Help Keep Coastal Champion Sara Wan on the Coastal Commission

The California Coastal Commission has twelve commissioners -- four appointed by the Governor, another four by the Speaker of the Assembly, and the final four by the Senate Rules Committee. The latter appointments are in reality controlled by one person, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata of Oakland.

Great Coastal Places Chair Tarren Collins with Commissioner Sara Wan Of the twelve sitting Commissioners, one has time-and-again proven herself to be a true champion for the coast, Commissioner Sara Wan. It was Sara Wan who was so critical of BHP Billiton's dirty and dangerous Liquefied Natural Gas terminal and Sara Wan who is a consistent voice for our coast, the threatened animals and plants which call it home and the families who love California's beautiful beaches and bluffs. Unfortunately, Commissioner Wan's term is about to expire and unless Senate President pro Tem Perata re-appoints her, we will lose one of the strongest voices or reason on the Commission.

Please send a letter and make a phone call this week to Senator Perata (510/ 286-1333) and urge him to re-appoint Sara Wan and protect our coast!

-Mark

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please Re-appoint Sara Wan to the California Coastal Commission

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to strongly urge you to re-appoint Sara Wan to the California Coastal Commission. Ms. Wan has irreplaceable experience from serving on this most critical of state bodies for ten years. She is a tireless worker, being extremely well-prepared for all the Commission meetings and her attendance record is superb. She brings an academic background to the position and is superb at assimilating the massive amounts of documentation for the projects and plans that come before the Commission.

The make-up of the Commission is always precariously balanced and every decision they make can affect generations of Californians. That is why we are asking you to re-appoint a true champion of the Coastal Act and keep her experience and integrity working for those who love the coast.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
May 02, 2007

Background Information

Sara Wan has served with distinction on the Coastal Commission since 1996, including as the chairperson for several years. She was last re-appointed by Senator John Burton and the term expires on May 19, 2007. It is essential that Senator Perata re-appoint her to serve another term. Ms. Wan brings professional expertise to the Commission, as she has degrees in Zoology and Biology. Moreover, her ten years of experience on the Commission has been a priceless resource for Californians and it must be retained. Sara is expert on how the Commission does its business and is superb at assimilating the massive amounts of documentation for the projects and plans that come before the Commission.

The make-up of the Commission is precarious and pro-development forces often win in close votes. Therefore, re-appointment of Sara is critical to those who love the California coast. In short, if you care about protecting and restoring the coast, you could not have a better representative than Sara Wan on this most important of state agencies.