[env-trinity] Agribusiness dumps $850, 000 into Prop. 1!/Walton Family gave $9, 234, 866 to NGOs backing water bond/Moore Foundation spent $18 million on MLPA Initiative
Dan Bacher
danielbacher at fishsniffer.com
Thu Oct 9 15:34:12 PDT 2014
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/09/1335459/-Corporate-Agribusiness-dumps-850-000-into-Proposition-1
Corporate agribusiness dumps $850,000 into Prop. 1!
by Dan Bacher
Opponents of Proposition 1, the controversial State Water Bond, today
blasted Governor Jerry Brown and the backers of Prop. 1 for taking
$850,000 in contributions from big agribusiness donors to pass public
funding for water transfers to enrich them - and to enable the biggest
dam-building program in California history.
Stewart Resnick, the Beverly Hills billionaire “farmer” who has made
millions off of reselling environmental water to the public, has
donated $150,000 to the Yes on Prop 1 campaign. Resnick and his wife,
Lynda, have been instrumental in promoting campaigns to eviscerate
Endangered Species Act protections for Central Valley Chinook salmon
and Delta smelt populations and to build the fish-killing peripheral
tunnels. (http://www.fishsniffer.com/blogs/details/rally-outside-the-resnick-mansion-on-october-2-luncheon-with-the-koch-broth/
)
Adam Scow from Food and Water Watch noted, “Corporate agribusiness
giants, including Stewart Resnick, are spending big to pass
Proposition 1, a bloated $7.5 billion bond measure that would funnel
more water to big agribusinesses at taxpayer expense. Prop 1 is a
measure to quench their greed—it will not solve California’s water
problems."
The Western Growers Association, the California Farm Bureau
Federation, and the California Cotton Alliance have contributed a
total of $700,000 to the Prop. 1 campaign to ensure the construction
of Sites Reservoir and Temperance Flat dam.
“Proposition 1 burdens taxpayers with debt to build projects for
billion-dollar farming conglomerates that make up groups like Western
Growers and the California Cotton Alliance," said Barbara Barrigan-
Parrilla of Restore the Delta, who is the No on Prop 1 field director.
"It includes the largest appropriation for new dams in California’s
history that will benefit these corporate farmers who refuse to fund
the dam projects themselves. Prop 1 will drive California and its
taxpayers even further into debt for illusory and largely bogus
‘environmental benefits’. Prop. 1 shifts the financial burden from
those who directly benefit from building new dams to the taxpayers.”
These groups are making large contributions as an investment to make
sure that their pet projects are passed through the California Water
Commission, according to Prop. 1 opponents.
“Prop 1 will not ‘save water’ as Gov. Brown claims in ads paid for by
these special interests. It’s a boondoggle to enrich his big ag
contributors,” said Barrigan-Parrilla.
Governor Jerry Brown’s Proposition 1 and 2 campaign has raised
$6,621,946 and has spent $817,276 as of October 6, 2014, according to
Ballotpedia:
http://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1,_Water_Bond_(2014)
The following are the donors who contributed $150,000 or more to the
Yes on Prop. and 2 campaign as of October 6, 2014:
Sean Parker $1,000,000
California Alliance for Jobs - Rebuild California Committee $500,000
Health Net $445,600
Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition PAC $400,000
California American Council of Engineering Companies $250,000
California Farm Bureau Federation $250,000
California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems $250,000
Northern California Carpenters Regional Council Issues PAC $250,000
Reed Hastings $250,000
SW Regional Council Of Carpenters $250,000
Western Growers Service Corporation $250,000
Doris F. Fisher $245,000
John J. Fisher $245,000
Robert J. Fisher $245,000
William S. Fisher $245,000
California Cotton Alliance $200,000
Northern California District Council Of Laborers Issues PAC $200,000
Stewart A. Resnick $150,000
The State Building And Construction Trades Council of CA $150,000
For more information on Proposition 1, go to http://www.noonprop1.org
2. Walton Family Foundation gave $9,234,866 to NGOs backing water bond
Photo: Protesters block an intersection at an anti-Walmart protest in
Roseville on November 29, 2013. Photo by Dan Bacher.
800_blocking_the_street.jpg
Walton Family Foundation gave $9,234,866 to NGOs backing water bond
by Dan Bacher
An analysis of environmental grants that the Walton Family Foundation
gave to conservation organizations in 2013 reveals that NGOs
supporting Proposition 1, the water bond on California's November 4
ballot, received $9,234,866 in grants while opponents of the
controversial measure received none.
