SAVE Tesla Park

Dear Friends,

The veto of AB 1086 – Alameda Tesla Expansion Area by Governor Newsom’s was extremely disappointing on many levels.  The Governor’s apparent support for the plan to expand Carnegie SVRA and open Tesla to damaging Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) recreation betrays the environmental protection principals he ran on. One only needs to look at Carnegie SVRA, which the OHMVR Division states is well managed, to know the devastating fate that awaits Tesla, a rare biologically diverse ecologically intact native landscape in the urbanized East Bay. 

The Governor turned his back on a simple, wise and fair solution to a 20-year local controversy which was vetted through 2 years of legislative review, with overwhelming local public agency and community support and approved by over two-thirds of both houses in the Legislature.  AB 1086 was wise because it could lead to protection of Tesla’s irreplaceable biodiversity. In a time of climate change Tesla’s location at the intersection of biotic zones provides critical species protection and resiliency. AB 1086 was fair because it did not require sale, but if it was determined that sale for conservation purposes to a local agency or non-profit was in the public interest proceeds would be returned to the OHMVR Division for use in area appropriate for OHV recreation. 

We obviously have more education to do with Governor Newsom and his Administration about the extensive scientific facts supporting Tesla preservation and how permanent protection is central to the Governor’s stated environmental objectives.

I joined the fight to Save Tesla Park nearly 10 years ago.  Many others have worked for decades longer.  Because Tesla is too important a part of our region’s natural history to sacrifice to OHV recreation use, we remain committed to establishing Tesla Park as a non-motorized nature and cultural preserve.  We are very thankful to Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Senator Steve Glazer for their vision and leadership.  I am confident that together – working with local officials, public agencies, community organizations and citizens – we will permanently preserve the beauty and wonder of Tesla as a legacy for future generations.

Nancy Rodrigue

Friends of Tesla Park

Please help Tesla! Ask Governor Newsom to sign AB 1086 into law.

Please contact Governor Newsom as soon as possible and ask him to sign AB 1086 into law (Pro 1086) at his official web site https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/ .

Sample message:

“Dear Governor Newsom – I urge you to sign AB 1086 into law because the Alameda-Tesla Expansion Area’s extraordinary biologic and cultural resources and the ecological integrity of its native landscape will be irreparably damaged by OHV recreation.  OHV recreation can be located somewhere else on land that is appropriate for such use.  Tesla cannot be moved.  AB 1086 provides a wise and fair pathway to resolve this long-standing controversy by allowing Tesla to be sold to a local agency for conservation purposes and by returning proceeds from any sale to the OHMVR Division.  Please help preserve the treasure of California’s natural and cultural history that is the Alameda-Tesla Expansion Area as a legacy for future generations by signing AB 1086 into law. “

Go online at https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/ as soon as possible to register your support for AB 1086. Thank you.

The last committee step for SB 767 in the Assembly is to get through the Appropriations Committee.

By this Friday August 26, 2019, please contact the following Appropriations Committee Members and SB 767 Co-Sponsors to ask for their support and help to pass SB 767 through Appropriations.

1. Call target Appropriations Committee members and 767 Co-sponsors at their Capitol Office. 
2. Ask to speak with the Legislative Director/Legislative Aide handling Appropriations Committee/SB 767/environmental/park issues.
3. Ask for their strong support of SB 767 in Appropriations Committee and/or ask they help get Chair to pass SB 767 out of Appropriations.

Assembly Appropriations Committee Members – https://apro.assembly.ca.gov/committeehome

• Lorena Gonzalez (Chair) – (916) 319-2080, Dem – 80
• Richard Bloom –     (916) 319-2050, Dem – 50
• Rob Bonta                 (916) 319-2018, Dem – 18 (Also Co-Sponsor)
• Ian C. Calderon –    (916) 319-2057, Dem – 57
• Ed Chau –               (916) 319-2049, Dem – 49
• Susan Talamantes Eggman – (916) 319-2013, Dem – 13
• Eduardo Garcia –     (916) 319-2056, Dem – 56
• Brian Maienschein –           (916) 319-2077, Dem – 77
• Robert Rivas –         (916) 319-2030. Dem – 30
• Bill Quirk –                (916) 319-2020, Dem – 20 (also Co-Sponsor)

SB 767 Principal Co-Sponsor – Rebecca Bauer–Kahan – https://a16.asmdc.org/ – (916) 319-2016

Tesla in her district. Thank for support and ask that she do everything she can to pass 767 out of Appropriations.

Other 767 Co-Sponsors –

Thank for being Co-sponsor and ask that they contact Chair Gonzalez to pass 767 out of Appropriations.

• Marc Levine – https://a10.asmdc.org/ – (916) 319-2010
• Mark Berman – https://a24.asmdc.org/ (916) 319-2024
• Kansen Chu – https://a25.asmdc.org/ – (916) 319-2025
• Tim Grayson– https://a14.asmdc.org/ – (916) 319-2014
• Buffy Wicks – https://a15.asmdc.org/ – (916) 319-2015

Please help us with this last push to call target Appropriations Committee members to pass SB 76. 

Many thanks for all you do for Tesla.