Rio Hondo Group 

Sierra Club    

The Rio Hondo Group is the regional group for Sierra Club members in parts of Northern Orange County and Southern Los Angeles County (see below for specific communities). We support local hikes and outings, environmental protection and environmental justice, and we host programs that encourage involvement in Club activities to explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth. Join with us to take part in our outings, programs, and actions on issues like Climate Change, Wildlife Habitat Preservation, Public Lands Protection, and Water Conservation. 

Rio Hondo Group News

What is the Rio Hondo Group?

The Rio Hondo Group is one of 16 geographic groups of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club. The Angeles Chapter encompasses both Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Southern California, and the Rio Hondo Group includes the communities of Brea, Diamond Bar, Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, Fullerton, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Buena Park, La Mirada, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Downey, and Whittier. 

Because of its proximity to the Puente/Chino Hills, many of the group's conservation activities involve these hills. The group is active in the Puente/Chino Hills Task Force, which is working to preserve the wildlife corridor running from the western edge of the hills in Whittier to the Cleveland National Forest near the 91 Freeway. The group has also been involved in efforts to save West Coyote Hills in Fullerton and sponsors outings in the local area.

General Meetings. Physical meetings were suspended during the pandemic, but are currently in the process of being re-established, so keep posted. There are zoom meetings that take place in the meantime, see below

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

Group Activities - Rio Hondo Group is active with the local Sierra Club political and conservation committees in addition to our outings and monthly programs.  We could use more volunteers who like our activities and would like to help protect our environment. Please join us by contacting an Executive Committee member or attending one of our meetings.


Join the Rio Hondo Group Management Committee 

Help advance the mission of the Sierra Club at the local level by seeking a position on the Rio Hondo Group management / executive committee. As a member of the Executive Committee, you would help guide the Sierra Club’s work in the Rio Hondo Group communities. The Group organizes local conservation efforts, leads hikes & outings, recommends political endorsements, and hosts educational and social events. Groups are the face of the Club at public events and with elected officials. Contact Margee Hills -- margeehills@gmail.com -- if you are interested.

Visit the Rio Hondo Sierra Club Group on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/scriohondo

We will keep you up to date on our activities and local issues. 

Click the button below to become a member of the Sierra Club!

"Explore, enjoy and protect the planet"

CURRENT ISSUES AND EVENTS


UPCOMING EVENTS  

GENERAL MEETING: THE CONTINUING ISSUES OF THE DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT:  

Guest Speakers Jim Stewart (co-chair of the Sierra Club California Energy-Climate Committee) and Linda Seeley of the San Luis Obispo Mothers For Peace, discuss the current situation with the nuclear plant, the safety concerns and unnecessary risks, and what can be done. The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant situation has long been a matter of concern for the California Sierra Club, which gave it high priority in last Decembers Capitol Voice publication. RSVP Here


EARTH DAY TABLING: 

Join Sierra Club members for an enjoyable and beneficial day at the LA County Sanitation Districts Earth Day Celebration representing the Sierra Club to the visitors. See this link for the event flyer with event information and location: https://www.lacsd.org/home/showdocument?id=7329 . Check out Campfire if you would like to contact us for information and get notification register ahead of time 


We had our first General Meeting in quite a while September 28, on zoom!! It was both fun and informative. The topic was: CLIMATE CHANGE: FINDING COMMON GROUND

Leaders of various other Southern California groups active on Climate Change, including Citizens' Climate Lobby, Climate Reality, and Reform and Sustain, joined us to discuss efforts, goals, and opportunities for action and collaboration in our area in the face of the growing threat of Global Climate Change. Check out the Climate-Collective Calendar for climate related events in Orange County.


RIO HONDO AND CLIMATE CHANGE:  The Rio Hondo Group recently voted to have a group focus on the issue of Climate Change. If you're also fed up with the dangerous direction our global climate has been taking, with extreme heat waves, unprecedented wildfires, 100 degree ocean waters, and the risks associated with rising sea levels, please contact and join us in efforts to move the needle on what is becoming more and more a crisis situation.     Extraordinary Photos of July's Extreme Weather


GROUP ELECTIONS:  Congrats to Margee Hills and David Warren on re-election to the Rio Hondo Excom, and to Anne Woodworth who was newly elected as the 5th Excom member.

