Transcript Item 15c 2 Dumbacher GGAS Slides May 9 2013 - CAL

Lighting will have significant impacts on wildlife
“The project proposal and analysis set forth in the EIR does not
adequately describe the extent of light pollution that would occur
from the new sports field lighting, nor does it take into account
the exacerbating effects of the unique weather conditions on the
western side of San Francisco and the project site’s location 450
feet from the beach . . “
Golden Gate Audubon Society
EIR severely underestimates increased illumination
20%forth
reflectance
fromdoes
the surface
“The project proposal andAssuming
analysis set
in the EIR
not
adequately describe the extent of light pollution that would occur
from the new sports field lighting, nor does it take into account
the exacerbating effects of the unique weather conditions on the
western side of San Francisco and the project site’s location 450
feet from the beach . . “
Proposed sports field lights
Existing Great Highway streetlights
Golden Gate Audubon Society
EIR severely underestimates increased illumination
EIR does not account for unique weather of SF
• Fog and moisture additionally scatter light
• Marine cloud layer reflect light back toward ground
and surrounding area
• Fog is present in SF more than 100 days a year, and
fog or low marine layer are even more prevalent in
the western end of the city.
Golden Gate Audubon Society
Lights at the Beach Chalet Will Be Visible from Space
“The
Beach Chalet project would be a significant new addition to
light on the western end of the park and would be visible from
space.” (Longcore & Rich 2013)
The Project would create a luminous dome of light…
“ . . . the proposed project would create a luminous dome of bright
white light where it is currently darker than the surrounding city. This
dome, especially under foggy conditions (which occur at least one third
of the year), would be the defining visual feature of the nighttime
environment in the National Park to the west, and would increase
ambient illumination over a wide area to levels that are
ecologically disruptive.”
Longcore/Rich letter to CCC, March 26. 2013
“[The Beach Chalet EIR] discounts potential impacts to
biological resources . . .”
“ . . . [The Beach Chalet
EIR] improperly discounts
the potential impacts to
biological resources
including nesting birds in
the park, migratory birds,
seabirds, shorebirds, bats,
and any other species
currently living in the
vicinity of the sports
fields. . .”
Photo © 2012, Joseph Moss,
Longcore/Rich letter to CCC, March
26. 2013
Artificial turf will destroy important habitat
Golden Gate Audubon Society
64 Bird Species Have Been Observed Using the Site by Just One Volunteer
Canada Goose
Downy Woodpecker*
Turkey Vulture
Hairy Woodpecker*
Osprey
Hutton's Vireo*
Cooper's Hawk
Warbling Vireo
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Common Raven*
Red-tailed Hawk *
American Crow*
Red-shouldered Hawk *
Western Scrub Jay*
Peregrine Falcon
Steller's Jay*
Merlin
Barn Swallow *
Mew Gull
Tree Swallow
Ring-billed Gull
Violet-green Swallow
California Gull
Pygmy Nuthatch *
Western Gull
Northern Mockingbird *
Glaucous-winged Gull
Gray Catbird x
Mourning Dove*
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rock Pigeon
Bushtit*
Anna's Hummingbird*
Chestnut-backed Chickadee *
Allen's Hummingbird*
Cedar Waxwing
Say's Phoebe
Hermit Thrush
Black Phoebe*
American Robin *
Pac-slope Flycatcher
Orange-crowned Warbler
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Townsend's Warbler
Northern Flicker
(*= likely breeding in or near the athletic fields; x= rare or uncommon migrant)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler x
Northern Waterthrush x
California Towhee *
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow *
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow x
Song Sparrow *
Lincoln's Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco *
Black-headed Grosbeak
Western Tanager
House Finch *
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch *
Lesser Goldfinch
Killdeer
European Starling
Brewer's Blackbird *
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Additional species have been observed, including shorebirds during big storm
events at Ocean Beach
Golden Gate Audubon Society
The Project Will Affect Snowy Plovers and Other Wildlife Species
Recorded observations of the
federally-listed threatened Snowy
Plover (above) and Red-shouldered
Hawk (right) at and around the
project site.
(Source: eBird; from Longcore & Rich 2013)
Golden Gate Audubon Society
“A cursory review of eBird data
reveals the presence of Western
Snowy Plover quite close to the
project site. . . . The proposed
project would significantly increase
the ambient illumination on the beach
that is used by this threatened
species, which could have adverse
impacts by increasing predation.”
Longcore/Rich letter to CCC, March 26. 2013
Downy Woodpecker, Red-tailed Hawk, Great-horned Owl [c] Walter Kindutu. Dark-eyed Junco [c] Steven Streit
The Project conflicts with the California Coastal Act
The Project, as proposed
- diminishes the coastal values
- Will harm wildlife and habitat
- Reduce aesthetic value of the site
- Impose consequences on surrounding coastal areas
Viable alternatives exist, and have been recommended:
- Fields can be improved with safer, cleaner natural grass
- Costly, wasteful, and pollution-causing lighting is not
necessary
Golden Gate Audubon Society