| | Greetings Friend, Spring was bustling, and now we're in the heart of summer! I hope you're enjoying the nice weather and staying cool. It was wonderful to see so many of you at our winter Coffee with the Director event and our recent member meeting in June. And, a big thank you to everyone who participated in our Spring Litter Bugs Me clean-up event. Recently, we've been active in Sacramento, successfully defending the Coastal Act. We have also welcomed our new team of summer interns, who are already deep into their capstone projects. Check out this month’s newsletter to learn more about our intern team, see what we've been up to, read articles by our summer legal and policy interns, and find out how you can take action to protect West Marin. In gratitude, |
|  | P.S. Stop by and see our Development Director, Jess Taylor, this weekend on July 14th from 12 - 3 PM out front of our office in Point Reyes Station. She will have a variety of items for sale that support our mission! |
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| | EAC Generally Supports Alternative B for the
Tomales Point Area Plan
Amina Khribeche, Legal & Policy Intern | Photo: Grace Milstein Last month, we submitted comments to the National Parks Service (NPS) regarding changes to the Tomales Point Area Plan. Once finalized, this plan will replace the 1998 Tule Elk Management Plan and the 1980 General Management Plan for the park. The current outdated management plan does not address key issues related to the management of the wildlife resources within Tomales Point amidst the current impacts of climate change. We have been involved in reviewing the plan and previously submitted public comments to NPS during the public scoping comment period in fall 2023. In our most recent comments, we are generally supportive of the removal of the elk fence (Alternative B), while raising several additional concerns. Read more... |
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|  | Cleaner California Coast -
A Leave No Trace Initiative
Madeline Nieto Hope, Program Coordinator & Grace Milstein, Communications Manager Over the past year, we played a pivotal role as the fiscal sponsor for the Cleaner California Coast Initiative, managing efforts across Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. This initiative aims to preserve California's coastal regions through public education, community engagement, and conservation activities, promoting responsible recreation and reducing pollution. By partnering with the Leave No Trace organization and local, state, and federal working group members, we ensured the use of best practices for environmental stewardship. The Cleaner California Coast Initiative embodies our commitment to proactive and inclusive conservation efforts, engaging diverse stakeholders in the shared goal of maintaining healthy coastlines. Through this initiative, we have safeguarded the natural landscapes and promoted community awareness and responsibility, empowering residents and visitors alike to be active participants in conserving their coastal environments. This year we focused on several key areas before transitioning our role into a working group partner as the new fiscal sponsor, Leave No Trace, took on the project July 1st. EAC thanks Madeline Nieto Hope for her dedication to this project as she transitions to working with Leave No Trace directly. Read More... |
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 | Member Meeting, Picnic Potluck & Awards
Grace Milstein, Communications Manager & Jessica Taylor, Development Director; Photo: Sarah Killingsworth We would like to thank our member community for joining us for the Annual Member Meeting, Picnic Potluck & Awards on Saturday, June 29th at Point Reyes National Seashore's Bear Valley Picnic Area. The EAC board, staff, interns, volunteers, and members gathered over a delicious picnic potluck and lawn games, followed by our annual environmental awards ceremony and member hikes in the park. We honored Sharon Barnett, co-owner of Marin Nature Adventures and science teacher at Marin Country Day School, with the Peter Behr Steward of the Land & Sea award. Our Public Service award went to Amanda Eichstaedt and the KWMR Radio Team in recognition of the radio station’s public service to the community airing locally relevant and emergency information and entertainment to listeners. Our Next Generation Advocacy Award went to Olivia Koeppel, Charles Haslett, and Henry Wooster, students at Marin Academy, for their volunteer work with us during the fall school year. Our Volunteers of the Year awards were presented to John Dulger-Sheikin and Wendy Botwin. We also recognized departing board directors Mairi Pileggi and David Weinsoff for their dedication to our mission, and former executive director Morgan Patton for her contributions to the organization. View photos and read the full recap on awardees and more here. |
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|  | Victory in Protecting the CA Coastal Act
Austin Gent, Legal & Policy Intern California’s coast is one of the state’s most valuable and scenic resources. Our state boasts over 420 public beaches and approximately 840 miles of coastline, extending from the border of Mexico up to the state of Oregon. Unlike most states, within the California Constitution, the guarantee to the public right of access to our state’s beaches, ocean, and navigable waterways is enshrined. Each and every person is entitled to the enjoyment of our coastline, its recreational opportunities, its beauty, and the natural resources it has to offer. Given the pristine and diverse nature of California’s coast, it is of paramount concern that the entire coast be protected and preserved, along with the regulatory mechanisms that protect it, such as the California Coastal Act. Unfortunately, the Act has been under attack recently, where housing is being pitted against our coastal resources. Read about EAC's victory in protecting the Act! |
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 | Welcoming Summer Interns and Recognizing Chris Mouawad!