The Walton Family Foundation is governed by the descendants of Sam and
Helen Walton, the founders of retail giant Walmart.
“The Walton Family Foundation continues a philanthropic vision begun
by Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton,” according to the Foundation
website. “Across diverse areas of giving that include education
reform, freshwater and marine conservation and community and economic
development, Walton family members carry forward the timeless Walton
value of creating opportunity so that individuals and communities can
live better in today’s world.”
Supporters of the water bond getting money from the Walton Family
Foundation in 2013 include the Nature Conservancy, National Audubon
Society (the parent organization of Audubon California, a bond
backer), Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, Defenders of Wildlife and
Ducks Unlimited. The Foundation lists their environmental
contributions in three categories: freshwater conservation, marine
conservation and other conservation grants. (http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/2013-environment-grants
)
The Nature Conservancy received a total of $5,482,699 from the Walton
Family Foundation in 2013. This includes $1,545,963 for freshwater
conservation on the Colorado River, $1,437,986 for freshwater
conservation on the Mississippi River. $475,000 for marine
conservation, and $2,023,750 for other conservation grants.
National Audubon Society, the parent organization of Audubon
California, received $2,570,767, including $312,100 for freshwater
conservation on the Colorado River, $2,058,667 for freshwater
conservation on the Mississippi River and $200,000 for marine
conservation.
Trout Unlimited was awarded $610,650 for freshwater conservation on
the Colorado River.
American Rivers received $424,400 for freshwater conservation on the
Colorado River.
Defenders of Wildlife got $100,058 for freshwater conservation on the
Mississippi River.
Finally, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. received $46,292 for freshwater
conservation on the Mississippi River from the Walton Family Foundation.
On the other side, opponents of the water bond include the California
Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Striped Bass Association,
California Water Impact Network (C-WIN), Center for Biological
Diversity, Central Delta Water Agency, Concerned Citizens Coalition of
Stockton, Factory Farm Awareness Coalition, Friends of the River, Food
and Water Watch, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations,
Restore the Delta, San Francisco Crab Boat Association, Sherman Island
Duck Hunters Association, Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermens’
Association, Save the American Association , South Delta Water Agency,
Southern California Watershed Alliance and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe.
Guess how much money the Walton Family donated to these organizations
in 2013? Zero.
Zeke Grader, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Federation of
Fishermen's Associations, said, “It is highly troubling to see the
impact that Walmart and a few big foundations are having on the
conservation of our resources, as well as the protection of our
artisanal and traditional fisheries including tribal fisheries.”
The Walton Family Foundation is known for dumping millions of dollars
every year into corporate environmental NGOs, including the
Environmental Defense Fund, Conservation International, Nature
Conservancy and the Ocean Conservancy, that promote the privatization
of the oceans through "catch shares," questionable "marine protected
areas" and other projects.
For more information about the Walton Family Foundation and the
environmental NGOs that it funds, go to: http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/11/29/walmarting-the-rivers-and-oceans/
For more information on Proposition 1, go to http://www.noonprop1.org
3. From Hawaii to California, Moore Foundation Violates Indigenous
Rights
http://www.fishsniffer.com/blogs/details/gordon-and-betty-moore-foundation-spent-over-18-million-on-mlpa-initiative/
GORDON AND BETTY MOORE FOUNDATION SPENT OVER $18 MILLION ON MLPA
INITIATIVE
Written By: Dan Bacher, October 8, 2014
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the foundation that was
established by Intel founder Gordon Moore and his wife Betty,
contributed $18,086,716, through the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation,
to fund the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative in California
from 2004 to 2012.
The MLPA Initiative was a controversial process that created a network
of alleged "marine protected areas" in California, including "State
Marine Reserves" that continue to violate traditional tribal gathering
and fishing rights.
The foundation gave the first grant of $2,714,946 to fund the MLPA
process in 2004. The foundation then contributed $3,305,628 for Phase
2 of the MLPA Initiative Phase in May 2007, $7,066,142 for Phase 3 in
July 2008, and $5,000,000 for Phase 4 in February 2012. (http://www.moore.org/grants/list/GBMF589
)
In one of the biggest conflicts of interest in California
environmental history, Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the President of the
Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), chaired the Marine Life
Protection Act Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force that created so-
called "marine protected areas" in Southern California.
These alleged "Yosemites of the Sea" fail to the protect the ocean
from fracking, oil drilling, pollution, military testing, corporate
aquaculture and all human impacts on the ocean other than fishing and
gathering.
In spite of claims by MLPA Initiative advocates that the Initiative
"protects" tribal rights, the State Marine Reserves created under the
process in fact attempt to ban members of the Yurok Tribe and other
North Coast Tribes from fishing and gathering in their traditional
gathering areas.
“Whether it is their intention or not, what the Marine Life Protection
Act does to tribes is it systematically decimates our ability to be
who we are,” said Frankie Joe Myers, Coastal Justice Coalition
organizer and Yurok Tribe member, on the day of a peaceful direct
action takeover by over 300 members of 50 Indian Nations and their
allies at a MLPA Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force meeting in Fort
Bragg in July 2010. “That is the definition of cultural genocide.” (http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/07/22/18654513.php
)
More recently, in the 2014 election edition of the Yurok Today
newsletter (http://www.moore.org/grants/list/GBMF589), Yurok Tribe
Vice Chairperson Susan Masten said:
"The State of California is beginning to implement the so-called
Marine Life Protection Act. From the very start, the Tribe has not
supported this initiative because it does not recognize the Tribe’s
inherent hunting and gathering rights. Also, the Act lacked the
sophistication required to properly steward the diverse ecosystems on
the Yurok coastline.
Since time immemorial, the Yurok Tribe has practiced a highly
effective method of marine resource management, which has ensured an
abundance of sea life to sustain our people. The Creator gave us the
right to properly harvest marine resources in the coastal areas within
Yurok Ancestral Territory. With this right, comes a great duty to
protect and conserve these resources. To that end, we are developing
our own marine life management program, based on our traditional
knowledge of ocean ecosystems as well as western science."
The MLPA Initiative officials also failed to appoint any Tribal
scientists to the MLPA "Science Advisory Team" for the North Coast.
Meanwhile, the Co-Chair of the "Science Advisory Team," Ron LeValley,
was sentenced this May by a federal judge to 10 months in federal
prison for conspiracy to embezzle over $852,000$ from the Yurok Tribe.
(http://www.fishsniffer.com/blogs/details/former-mlpa-science-co-chair-sentenced-to-10-months-in-federal-prison/
)
In an apparent attempt to manipulate the science, the same Ron
LeValley and his cohorts on the "Science Advisory Team" rejected
studies and presentations by Yurok Tribe scientists that challenged
the terminally flawed and incomplete "science" that the MLPA
Initiative was based upon.
For more information on the Moore Foundation's funding of the MLPA
Initiative, go to: http://www.moore.org/grants/list/GBMF589. To read
about the MLPA Initiative's Inconvenient Truths, go to: https://intercontinentalcry.org/the-five-inconvenient-truths-about-the-mlpa-initiative/
The Moore Foundation is also the largest private funder of the Thirty
Meter Telescope (TMT), a project that will desecrate Mauna Kea, a
sacred mountain on the Big Island of Hawaii. The foundation provided
an early investment of $50 million towards designing the TMT in 2003.
In 2007 they pledged an additional $200 million toward completion of
the design phase and partial cost of early construction near the
summit of the Maunakea volcano in Hawaii. (http://www.moore.org/programs/science/thirty-meter-telescope
)
Mauna Kea is sacred to the Hawaiian people, who maintain a deep
connection and spiritual tradition there that goes back millennia.
Native Hawaiian activist and singer Hawane Rios says the Thirty Meter
telescope will be 18 stories tall and cover 6 acres of the top of
Mauna Kea.
“The TMT is an atrocity the size of Aloha Stadium,” said Kamahana
Kealoha, a Hawaiian cultural practitioner and organizer of those who
held a successful protest at Mauna Kea on October 7. “It is like
building a sky-scraper on top of the mountain, a place that is being
violated in many ways culturally, environmentally and spiritually.”
The blocking of the access to the summit by protesters disrupted a
planned groundbreaking ceremony, forcing officials to delay the
groundbreaking to another time. (http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/278457291.html
)
From the summit of Mauna Kea to the shores of California's North
Coast, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation appears to be committed
to descecrating sacred sites and violating the rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
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