LADWP is attempting to increase its extraction of water supplies from the Owens Valley by developing a program of consumptive groundwater use from the Owens Lakebed. We are not in agreement that groundwater pumping from beneath Owens Lake can be done in an environmentally sustainable manner, even for a limited period of time. LADWP has improperly piecemealed review of the incremental steps it is taking to achieve increased water withdrawals from the Owens Valley. It has done so without adequate disclosure or analysis of the cumulative and adverse impacts, both past and future, of LADWP’s extractions, the interactive role of…
Legislative Engagement
Action Alert: Whitebark Pine listing under Endangered Species Act Submit your comments to encourage USFWS to list the whitebark pine and include the proposed critical habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is considering listing the whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and has opened a 60-day public comment period which closes on February 1, 2021. The whitebark pine is an iconic conifer species of the Eastern Sierra occurring at high-elevation sites, generally between 9,000 and 12,100 feet. It is a special status species for the Inyo National Forest and there…
Protect Wildlife and Stop the Use of Harmful Rodenticides Friends of the Inyo joined with many other environmental groups in sending letters encouraging Governor Newsom (CA) to protect mountain lions, raptors, and other animals from being poisoned. 2014 California banned the sale of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides to consumers. Poisoning of mountain lions, raptors, and other apex predators continues as documented by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. AB 1788 was introduced by California State Assembly member Richard Bloom to place a moratorium on the use of these poisons by licensed applicators until review is completed by state agencies. The…
Friends of the Inyo has long enjoyed serving and recreating in the Alabama Hills. We have seen this area drastically change over the years and are excited about the opportunity that this plan presents for the Alabama Hills. With this plan, we all have the opportunity to promote the long term conservation of this area as a unit in the National Conservation Lands system. We sincerely thank the Bishop BLM for the opportunity to comment on DOI-BLM-CA-C070-2020-0001-EA. Read more…
Thank you to the coalition for signing onto this Joshua tree petition as it winds its way through the listing review process! The public is invited to voice their support at the virtual meeting next Thursday 8/20. Information on how to participate is located here, just scroll down to the August 19-20, 2020 date & you’ll see the agenda, How to Joint the Webinar/Teleconference and the Meeting documents.
On behalf of Friends of the Inyo, I write this letter in support of the Mono Lake Kutzadika’a Tribe’s petition for federal acknowledgement. Friends of the Inyo is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1986 to protect and care for the lands of the Eastern Sierra. The Mono Lake Indian Community has traditionally and historically been, and continues to be, recognized as a political and tribal community by Friends of the Inyo. The Mono Lake Indian community can be found in the literature regarding this area as far back as 1850. Some members of the Mono Lake Indian Community received…
Comment Letter on Haiwee Pumped Storage Submitted Towards the end of November, Friends of the Inyo submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on L.A area company, Premium Energy’s application for a preliminary permit to examine the Haiwee area for its “pumped storage” capabilities. Simply put, pumped storage is a type of energy storage that involves two reservoirs, one at a higher elevation and one at a lower elevation. When energy is cheap, water is pumped uphill to the higher reservoir for storage. When demand is higher and energy is more expensive, it is sent downhill and sold…
Bi-State Sage Grouse Listing Update The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced on September 27, an extension on the final determination of whether to list the Bi-State Sage Grouse as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS is extending their final determination based on substantial disagreement regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the available data relevant to the proposed listing, making it necessary to solicit additional information. Therefore, along with the announcement to extend the final determination, USFWS is also reopening the comment periods for the proposed rule to list the species and the proposed rule to designate critical…
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is soliciting additional public comments on its proposed rule to list the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Greater Sage Grouse as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This action follows a ruling overturning a 2015 USFWS and Department of Interior decision not to list the bird. As a result of this ruling, the agencies are required to re-analyze listing the Bi-State Sage Grouse. The notice announcing the reopening of the public comment period requires submission of comments by June 11, 2019. Comments can be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov by searching under docket number…
Governor Brown vetoed legislation to create an Office of Sustainable Outdoor Recreation. The Outdoor Industry Association vows to continue fight with his successor… Read more from Snews…