shark fin trade.  And the message is certainly clear – that California is taking shark conservation serious.  We can only hope that other states will also follow suit now that the entire West coast has taken action.  So, kudos to Assemblymemen Fong and Huffman for introducing this great bill and thank you Governor for caring about sharks and our oceans!

But wait, we’re not quite done yet. If oceans are on his mind, Gov. Brown has yet to decide on the fate of another important bill that will protect our oceans and environment and that is The Oil Spill Preparedness Act, or AB 1112.  This law would tighten up our state’s oil prevention standards while ensuring that there are adequate funds to manage these programs— and paid for by Big Oil, and not the citizens of California.  If this law does not pass, California’s waters will be at risk of devastating and costly oil spills which have severe impacts on our marine environment and public health.  Let’s cross our fingers that our Governor will also sign this bill that will assure California’s coasts and wildlife will be protected from the threat of oil spills.  We need a double victory for our oceans!

The United States Geological Society’s Alaska Science Center recently released a video documenting thousands of Pacific Walrus—an animal currently being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act—at a haul-out near Pt. Lay, a small community on the northwest coast of Alaska. This is the fourth time in the last five years that the unusual massive congregation of these large pinnipeds occurred in this location. Normally, walrus prefer to spend the late summer months resting on ice flows in the Chukchi Sea from which they forage for food on the shallow ocean floor. This year however, like recent years, the summer ice is non-existent except over the deep water off the continental shelf.  The walrus are then forced to haul-out and rest on shore, and then must travel up to 40 miles to forage. (more…)

Last week, Solyndra, a Fremont-based solar manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy. What made this event of special interest was the fact that Solyndra received about half a billion dollars in loan guarantees as part of the federal stimulus program, and became a “poster child” for the program after President Obama’s appearance at their factory last year. Needless to say, opponents of progress are using this event to attack Obama, solar energy, and government investment in clean energy. Here are five reasons why they’re wrong.

1. Solyndra is a rare instance of failure for the government Loan Guarantee Program (LPG). According to a piece in Forbes ,“…when judged by its entire diverse portfolio of investments, the LGP has performed remarkably well. Indeed, with a capitalization of just $4 billion, DOE has committed or closed $37.8 billion in loan guarantees for 36 innovative clean energy projects. The Solyndra case represents less than 2% of total loan commitments made by DOE… ” It’s bad political luck that the company that went belly up is the same one that Obama chose for a personal appearance, but in the big scheme of things, this is a mere bump in the road for a wildly successful program.

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I’ve lived in Oakland for much of my life, and for nearly all of Jerry Brown’s time as Mayor. One of  former  Mayor Brown’s signature projects was to reinvent a blighted Downtown Oakland to a desirable, urban environment that would attract at least 10,000 residents with upscale housing and attractions. He called it the “10K” plan. In 2000, it seemed a tall order designed to sound good in a campaign, but quickly forgotten. In 2011, the many new condos, fancy restaurants and top-flight nightclubs have become a reality, and reportedly Brown’s 10,000 goal was surpassed.

I was recently at a conference called by Governor Brown which was all about his newest big number-driven goal: How to develop 12,000 megawatts of locally-sited renewable energy projects in California by 2020. As in Oakland, he’s almost starting from scratch, as local renewable generation to date is nowhere near that goal. While some businesses and homeowners have gone solar, it’s going to take some very large urban and suburban renewable projects to reach 12,000 by 2020. The question on the minds of conference participants was not whether or not to do this.It was made clear that the decision was already made by the Governor, who opened the conference with a keynote address that made it clear he’s determined to hit 12K.

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By Rosemary Ahtuangaruak

As an Inupiat who lives on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, I live a traditional lifestyle — hunting, fishing, whaling, gathering, and sharing our traditional way of life as our elders taught me. It is my duty to ensure the lifestyle that was passed down throughout generations continues in the face of multiple threats, including increased shipping.

As sea ice continues to recede in the Arctic, we are seeing an increase in the vessels that travel through our ocean. These ships can harm the marine environment with increased noise and pollution. Currently, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is developing a mandatory set of regulations for vessels traveling in Arctic waters. However, they are doing it with little input from the people who will be most impacted by increased shipping.

Indigenous peoples who live a traditional way of life have an inherent right to make decisions about regulations that will impact us. I am calling on the U.S. delegation to the IMO, who has an obligation to consult with Tribes, to guarantee our concerns are addressed.