The Hsi Lai Temple Expansion Area (south is up in this map)


Project Description: The International Buddhist Progress Society has proposed expansion of its Hsi Lai Temple through the construction of a retreat center along Hacienda Blvd. in Hacienda Heights. The project is located on the northern flanks of the Puente Chino Hills in an area of steep slopes bounding canyons. The proposed project would include the development of 17 buildings, including living and dining facilities, classrooms, offices, and a reception/meditation.  Multiple levels, perhaps 7, of underground parking would be constructed below the entry plaza, with a total of 297 parking spaces provided on site. The project would include two proposed driveways along South Hacienda Boulevard. To accomplish this would involve grading of more than 100,000 cubic yards of soil.  

Concerns: The project is located in open space adjacent to lands managed by the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority that is part of the important wildlife corridor extending from the San  Gabriel Mountains, down the San Gabriel River, to Whittier Narrows and through the Puente  Chino Hills to the Santa Ana Mountains. This Puente-Chino Hills corridor is identified as a biodiversity hot spot in North America. The project is located at a narrowed choke point in this  corridor, and additionally is cut by Highway 39 that animals must cross—a danger to both wildlife  and occupants of cars and trucks traversing the width of the Puente Hills. Adjacent lands are also  designated as part of a Significant Ecological Area. 

The project would impact the movement of wildlife within the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor,  have a limiting effect on genetic diversity within animal populations, cause potential damage to  plant associations, and impacts to federally or State protected species. The proximity of the  project to open space either on the project site, the adjacent Puente Hills Habitat Authority lands  and/or adjacent Significant Ecological Area will potentially impose urban edge effects on the  corridor such as lighting, noise and increased traffic that have been shown to influence activities  and movements of animal species, particularly those active from dusk to dawn. 

The existing Schabarum trail would have to be relocated into the oak woodland area along a blue-line stream, resulting in more habitat destruction.

The site has already been subject to hazards of wildfire, seismic activity due to proximity to the  active Whittier Fault, landslides, and liquefaction. At the two community meetings that have been  held, local residents expressed major alarm about traffic impacts on Highway 39. 

Status: A Notice of Preparation (NOP) of a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was  prepared by the County of Los Angeles and a public scoping meeting was held on Zoom on  November 19, 2020.. 

Action: Become familiar with the information contained in the NOP, and let your elected  representatives know that you have concerns about the project.

Upcoming Rio Hondo Outings


RIO HONDO, OCSS  WEDNESDAY 6:30 PM:

Weekly Conditioning Hike Moderately paced 5-6 mile hike in the lush canyons of the Puente/Whittier Hills. You will get a spectacular 360 view of LA and Orange County lights. 700' gain up along switchbacks and trails with varying routes. NOT A BEGINNER'S HIKE. Wear hiking boots and bring water. Meet at south end of 7th Avenue where street ends and turn right on Orange Grove to park on street. Use 7th Ave. exit off (60 Fwy) Pomona Fwy, go south to Orange Grove. Weekly  6:30 PM O: STEVE FELD PUENTE HILLS CONDITIONING HIKE: Hike Moderate Directions

Other Rio Hondo Outings - listed in the Sierra Club Online Schedule of Activities

All Sierra Club hikes - Schedule of Activities - Angeles Chapter

Also see  Puente Hills Preserve Hikers (Whittier, CA) - Meetup

Local Conservation Issues

Attend our monthly meetings to make contact with others participating in political action on environmental and conservation issues supported by the Sierra Club.

Coyote Hills - the last native habitat in northern Orange County. The Coyote Hills task force/Friends of Coyote Hills has been successful in saving much of this area from development and is working on saving the rest.  www.coyotehills.org

The Puente-Chino Hills - a world-class natural resource of oak and walnut woodlands and an important wildlife corridor. The Sierra Club's Puente Chino Hills task force is educating and activating the public to help save the remaining critical open space. Saturday hikes by the Puente-Chino Hills Task Force - see their webpage at  www.savethewildlifecorridor.org/

Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority - administers wilderness and hiking areas in hills north of La Habra and Whittier.  www.habitatauthority.org/

Montebello Hills - in the northeast section of Montebello in the western San Gabriel Valley, are the last large area of open space left between the L.A. and Rio Hondo Rivers. These hills neighbor our communities.   Montebello Hills Task Force

Environmental/Political Action News

U.S., European heat waves 'virtually impossible' without climate change, study finds - npr.org

She is trying to get the U.S. to take extreme heat more seriously. Here's how - npr.org

69% Average Decline in Wildlife Populations Since 1970 - WWF 

Major Report Warns Climate Change Is Accelerating, Humans Must Cut Emissions Now - npr.org


July Was The Hottest Month In Recorded Human History - npr.org


Energy and Environment - Linda T. Sánchez

Linda represents California’s 38th congressional district. "We are already witnessing the devastating effects of climate change. Expanding carbon-free energy is one of the most important ways to mitigate climate change."

 

Court orders Shell to slash CO2 emissions in landmark climate ruling - CNN Business

US pledges to dramatically slash greenhouse emissions over next decade - Nature

Researchers say the commitment to roughly halve emissions is a good start to slowing climate change, but fear it still isn’t enough.

EPA dismisses dozens of key science advisers picked under Trump - bostonglobe

https://www.epa.gov/

Trump Administration Rolled Back More Than 100 Environmental Rules - NYTimes

Ex-governor, 8 former Michigan officials charged in Flint water crisis - nbcnews

Charges stem from "the largest criminal investigation in the history of the state of Michigan," the attorney general says.

Trump, Calling Himself 'No. 1 Environmental President,' Green Washes His Record - NYTimes

E.P.A. Limits States’ Power to Oppose Pipelines and Other Energy Projects - NYTimes

The agency tweaked the rules on how to apply the Clean Water Act, which New York and other states have used to fight fossil-fuel ventures.

Five ways that Trump is undermining environmental protections under the cover of coronavirus - nature.com

While the world focuses on the pandemic, the United States is adopting controversial policies at the EPA.

Trump budget slashes EPA funding, environmental programs - TheHill

President Trump's proposed budget for fiscal 2021 calls for significant reductions to environmental programs at federal agencies.

Trump Administration Weakens Protections for Endangered Species - NYTimes

The changes could clear the way for new mining, oil and gas drilling, and development . . .

Trump's Great Lakes Whoppers - Factcheck.org

Falsely declaring that he has “always” been a supporter of the Great Lakes, President Donald Trump announced that he would fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with $300 million . . .

Trump Administration Distorts the Facts On Climate Report - Factcheck.org

IPCC says limiting global warming to 1.5 °C will require drastic action - nature.com

Humanity has a limited window in which it can hope to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

6 Trump Administration Climate Claims Exposed As Total Nonsense By Federal Report - huffingtonpost.com

There’s actually no “tremendous disagreement” among federal climate scientists that humans are to blame for accelerated global warming.

Trump pulls United States out of Paris climate agreement - nature.com

Withdrawal from global pact may take almost four years — which could give the winner of the 2020 presidential race the final word.

How scientists reacted to the US leaving the Paris climate agreement - nature.com

Rio Hondo Executive                      

Committee Members


Chair/Political Chair  Mike Bressler  mbressler157@gmail.com     

Co-Membership Chair/                           


Secretary   Penny Fonches  oc-now@outlook.com 


Vice Chair/Treasurer/  Margee Hills  margeehills@gmail.com 

Outings Chair / Chapter Excom rep.


Conservation Chair/  David Warren    davidw20003@yahoo.com

Chapter Cons rep./Co-Membership Chair


Newly Elected Member: Anne Woodworth