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Support Gulf Coast Recovery Efforts
July 2010
- Clean up efforts in the Gulf Coast following the BP oil spill.
The BP oil drilling disaster is one of the most significant threats to the environment in U.S. history, with tragic implications on Gulf Coast communities, environmentally and economically, and the larger global community.
After careful review and a thorough vetting process by our expert staff, we encourage you to support the Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health. We believe the Fund is aligned with our core values and our commitment to bolstering social justice in the communities impacted by this disaster.
Efforts by the Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health will directly aid community leaders and front line responders, addressing and alleviating the human, environmental, and economic effects of this disaster.
Please visit their website, www.gulfcoastfund.org, and contribute to the critical recovery and cleanup efforts of grassroots organizations working in communities all along the Gulf Coast on the front lines of this disaster.
Environmental and Climate Justice Victory in Richmond
May 2010
- Protests in Richmond.
On April 26, the California State Court of Appeals rejected Chevron's appeal on the refinery expansion in Richmond. The court ruled that the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project violated state environmental law. This is a major victory for our communities. The San Francisco Foundation is proud to support environmental justice groups like Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), West County Toxics Coalition (WCTC), and Earthjustice who worked together to play a pivotal role in holding Chevron – the largest greenhouse gas emitter in the state of California – accountable to environmental health and justice standards. These groups worked closely empowering community members who made their own voices heard, including at demonstrations and rallies at Richmond City Council meetings.
For decades, Chevron has contributed to Richmond's poor air quality, which affects the community's higher rates of cancer, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. If this current project were to go forward and Chevron processed lower quality crude, the refinery would likely emit significantly more toxic pollution. This pollution would include chemicals linked to cancer and respiratory ailments, according to the groups' expert. The EPA reported nearly 100,000 pounds of toxic waste from the site in 2007, including more than 4,000 pounds of benzene (a known human carcinogen) and 455,000 pounds of ammonia; repeated exposure to these chemicals can cause an asthma-like illness and lead to lung damage. This project also would create an additional 900,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, not taking into account a switch to dirtier crude.
The implications of this community victory reach far beyond the City of Richmond. Chevron is using its expansion project to also attack the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts of proposed projects. The state goes even further, requiring companies to reduce significant environmental impacts. These local environmental organizations are continuing their fight to understand how pollution impacts our communities and to strengthen health and environmental standards across our state.
Grassroots Convening on SB 375 and Sustainable Communities Strategies
April 2010
The San Francisco Foundation, Urban Habitat, and Public Advocates invite you to a convening on May 12th at 12:30 p.m. at The California Endowment Oakland Conference Center to discuss the opportunities and risks that Senate Bill 375 may pose in building more complete and vibrant communities.
Enacted in 2008, Senate Bill 375 is the nation's first law to control greenhouse gas emissions by curbing sprawl and poor land-use development. Under the law, each region is to integrate the previously disjointed regional planning processes for transportation, land-use, and housing, and develop a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), a long range regional land-use and transportation plan intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create healthier more sustainable communities.
Because SB 375 transforms the way that regions tackle transportation investments and affordable housing plans, it opens new windows to redraw the regional map of opportunity and exclusion. An equitable SCS could generate transit investments that serve our communities and more affordable housing in the Bay Area. But SB 375 also poses risks. If our communities are not at the table to shape the rules, SB 375 could exacerbate deeply rooted health and social justice inequalities in transportation, housing, and economic opportunity.
Our regional agencies are launching the SCS planning process this summer for the Bay Area. It is a remarkable opportunity to change the rules around housing, transportation, and land-use. Rules that affect all of us, and rules that have often marginalized many of our communities. Community-based organizations and social justice groups must move quickly to have impact on the regional SCS growth allocations, alternative development scenarios, and investment strategies that will be determined through this planning process.
Please join us for a conversation and to learn more about the law and opportunities for engagement in designing a fair and equitable Sustainable Community Strategy for the Bay Area. Together we can send the message that unless our communities are equitable, they cannot be sustainable.
Click here to read the proposed agenda.
