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Hetch Hetchy in the News 2002

2002 Archive | See also: Current

October, 2002

New York Times advocates Feasibility Study!

October 19, 2002 Bring Back Hetch Hetchy? [The NY times seventh editorial on Hetch Hetchy, but the first in 89 years!]
New York Times (Off-site link - registration required.)
in 1913, in defiance of established law and the wishes of millions of Americans, Congress foolishly approved the construction of a dam and an eight-mile-long reservoir in a lush valley known by its Indian name, Hetch Hetchy, in the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park. The dream of righting this wrong has never really died. ... the least we can do is endorse a feasibility study. It may well lead to something remarkable.

October 15, 2002 - An Effort to Undo an Old Reservoir in Yosemite By Dean E. Murphy
New York Times (Off-site link - registration required.)
A group of environmentalists wants to drain an eight-mile-long reservoir that provides water for San Francisco and restore the valley underneath. (Quotes extensively from Restore Hetch Hetchy Executive Director Ron Good, Vice-President Spreck Rosekrans, and former Secretary of Interior Donald Hodel.)

October 26, 2002 - Rethinking Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Some thirst for pristine Yosemite, some for water, By Mike Taugher Contra Costa Times
John Muir called Hetch Hetchy the "wonderfully exact counterpart" to Yosemite Valley. Even today, with Hetch Hetchy's floor 300 feet under water, it is easy to see why...

October 20, 2002 - Activists Push for Rebirth, Hetch Hetchy Valley focus of restoration, By Francis P. Garland, Stockton Record
Imagine how many more people would pour into Yosemite National Park -- and plunk their money down for gasoline, food and other items along the way -- if it had another Yosemite Valley. Some say it exists -- hidden beneath a massive reservoir that is the centerpiece of an 80-year-old water system that serves 2.4 million Bay Area residents. Now, a cross-section of activists want to take a hard look at draining that reservoir and restoring the area to its natural state... [Article quotes Restore Hetch Hetchy and others]

October 3, 2002 - Sierra Club Takes on San Francisco - Opposes bond measure that would to repair Hetch Hetchy
San Francisco Chronicle (Off-site link)
San Francisco, which dammed a river in Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley after defeating the nation's fledgling environmental movement, is again battling with conservationists over its water system.

August, 2002:

August 28, 2002 - Environmentalists to fight San Francisco water bond
Sacramento Bee (Off-site link)
SAN FRANCISCO -- Three environmental groups [including Restore Hetch Hetchy], upset that city leaders have been unwilling to sanction a study into restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, said Tuesday they will oppose a massive bond measure on November's ballot that would finance an upgrade to the Bay Area's main water system. "It's time for San Francisco to participate in the process of figuring out how to restore Yosemite Park (and) Hetch Hetch Valley," said Ron Good, executive director of Restore Hetch Hetchy...

August 27, 2002 - City of San Francisco Ballot argument filed on behalf of Restore Hetch Hetchy:

Repairing the old pipes of the Hetch Hetchy water system is necessary. However, RESTORE HETCH HETCHY opposes Proposition A because it would require a huge expansion of a Bay Area reservoir and greatly increase the amount of water coming to the Bay Area. We asked the City to do an unbiased feasibility study on the environmental impacts of these expansions and find ways to provide safe, reliable water WITHOUT a dam and reservoir in Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley. However, because the City did not make commitments for this important feasibility study, we urge voters to oppose Proposition A. It's time for San Francisco to figure out how to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley, the place John Muir called "one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples."

August 17,2002 - Hetch Hetchy bond-issue foes may relent
Sacramento Bee
A SF Board of Supervisors resolution urges S.F.'s cooperation in a study on restoring the Sierra valley.

August 17, 2002 - Another Yosemite, Maybe, Los Angeles Times Editorial (Off-site link)
Replacing the lost water and power would be complicated and costly, but it could be done. Would it be worth it? Consider the value of Yosemite Valley to the nation. Think of the possibility of having a second such valley, free of cars and development, that would be the temple of nature John Muir saw before the dam was built. That too would be priceless...

August 13, 2002 - Editorial: Hetchy hypocrisy SF enviros mum on draining Yosemite dam Sacramento Bee (Off-site link)
One would think the dam-busting environmental movement would be all over this idea: Leverage San Francisco to get a feasibility study of demolishing its dam that submerges Yosemite's second valley, Hetch Hetchy...

August 12, 2002 - Restore Hetch Hetchy Advisory Board Member Galen Rowell Dies in Plane Crash Galen Rowell (1940-2002) was one of the world's most celebrated photographers, and was a founding Advisory Board member of Restore Hetch Hetchy. Restore Hetch Hetchy mourns his death August 11, 2002.

August 11, 2002 - Dam Dispute Looses a Flood of Emotions By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times
HETCH HETCHY VALLEY, Calif. -- Ron Good surveys the high-walled splendor of this prehistoric corner of Yosemite National Park and solemnly promises to renew the long-dormant environmental battle that broke the spirit of famed naturalist John Muir.

August 10, 2002 - A Return To Glory In Hetch Hetchy By Chuck Carroll, San Jose Mercury News (Off-site link)
Environmentalists are seizing on San Francisco's plan to rebuild and expand its Hetch Hetchy water system to reach a goal set nearly a century ago: to see the spectacular valley returned to its original state.

August 4, 2002 - Groups Ask: Fix Hetch Hetchy -- or Drain It? By Herbert A. Sample, Sacramento Bee (Off-site link)
SAN FRANCISCO -- Three environmental groups, and possibly more, are threatening to oppose a $1.6 billion bond measure on the November ballot here aimed at refurbishing and possibly expanding the massive water system feeding the San Francisco peninsula.

January - April, 2002:

April 21, 2002 - Water: Bring Back Hetch Hetchy? by Tom Philp, Sacramento Bee (Off-site link)

January 28, 2002 - A 'Win' for Hetch Hetchy, by Ron Good, Executive Director, Restore Hetch Hetchy, San Francisco Chronicle, (off-site link)

January 31, 2002 - $4.6 Billion Needed to fix Hetch Hetchy Huge bond measure proposed, with rate hikes for all users (San Francisco Chronicle)

2000 Archive

Quest to Restore Hetch Hetchy Revived by Eric Brazil - San Francisco Examiner, October 12, 2000

Activists target Yosemite reservoir By Mark Grossi - The Fresno Bee, October 9, 2000

New effort launched to demolish dam and restore Hetch Hetchy By Jim Nickles - reprinted from Stockton Record, May 7, 2000

To get involved in the effort to restore Hetch Hetchy, contact Restore Hetch Hetchy at: info@hetchhetchy.org, P.O. Box 565 San Francisco, CA 94104. Telephone: (415) 956-0401.

For inquiries about this website, contact the webmaster, at: webmaster@hetchhetchy.org

Updated 11-12-04

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