Ira Ruskin is a proven enviromental leader
ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD:
Wetlands Protection:
- Supported the new Bair Island Open Space Preserve.
- Effectively supported the closing of levees on Bair Island by Redwood City to protect two endangered species, the Clapper Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, despite strong and vocal opposition.
Protection of Open Space and "Smart Growth":
- Leadership role in promoting redevelopment of downtown Redwood City according to "Smart Growth" principals. Effectively led award-winning efforts to build infill housing in the transit corridor + meeting growth demands there in order to preserve open space.
- As Mayor of Redwood City, convened Downtown Revitalization Task Force, instructing the Task Force to consider infill housing and urban parks in the transit corridor.
The resulting Plan includes such housing and parks as cornerstones of revitalization and will be the blueprint for the future as part of the General Plan.
- Successfully introduced a City Council Resolution supporting expansion of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.
- Sierra Club cited these efforts in their endorsement of Ruskin's successful candidacy for re-election.
Protection of Waterways and Elimination of Toxics:
- Helped create a successful city-state partnership to rid local sloughs of squatters and derelict boats, eliminating a toxic problem in waterways leading to the Bay.
Water Conservation and Recycling:
- As Chair of City Council Utilities Subcommittee led broad efforts to increase conservation:
- City cost-sharing incentives for energy- and water-efficient appliances.
- Effective programs educating homeowner associations in water conservation for large-landscape areas.
- Pricing policy for water use rewarding conservation.
- Established a water reclamation program for irrigation.
- Played critical role in establishing a pilot project for recycling of water.
- Played a leadership role in recent Council decision to establish and expand the recycling program on a permanent basis.
Tree Preservation and Planting:
- Led the effort to develop a new, improved city-wide neighborhood tree preservation and planting policy that will provide an urban forest for future generations.
- Initiated "CityTrees," a foundation devoted to raising funds for planting trees throughout Redwood City (1000 trees planted to date).
Urban Run-off or Nonpoint Source Pollution:
- Helped develop a pro-active approach to urban run-off in Redwood City in four key areas:
o Pesticides: minimized use and created high standards of behavior - for example, mowing rather than spraying along sound walls and using goats rather than pesticides in various locations.
o Heavy Metals: took a pro-active approach - for example, in the face of concerns over possible mercury deposits from old mines contaminationg a stream, Redwood City responded pro-actively, undertaking a risk assessment and monitoring program, which proved negative.
o Trash Control/Litter Control/Street Cleaning: Developed educational efforts directed at students as well as adults, in addition to clean up programs, hellping residents understand the importance of street cleaning programs.
o Construction-site Activity: Adopted solutions to meet local situations - for example, modifying the rate of flow of drainage to help retain pollutants on site for clean up rather than allowing them to be swept away to the Bay.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD
Water Conservation and Supply:
- As a member of the CalFED ABAG Task Force and Chair of its Water Management Subcommittee, began the effort at the Task Force to tie regional mandates for additional housing to quantification of water supply.
- To improve the Bay Area regional water system, helped to organize and served as Chair of the Committee for Regional Water Reliability since its inception in 2001. The Committee represented the elected officials and corporate officers of the 28 Bay Area cities and water districts in Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties that receive water from the Hetch Hetchy System.
Last year, the Committee worked with the State Legislature to help pass three pieces of landmark legislation including AB 1823, mandating the repair of the Hetch Hetchy regional water system. Ruskin helped develop the legislative strategy and testified at all hearings on these bills in the Assembly and Senate, introducing many local public officials who were present to support the legislation.
On the basis of this leadership, Ruskin was recently elected Chair of the newly established Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, declaring his intention to push an aggressive agenda of conservation that leverages the fact that all 28 agencies are now together in one regional Authority.
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