Visit our online calendar for location information and to RSVP online by May 7th. Lunch will be provided, and space is limited. Please contact Sarah Chun at ssc@sff.org with questions.
Recent News
Livable Communities Program
October 2009
On October 22nd, The San Francisco Foundation and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) hosted Ron Sims, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for a small meeting with key regional government and Great Communities Collaborative leaders, so that he could learn more about our public/nonprofit collaborations around mixed-income transportation-oriented development. This information will help HUD craft a Notice of Funds Available this fall for a $150 million pilot program, Livable Communities, in which select regions will receive significant grants to advance promising regional planning.
At ABAG’s annual General Assembly, Keynote Speaker Sims was asked how to involve low-income communities in the various big planning processes in our regions. Mr. Sims answered with great passion about the “importance of foundations bridging between governments and communities” and lauded The San Francisco Foundation and other participants who help translate and bring people together.
Property Acquisition Fund
October 2009
On October 5th, Heather Hood, Initiative Officer at The San Francisco Foundation, previewed the Property Acquisition Fund, a fund the Great Communities Collaborative is creating to catalyze real estate development near transit hubs.
The Fund was presented at the Council on Foundations Fall Conference
during a panel discussion, 'Rethinking Urban Land Use: How Cities and
Philanthropy are Re-imagining the Urban Landscape', moderated by George
McCarthy, Director of Urban Opportunity at the Ford Foundation. Mr.
McCarthy introduced the panel at the conference to inspire the audience
of community foundations and other professionals in philanthropy to
make full use of their creative resources and to build on the power of
convening to catalyze struggling communities’ real estate markets.
Transportation for America: Seizing the Opportunities
December 2008
On December 15, 2008, we held a transportation briefing for representatives from western and national foundations with the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities.
As the 2009 reauthorization of our national transportation law nears, and transportation infrastructure is being discussed consistently in President-elect Obama’s various economic stimulus package ideas, philanthropic and community leaders, transportation professionals, as well as community activists are discussing how they can collaborate to ensure the new transportation federal funding advances a common community agenda for a better quality of life. The foundations that support these efforts have prioritized community development, smart growth, urban revitalization, energy independence, and climate protection among their top funding areas. A representative from Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office closed the day with remarks about how these priorities might dovetail with regional and national transportation goals, what other issues will be addressed in the law, and how the new program will be financed.
Speaker Pelosi praised the Great Communities Collaborative for "highlighting the importance of diversifying our transportation options to reduce the focus on driving and increase our options for bus and rail transit, walking, biking, and transit-oriented development while creating vibrant communities." Click here to download the full text of Speaker Pelosi's letter of support [PDF].
RFP
Announced for The San Francisco Foundation Cosco Busan Fund to Support Response and Restoration
August 2008
The San Francisco Foundation announces a special, one-time, round of grants from The San Francisco Foundation Cosco Busan Fund. In the aftermath of the spill, the Foundation quickly responded by committing to support emergency efforts, longer-term restoration of habitats and wetlands damaged by the oil spill, and building the capacity of first response organizations to protect the San Francisco Bay. When we launched the fund in November 2007, we established an initial contribution of $250,000 and have since reached our goal of $500,000.
To learn more about this opportunity, please visit our Grants and Awards page.
RFP Now Available for San Francisco Bay Fund Grants
June 2008
The San Francisco Foundation welcomes applications for the 2008 grants from the San Francisco Bay Fund. Visit the Grants & Awards page for more information and to download the RFP.
Responding to the Oil Spill
November 2007
The San Francisco Foundation’s Environment Program Officer has been working with numerous environmental partners since the oil spill occurred to gain a clear understanding of the current situation and develop a plan for The San Francisco Foundation’s support for emergency response, long-term restoration, and organizational capacity building efforts.
On November 7th, a container ship’s collision with the San Francisco Bay Bridge caused a major spill of over 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel oil that has spread throughout the San Francisco Bay and is being detected along precious, restored wetland areas such as Richardson Bay, Crissy Field, Heron’s Head, and the East Bay Shoreline. Strong Bay currents swiftly spread the oil, dispersing it past the Golden Gate Bridge and into the ocean. Oiled birds have now been found as far north along the coast as Point Reyes National Seashore, and as far west as the Farallone Islands. Most area beaches and recreational areas remain closed. Many of these beaches are in national parks, which are home to threatened and endangered species like the Western Snowy Plover; and the coastal waters off the mouth of the Golden Gate are national marine sanctuaries.
The total extent of this oil spill has yet to be determined and could have serious long-term consequences for fish, birds, and plant life in and around the Bay. Bunker oil, one of the dirtiest of fuels, is extremely toxic to marine life, even at very low concentrations; and, in an enclosed area like the Bay, the coastal wetlands are particularly vulnerable. In addition, as this fuel begins to break down, new toxins are released into the environment. Long after rescuers have cleaned and released the last oil-soaked bird, the toxic effects of last week's oil spill will linger in the Bay Area ecosystem. Despite cleanup efforts, much of the 58,000 gallons of spilled bunker fuel will remain at large, poisoning sensitive habitats and infiltrating the food chain. The oil can persist in the sediment for decades and continue to impact plants and wildlife for years to come.
Resources are needed: to rescue and treat impacted animals; train additional volunteers; acquire the necessary supplies and equipment; monitor the extent of the oil damage; continue to assess the situation; provide the public with accurate information; put pressure on public agencies to maximize cleanup efforts and minimize impacts on aquatic ecosystems; advocate for stronger policies to strengthen water quality and protection; and ensure that federal and state agencies respond appropriately to the disaster.
San Francisco Baykeepers have clearly articulated the need for our continued attention to this remarkable ecosystem surrounding us. “This event is a sad wake up call underscoring the Bay's vulnerability. As both a major shipping port and critical wildlife habitat, the Bay is at risk for an even more catastrophic spill. In addition, destruction of the Bay's wetlands and massive diversions of freshwater inflows have compromised the Bay's natural "immune system." The oil spill adds to the load on an already stressed ecosystem. We need to work toward stronger shipping regulations to prevent future spills. And we need to continue working toward the restoration of the Bay's wetlands and freshwater inflows so that the Bay will be better able to protect and heal itself.”
The San Francisco Foundation has developed a multi-pronged approach in response to the oil spill. Read our What's New article to learn more about the Foundation’s efforts.
What You Can Do
1. Donate to the organizations that are directly responding to the oil spill. Below are the organizations identified and funded through TSFF’s Environment Emergency Funds:
International Bird Rescue and Research Center (IBRRC) has a long history of helping oiled wildlife and was established in 1971 when two tankers collided in the San Francisco Bay spilling 900,000 gallons of oil. Since then the organization has become an expert in the filed of wildlife search, collection, and treatment. It is leading the oiled bird recovery and rehabilitation efforts.
Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO) has deployed expert staff and set up the processing system for this spill at IBRRC. PRBO is responsible for collecting credible, scientific-recording of oiled birds in order to understand the full affect of the spill and provide legal and defensible information for any future rehabilitation and restoration claims.
Wildcare is a member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network and is working with them to accept oiled birds for triage care and transport to the cleaning facility at IBRRC. It is also coordinating volunteer transport drivers to transfer birds and to collect much-needed supplies.
Golden Gate Audubon has deployed staff and volunteers across the Bay to document oiled birds or mammals, identify the species and location of birds, photograph birds or marine mammals, and report the information to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. It is also coordinating efforts to collect needed equipment and supplies for the local rescue agencies.
Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary has been tremendously impacted by the oil spill. Staff and volunteers have been working hard since the onset of the spill to address the numerous threats posed to birds and habitat, as well as support and coordinate recovery efforts.
Save the Bay is working to provide the public with the best current information about the oil spill. Staff and volunteers are documenting spill impacts so government wildlife agencies can quantify the extent of damage to the Bay. In addition, they are advising key elected officials and agencies to improve cleanup coordination, spill preparedness and response, and environmental damage assessment.
San Francisco Baykeeper is investigating why initial reports underestimated the size of the spill and why the Coast Guard failed to immediately coordinate its response with the Office of Spill Prevention and Response, the State agency charged with responding to oil spills. It is pressing all agencies participating in the cleanup to work immediately to minimize impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health in response to this emergency. It is also training and coordinating volunteers.
2. Join the San Francisco Foundation’s long-term efforts and continued support by providing matching gifts to The San Francisco Foundation Cosco Busan Oil Spill Fund. Our goal is to raise $500,000 for this Fund by January 2008.
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Send a check. Checks should be made out to The San Francisco Foundation, with a memo noting "For TSFF Cosco Busan Oil Spill Fund", and can be mailed to The San Francisco Foundation, 225 Bush Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94104
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Donor Advisors at The San Francisco Foundation can make a grant through our online Donor Center.
3. Get involved and volunteer to assist in emergency efforts or the longer-term restoration of this remarkable resource and express your concerns to policy makers regionally, statewide, and at the federal level by writing to your legislators.
Volunteers are needed at various levels of the oil spill crisis, and numerous agencies and organizations are continually training more volunteers. Volunteers are not needed to help with the wildlife rehabilitation at this time. Those interested in helping with bird and wildlife rehabilitation efforts are encouraged to check the Oil Wildlife Care Network for updates. If you are interested in volunteering in other ways, please refer to the websites of the various organizations listed within this news brief.
It is critically important to not participate independently in the clean up and bird rescue and rehabilitation process because the oil is incredibly toxic and dangerous to your health. In addition, the monitoring, rescue, and care of the birds must be done by trained response people in order to gather credible, scientific recording of wildlife and damaged habitats in order to develop accurate information to clean up agencies and establish legally defensible information.
If you see oiled wildlife, don't approach or pick it up, but call (415) 701-2311 to report it. If you are in San Francisco city limits dial 311. To report an oil spill, call (800) OILS-911. To help track the movement of the spill, call (888) 850-8486. Check the websites of organizations listed for accurate and helpful information.
Environmental Health and Justice Initiative
The Environmental Program is in the process of evaluating the last five years of The San Francisco Foundation's support of the Environmental Health and Justice Initiative (EHJI). We are assessing our overall impact on the environmental health and justice movements in the Bay Area, determining the current and future needs of grantees, identifying and better engaging other funders in this work, and helping develop the future direction of this Initiative. The Foundation plans to complete this evaluation in time for our next round of grantmaking this spring. For more information about the EHJI program, click here.
Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative
A key project of the EHJI, the Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative (BAEHC) began convening in August 2005 and has participated in monthly working meetings and trainings to build stronger relationships and increase the organizational capacity of each partner to participate in regional campaign development. The BAEHC is currently developing an analysis of key stakeholders and decision makers in the development of regional policies that affect the cumulative health impacts from multiple sources of air pollution. The goal is to develop a strategic and multi-faceted regional campaign to address cumulative health impacts.
What’s New With Our Grantees?
The Bay Area Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative and the Pacific Institute, both of which are funded by the Environment Program, were victorious in their efforts to increase awareness on the community impacts of excessive idling on October 18th, the launch of their "Don't Sit Idle: Day of Action" campaign. Diesel exhaust, which has been declared as a toxic air contaminant produced while idling, is harmful to respiratory health, especially those of children and the elderly. Studies have connected air pollution to asthma, premature death, lung cancer, and other respiratory conditions. Although for the past year a law limiting diesel truck idling to only five minutes has been implemented, it has only been loosely enforced and it exempted sleeping truckers so they could run their heaters or air conditioners at extended periods of time. On October 18, residents of San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, San Leandro, and Sonoma launched the campaign by passing out 8,000 door hangers to educate truck and bus drivers and residents about the impacts of diesel idling. In addition, elected officials and community and labor leaders joined forces at a public hearing and won the support of the California Air Resources Board, who decided to pass a new regulation that states that truck drivers snoozing in sleeper cabs must now turn off their engine or switch to alternative battery power or a non-diesel fueled engine for overnight and long-term idling.