Our very own Dave Pine has a piece in the Chronicle today about upcoming restoration of local wetlands. Dave is our County supe and the chair of the S.F. Bay Restoration Authority. He writes
Thanks to the wisdom and generosity of Bay Area voters, the restoration of San Francisco Bay for people and wildlife is about to accelerate. Earlier this week, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority committed $17.9 million to restore tidal marshes along the shoreline from funds approved by Bay Area voters in 2016 under Measure AA, which is expected to raise $500 million over 20 years.
This month’s Restoration Authority grants will fund a diverse mix of restoration projects around the bay (see full list at www.SFBayRestore.org). Many of these projects will also provide trails and other public recreation amenities. Proposition 68 on the June ballot is the next opportunity to increase resources for the bay, with another $20 million dedicated to matching Measure AA funds.
Years of effort prevented urban development on former salt evaporation ponds and hay fields diked off from the bay so that they could be reconnected to the tides, grow marsh plants, and become functioning marshes again. That renewal, which began over the past decade at sites near Novato, Vallejo, Oakland, Hayward, Alviso and Redwood City, is already showing spectacular results. With Measure AA funds now available, we will see new restoration projects for years to come.
Prop. 68 is a $4 billion bond measure. The Chron notes "Nearly $3 billion goes for parks and outdoor work, badly needed as buildings dating back to the 1930s show their age and growing communities clamor for recreation spots. The balance will focus on flood protection, improved delta levees and clean water projects where groundwater is tainted by pollution and local budgets can’t afford upgrades." I would definitely prefer to kill the high-speed rail boondoggle and recapture 4 of the 100 billion dollars we are going to waste on the train for wetlands restoration and parks. But you knew that already.
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