Deep in the heart of Patagonia, Chile flow two of the world’s purest rivers, the Baker and the Pascua. These free-flowing rivers drive biodiversity in temperate rainforests, in estuaries, and in marine ecosystems. The rivers also provide life support for Patagonia’s Gauchos, the iconic South American cowboys who endure relentless winds and long winters in these remote river valleys.

Patagonia and its people are now enmeshed in a heated conflict surrounding a proposal to build five large hydroelectric dams on the Baker and Pascua Rivers. This is another example of how the pursuit of new water sources and energy sources can put the natural environment at risk. Though promoted as a source of “clean” energy, the dams would in fact have massively negative impacts on this isolated and beautiful land, an on the people who now live there.

If you would like to find out more, I am happy to report that the there will be a free screening of an impressive film discussing the issues. The film is called Patagonia Rising. It will be shown tomorrow night, March 13th, at the UC Santa Cruz Media Theater, starting at 7:00 p.m. There will be a post-screening question and answer session with film director Brian Lilla. The screening is being sponsored by the UCSC Environmental Studies Department.

You can get more information in today’s transcript.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds
• Patagonia Rising – Information on the film
• Facebook Event Announcement
• Film Trailer

State Senator Joe Simitian represents areas on the San Francisco Peninsula. He also represents a lot of territory in Santa Cruz County. Many of his Santa Cruz County constituents probably aren’t aware that Senator Simitian has played, and is continuing to play, a critical role on high-speed rail.

As an environmental attorney, I represent two different community groups that are following the high-speed rail project. The Community Coalition On High Speed Rail is based on the Peninsula. Citizens For California High Speed Rail Accountability is based in Kings County. Both groups find that the specific plans of the California High-Speed Rail Authority are insensitive to community and environmental concerns. The “concept” of high-speed rail has a lot to say for it. Execution, however, is ultimately more important than the grand concept.

At any rate, since I am so closely following high-speed rail issues, I know that Senator Simitian is sponsoring a hearing on that topic tonight, in Mountain View. Senator Simitian will be joined by Senators Alan Lowenthal and Marc DeSaulnier. These three elected officials are in leadership positions with respect to the proposed project. If you are interested in the topic, I invite your attendance. The hearing tonight begins at 7:00 p.m. It will be held at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, in Mountain View.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds
• California High-Speed Rail Authority Website
• Community Coalition on High-Speed Rail (CC-HSR)
• Citizens For California High Speed Rail Accountability (CCHSRA)
• Information on March 13, 2012 High-Speed Rail Hearing in Mountain View
• California High Speed Rail Blog
• Californians For High Speed Rail
• High-Speed Boondoggle Website

Yesterday, I mentioned that I have been working with a couple of community groups interested in the topic of high-speed rail. These particular groups are skeptical. Other groups support high-speed rail, and are vociferous and active in their advocacy on behalf of California’s proposed high-speed rail project. If you’d like links to some of the most active advocates, on both sides, check out the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

Because I am going to be out of town for the next week or so, it is pretty much impossible for me to use these weekday Land Use Reports, which are prerecorded, to highlight specific items coming up on the agendas of City Councils, Boards of Supervisors, and other local government agencies. I thought, therefore, absent the ability to point you to interesting and important meetings, that I might focus in on the topic of community activism in the land use arena.

The high-speed rail issue is a good example of how important public policy questions often have at least “two sides,” and how community activism can make a real difference. If you were reading the headline on today’s transcript, you’d see that I have titled today’s Land Use Report, “What Color Is Your Passion?” Whatever that passion is, I encourage your involvement in the land use issues that so profoundly affect our future. In the next week or so, I’ll talk about some of the practicalities, as you think about getting involved yourself.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds
• California High-Speed Rail Authority Website
• Community Coalition on High-Speed Rail (CC-HSR)
• Citizens For California High Speed Rail Accountability (CCHSRA)
• Information on March 13, 2012 High-Speed Rail Hearing in Mountain View
• California High Speed Rail Blog
• Californians For High Speed Rail
• High-Speed Boondoggle Website

Democratic decision-making comes out of public debate and discussion. Advocates on all sides need to be engaged. My “unhidden agenda,” here on the Land Use Report, is not to persuade you that my personal views on land use issues are the correct ones, but to urge you to get personally involved, yourselves, in the land use policy debates that will affect our future. Land use decisions do make a difference, and if you let someone else make those decisions you will probably end up being dissatisfied.

Specifically, please do not assume that your elected officials are going to do what you think is the obvious, right thing. I first got involved in land use issues in the early 1970’s, because the Santa Cruz City Council was just positive that paving over Lighthouse Field, to build a massive convention center complex, was the right thing to do. As it turns out, that wasn’t what everyone wanted, but the majority only got their way when the majority got organized. The current Council’s single-minded commitment to building a desalination plant really takes me back. Is this what the community wants? I don’t know, but unless those who don’t want a $100-million dollar desalination plant get organized, the Council is going to do what it wants.

The first rule of effective community participation is to “get organized.” That means, very simply, “getting together with your friends.” I’ll talk about the next step tomorrow.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Several days ago I used the following title on my Land Use Report transcript: What Color Is Your Passion? Whatever position you’re coming from, I encourage your involvement in the land use decision-making process. Land use decisions make a difference, and our democratic process only works if there are informed and engaged participants on all sides of the questions presented. Individual participation is great, but effective work in the public policy (or “political”) arena demands that those with similar views “get organized.” That’s step one, and that means, as a practical matter, either creating or joining a group of like-minded persons, working for the same public policy goal. In Monterey County, the debate about the future of land use on the former Fort Ord is heating up. New groups like Keep Fort Ord Wild are engaged, as are older groups like LandWatch Monterey County, the League of Women Voters, and others.

Step one: “get organized.” Step two: get the facts!

Knowledge is power, and democratic decision-making is all about power. It’s about building power and using it to achieve public policy goals. If you care about an issue, then you and your group need to start understanding everything about that issue, from the legalities to the science. And you need to know the facts relied upon by the other side, too!

Next week: more steps!

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds
• Keep Fort Ord Wild
• LandWatch Monterey County
• League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula