Fishermen and Enviros Sue FERC to Require Wave Energy Planning

Fishermen and Enviros Sue FERC to Require Wave Energy Planning

by Dan Bacher

(Fort Bragg) Six groups representing California fishermen, local governments, and environmentalists on September 11 sued the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to require comprehensive planning for wave energy projects on the West Coast.

The suit occurs as the Schwarzenegger administration is trying to fast-track the privatization of ocean public trust resources through his corrupt Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process without the input or consent of North Coast communities. The process is privately funded by the Resource Legacy Fund Foundation, an organization with ties to PG&E and other corporations. For example, Gordon Smith, the former CEO of PG&E, a company that is pushing wave energy projects, is on the board of the Resource Legacy Fund Foundation.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, was brought by Fishermen Interested in Safe Hydrokinetics, the Recreational Fishing Alliance, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the County of Mendocino, the City of Fort Bragg and the Ocean Protection Coalition.

"The purpose of the lawsuit is to require FERC to stop issuing wave energy permits on an ad hoc basis, and to develop a comprehensive wave energy plan for the West Coast," said Elizabeth R. Mitchell, FERC Coordinator, Fishermen Interested in Safe Hydrokinetics. "FERC has received applications for at least 20 wave energy projects on the West Coast, but has conducted no environmental studies and has no plan to guide project siting."

The petitioners are asking FERC to prepare a comprehensive plan, to collect baseline environmental data, to establish uniform study guidelines, and to consider cumulative effects before issuing additional permits for wave energy projects.

For information, contact Elizabeth R. Mitchell, FERC Coordinator, Fishermen Interested in Safe Hydrokinetics, Telephone (707) 962-0617, E-mail Bethmi [at] mac.com.


Fight Schwarzenegger's Fast Track MLPA Process: Go to the Take a Stand Concert September 26

Local ocean food providers are urging the public to come to the “Take a Stand for Local Ocean Food!” Concert and Seafood Tasting, at the Albion River Campground on Saturday, September 26, from noon until eight.

"Our fisheries and public ocean access are threatened by the so-called Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), as well as plans for offshore energy projects like wave energy, and it is our goal to restore the people's relationship with the ocean as a source of food and wealth for our coastal economy," said Jim Martin, West Coast Regional Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance.

Attendees will sample local albacore tuna, fresh oysters, uni (urchin roe) and sea palm tips, with beer and wine available. "Learn about northern California's sustainable fisheries from community members who are taking a stand to support local ocean food," noted Martin.

The event will feature the music of Black Horse, the Gatecrashers, Steven Bates and Rogerwood. A raffle, silent auction and vendor booths will add to the excitement.

Tickets are $10 for the Concert (BYO food) or $20 for the concert and seafood tasting. With the "Depression-Buster Deal," you can feed the family (4 tickets) for only $40. The event benefits the California Fisheries Coalition, statewide ocean food providers devoted to keeping public access open to sustainable fishing.

Overnight camping is available at Albion River Campground (707-937-0606) and the event location is off Highway 1, south of Fort Bragg, Ca.

Albion urchin diver Mike Carpenter was inspired to organize the Concert while diving. “When I started researching the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI), I realized that this corporate-dominated process is an attack on sustainable fisheries and our whole community,” says Carpenter. “I hope a thousand people come to be informed, entertained, and share local ocean food."

Advance tickets can be purchased on the web at: http://takeastandconcert.eventbrite.com. Tickets can also be purchased locally at these supporting businesses: Albion River Campground, Albion Grocery, Elk Store, ER Energy, Southern Exposure, Sub-Surface Progression, V'Canto Bar & Restaurant, and the Caspar Beach Campground.

Sponsoring organizations and businesses include the Recreational Fishing Alliance, the North Coast Fishing Association, Little River Market, Ocean Fresh, Sonoma County Abalone Network, Aqua Rodeo Farms, J Bar S Ranch, Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers, Denise's Family Salon, Salmon Restoration Association, Faultline Music, Black Bear Press, Humboldt Fishermen's Marketing Association, Spunky Skunk and Rising Tide Sea Vegetable Co. For more information call (707) 937-4362.

On August 5, a politically stacked California Fish and Game Commission voted to ban the Pomo (Kashia) Tribe from harvesting seaweed, abalone, and mussels off Stewarts Point in Sonoma County as they have done for hundreds of years.The Commission's vote to establish "marine reserves," with no basis in science, will also ban abalone divers, recreational fishermen and commercial fishermen from traditional areas, including Stewarts Point and Sea Lion Cove off Point Arena, in spite of existing harvest regulations and vast area closures that are the strictest on the planet.

One of the key members of Schwarzenegger's Blue Ribbon MLPA Task Force for the North Central Region that developed the draconian area closure plan was Catherine Reheis-Boyd, CEO and Chief of Staff for the Western States Petroleum Association. Having served the Governor's agenda of kicking North Coast tribal members, fishermen and divers off public trust ocean waters, Schwarzenegger in August appointed her to chair the South Coast's MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force!

What better way can Schwarzenegger advance his agenda to drill for oil on the ocean than to appoint an oil industry lobbyist to engineer the removal from the water of "pesky" fishermen and seaweed harvesters, the strongest opponents of oil drilling and wave energy projects!

A broad coalition of the Ocean Protection Coalition and other environmentalists, fishing groups, divers and cities is fighting unsustainable energy development and plans to resume oil drilling on the North Coast, as well as plans by the Schwarzenegger administration to kick sustainable seaweed harvesters and fishermen off the water.

For more information about the event and the battle against the corrupt MLPA process, contact: Mike Carpenter (707) 937-4362, carp16axeman [at] gmail.com, Jim Martin (707) 964-8326, flatland [at] mcn.org.