Environmental-Issues

Excerpt:

California least terns are small and endangered, but they're not afraid of mayhem. After all, they nest on airport runways.

But in Alameda, the brave little birds have brought chaos to a whole new level. No fewer than five public agencies are haggling over the birds and the thriving habitat that has sprung up around them, in a fight that's likely to reshape several hundred acres of the Bay Area's most picturesque real estate.

Excerpt:

The California Least Terns are arriving back at Alameda Point’s wildlife refuge to lay their eggs and raise their young. The volunteers, who help maintain the site, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologist responsible for the tern colony, have never left. They carry out maintenance tasks during the non-nesting season – September to early April – as well as help monitor bird behavior during the nesting season.

Documentary about the efforts to protect the endangered California Least Tern and their nesting site at Alameda Point. Alameda Point is the new name for the former Naval Air Station - Alameda, officially closed in 1997. San Francisco can be seen in the background on parts of this video.

Excerpt:

The city’s commitment to proceed with a less-intensive development plan than the one proposed by former Alameda Point developer SunCal could face a major hurdle: The amount of development now being contemplated for the former Naval Air Station may not pencil out financially.

Excerpt:

A recently released proposal for development at the former Alameda Naval Air
Station (NASNaval Air Station) lays out a plan for permanent protection for the endangered
California Least Terns that nest there while allowing for reasonable development on
lands adjacent to the colony. The proposal revised an older plan to build a large medical
and memorial complex on the runway at the former NAS, which is known locally
as the Alameda Wildlife Refuge.

According to the proposal, the majority of the medical complex and columbarium

Excerpt:

Golden Gate University’s Center on Urban Environmental Law (CUEL) recently sent a letter to Robert Doyle, General Manager of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD); John Russo, Alameda City Manager; and Larry Janes, Capital Assets Manager for the Veterans Administration Sierra Pacific Network commenting on the ongoing discussion about the location of a VAVeterans Affairs outpatient clinic at Alameda Point and the management of open space.

Excerpt:

The following was prepared by Leora Feeney, co-chair of ”Friends of the Alameda Wildlife Refuge,” a committee of the Golden Gate Audubon Society.

Delivered to the Alameda City Council on Monday, March 19, 2012, regarding the city-VAVeterans Affairs-park district proposal being considered for Alameda Point.

Excerpt:

City and East Bay Regional Park District officials are at odds over a proposed deal that would move a planned veterans’ complex off property that has long served as a nesting area for the endangered California least tern and onto land where city officials had hoped to build a park, trails and a sports complex.

Park district officials are seeking a $1-a-year lease to manage the property, while a city official working on the deal said the city has asked the park district to consider offering some seed money to help get the sports complex off the ground.

Excerpt:

An 18-year-long conflict over a key Alameda breeding site for California Least Terns is close to a positive solution

Excerpt:

It seemed as though the plans to build a veterans' facility at Alameda Point were moving full steam ahead. But no. Last year the project almost died until the East Bay Regional Park District stepped in to help.