Grace Milstein, Communications Manager EAC would like to welcome our summer Coastal Advocate, Communications, and Legal and Policy Interns. Our intern team contributes significantly to our advocacy and community engagement efforts by expanding our capacity and outreach. Meet our fantastic summertime crew and join us for our Capstone Conversations on August 10th from 10 am to 2 pm at the EAC office in Point Reyes Station to learn more about their impact and their summer projects. We welcome Amina Khribeche and Austin Gent as Legal and Policy interns, Nathaniel Burroughs as a Coastal Advocate intern, and Kate Loomans as our Communications Intern. We also want to recognize former Legislative Fellow, Chris Mouawad for being awarded the UC Davis King Hall Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Student Award! Read more... |
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| |  | Last MPA Watch Trainings of the Summer Join Marin Marine Protected Area (MPA) Watch volunteer team to help protect Marin County's Marine Protected Areas! As a volunteer, you'll gather valuable data and document human activities while enjoying walks along the coast. Your efforts will directly support the scientific understanding and conservation of our marine ecosystems! Sign up for a training below. Trainings are led by our EAC Summer Coastal Advocate Intern team! |
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 | Have a Camera to Donate? There are many ways to support EAC, including donating time, goods, taking action, or donating to support our work! We're currently looking for a used digital camera that's working and has a charger and battery. We’re open to any brand as long as the camera is no more than six years old. If it comes with multiple lenses, even better! If you're interested in donating, please get in touch with grace@eacmarin.org. Thank you for your support! |
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 | Your Voice Needed for Key Projects in Stinson
Image: National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) and Marin County seek your input on two important projects that will impact Stinson Beach. Stinson Beach Parking Lots Rehab. Project NPS is hosting a public meeting on July 23rd, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Stinson Beach Community Center, located at 30 Belvedere Avenue, Stinson Beach. Attend to learn more about the project. The project Newsletter will be available for review on the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website from June 24 to August 15, 2024. You can provide feedback on the newsletter and public meeting via the website. Stinson ARC project for Resilience Did you miss the webinar on Stinson Beach sea level rise adaptation options and their tradeoffs? You can now watch the recording. You can also review the recently released technical report looking at various approaches to help stakeholders make informed adaptation decisions related to sea level rise. Visit Marin County’s visual story map on Stinson Beach hazards and fill out the brief survey at the end for a chance to win a prize! |
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| | | We endeavor to keep our website up to date with the latest information on our campaigns and included some quick links in case the topic you're most interested in isn't featured in this month's e-news! Some links to campaigns are below or click on the images to view those pages directly. |
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| | | |  | Did you know you can set up a recurring gift online? Whether you choose to set up an annual recurring gift or spread out your giving monthly or quarterly,
a recurring gift is a great way to help provide consistent donations, so we can focus on protecting what you love in West Marin. |
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| | | Shop Our Advocate Store in Point Reyes Station Give a gift to the advocate in your life and support our mission.
Shop hats, totes, tees, sweatshirts, and more in a variety of styles. |
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| | MISSION To protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of West Marin. We achieve this goal through advocacy, science, education, and engagement. |
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VISION Protected resilient ecosystems in West Marin’s coastal communities for current and future generations. |
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| | Contact Us Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC)
PO Box 609 | 65 Third Street, Suite 12
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663.9312 | info@eacmarin.org |
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