MARCH 2005 HEADLINES Gleick Op-Ed Calls for New Approach to CVP Contracts The federal government is on the verge of destroying any chance of peacefully and economically solving California's water problems by pushing through contracts to provide heavily subsidized water to a small number of powerful irrigation districts. That's the core message of an opinion essay Dr. Peter Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute, penned for the Sacramento Bee at the end of February. As the opinion essay goes on to explain, the water delivered by the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), built for and paid for by taxpayers, is sold for pennies on the dollar. The price doesn't even cover the project's operating and maintenance costs, much less the cost of building it. The full essay is available from our website. Efforts to Reduce Diesel Gain Traction February was a key month for efforts to reduce diesel pollution in West Oakland, West Contra Costa County, and throughout California. Pacific Institute staff moved forward on a variety of fronts; working with the Regional Air District and the Port of Oakland to improve enforcement of truck idling restrictions, and to provide incentives to truckers to get newer, cleaner trucks on the road. Institute staff also are working with the City of Oakland to develop an improved truck route and to inform the development of statewide policy on goods movement. In West Contra Costa County, Fanta Kamakate, working with the Neighborhood House of North Richmond, attended numerous neighborhood council meetings to present our upcoming indoor diesel pollution-monitoring project, and recruit volunteer households to host equipment for the study. Residents responded positively to the project's goals and a number have volunteered to be part of the survey. Also on the horizon is a project to improve indoor air quality in the homes of seniors affected by diesel pollution in West Oakland. Morrison Named NGO Representative for New Social Responsibility Group In February, Jason Morrison was designated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as the NGO representative on a six-person multi-stakeholder delegation attending the first meeting of the ISO's Working Group on Social Responsibility in Salvador, Brazil in early March. Over the next three years, the ISO Working Group will develop an international standard that provides operational guidance for organizations wishing to undertake Social Responsibility practices. On February 23 in Washington, DC, Morrison attended a meeting of the US national mirror body to the ISO Working Group to identify US positions and provide guidance for the US delegation.		UPCOMING 3/8, Water Policy [San Francisco, Calif.], Peter Gleick will speak to the World Affairs Club, Great Decisions Program on Water and U.S. Foreign Policy, at noon. Event location: 312 Sutter St., Ste. 200. 3/22/05, Water Efficiency, [San Francisco, Calif.], Gary Wolff will discuss "Economic Assessment of Water Conserving Fixtures: Some Methods and Examples" at the Water Conservation Showcase being held at the Pacific Energy Center (851 Howard Street). The Pacific Institute is proud to be a cosponsor of the event. More info by phone (415) 973-2277, or online. 3/24/05, "The Colorado River Drought -- Sharing the Pain" [San Diego, Calif.]. Michael Cohen will participate on a panel at the Water Education Foundation's Executive Briefing. Info online. 3/30 to 4/1/05, Salton Sea Symposium [San Diego, Calif.]. Michael Cohen will speak about the future of the Salton Sea at the Salton Sea Symposium.

2/25-2/27, Peter Gleick made three presentations at the EPIIC International Symposium on Oil and Water at Tufts University and at the meeting on Water as a Source of Conflict and Cooperation.

2/26, Margaret Gordon made a presentation on the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project to the John George Democratic Club of West Oakland.

2/23, Jason Morrison attended a meeting of the U.S. national mirror body to the ISO Working Group in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting was to identify U.S. consensus positions and to provide guidance for the US delegation attending the Brazil meeting.

2/23, Margaret Gordon and other members of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project met with the East Bay Community Foundation to discuss funding opportunities to build the capacity and organizational development of the Project.

2/19, Michael Cohen gave a presentation on the impacts of the Colorado River drought on delta restoration efforts, at the University of the Pacific's/McGeorge School of Law conference on "Transboundary Freshwater Ecosystem Restoration."

2/19-2/20, Emily Lee and Margaret Gordon attended a conference organized by the Labor/Community Strategy Center in Los Angeles on environmental justice, public health, and civil rights called "The Future of Transportation in Los Angeles."

2/18, Peter Gleick delivered the luncheon keynote address at the University of the Pacific's/McGeorge School of Law conference on "Transboundary Freshwater Ecosystem Restoration."

2/18, Emily Lee and Margaret Gordon attended a Planning Consortium meeting of the California Environmental Health Tracking Program in Oakland, CA. Ms. Lee and Ms. Gordon have been involved in the Consortium's efforts to incorporate environmental justice concerns into health tracking.

2/17, Meena Palaniappan and Emily Lee hosted a meeting with Jesse Marquez of Wilmington Coalition for a Safe Environment and members of the Regional Diesel Coalition. Mr. Marquez presented successful strategies in reducing pollution from the Ports of Long Beach and LA, including mitigating pollution from ships, developing a green barrier, and documenting Port expansion.

2/17, In an event for Black History Month, Margaret Gordon participated in the Environmental Racism Forum at Boalt Hall Law School as a panelist. Ms. Gordon shared her experience as a resident of West Oakland in the environmental justice movement and gave an overview of the current state of West Oakland.

2/17, Margaret Gordon participated in the first meeting of the Community Air Risk Evaluation (CARE) Advisory Group. The Group advises the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which will investigate risk from toxic emissions in the Bay Area, and develop and implement a pilot risk reduction plan for the more highly impacted neighborhoods in the region.

2/16, Meena Palaniappan, Margaret Gordon, and Emily Lee hosted a meeting with our West Oakland Pilot Health Survey partners on the pilot survey results. The partners agreed to participate in the October 2005 West Oakland Healthy Neighborhoods Festival and will also convene a meeting of local health agencies in April to discuss the pilot survey results.

2/12, Gary Wolff made a presentation on "Balancing Uncertainties in Water Supply" at Sustainable Marin Water Day. About 40 people were present, including several elected officials and water district senior managers.

2/11, Meena Palaniappan presented opening remarks at the Goods Movement Hearing hosted by the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and California EPA. With goods movement through California Ports set to double or triple in size in the next few decades, it is critical to ensure we mitigate environmental impacts and protect the health of communities near ports. Ms. Palaniappan presented solutions from our "Clearing the Air" report on how to reduce diesel pollution in West Oakland, and involve fence line communities in decisions about goods movement. A highlight of the event was when a trucker held up our two page solutions sheet and said, "This is a great summary of what needs to happen, everyone needs to have one of these."

2/10, Emily Lee, Margaret Gordon, and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project hosted a meeting with City Transportation Services and residents to create a residential truck route in West Oakland that minimizes residents' exposure to toxic diesel soot. The West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project presented the draft truck route to community residents at Councilmember Nancy Nadel's Townhall meeting on February 24.

2/8, Meena Palaniappan participated in the Port of Oakland's Truck Advisory Committee and Technical Review Panel to provide oversight and feedback on disbursement of Carl Moyer Program funds to replace older truck engines with newer cleaner truck engines, and the use of Port settlement funds to get cleaner trucks on the road.

2/3-2/4, Peter Gleick lectured at UC Santa Barbara on the state of the world's water and was on a panel at the premiere of "Running Dry" -- a new documentary about water problems in developing countries -- at the Long Beach Aquarium.

2/2, Meena Palaniappan, Margaret Gordon, and Emily Lee along with the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project and the Golden Gate Law Clinic hosted a meeting with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and local truckers to better enforce the 30 minute idling limit for diesel trucks at the Port of Oakland. Photographic and survey evidence of idling trucks was presented along with ideas to improve enforcement and improve appointment systems to reduce diesel truck idling.

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