Earlier this summer, in an unprecedented rollback to California’s fundamental environmental and community protections, the California legislature passed a deeply unpopular, flawed bill called SB 131. At the time, progressive leadership promised to clean up some of SB 131’s most damaging provisions. Now we must hold them to those promises and demand the legislature pass...
Author: Alice Kaufman
Ask County Planning Commission to Deny Harmful Project Near Wildlife Corridors
Update: We’re pleased to report that on August 28, the Planning Commission voted 4-3 to deny the appeal of this project. We’d like to thank Commissioners Cohen, Escobar, Hetterly and Levy for their vote to uphold the proper process and deny the appeal. On Thursday, August 28, the Santa Clara County Planning Commission will consider...
Take Action to Keep Energy Facilities Out of Coyote Valley
On Tuesday, August 5, there will be a public meeting about the environmental impacts of a proposed new energy facility in south San Jose. The project could be built in one of two places: on an orchard in Coyote Valley, or at an existing PG&E substation. According to the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC)’s environmental...
San Jose Drops Plan for Development in Coyote Valley
We’re excited to report that San Jose has dropped a potential plan that could have greatly increased the amount of development along Monterey Road in Coyote Valley. Development in this area could have severely harmed the entire Coyote Valley landscape, since Coyote Creek, which runs alongside Monterey Road, is the most important wildlife corridor through...
Tell Lawmakers: Protect Endangered Species and Regulate Polluting Industries
On June 30, through a rushed last-minute process, the California Legislature approved one of the most devastating rollbacks ever of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – the state’s signature environmental law. Green Foothills is working with a coalition of over 130 nonprofit organizations to urge the Legislature to fix the worst issues with this...
“Builder’s Remedy” Fuels Sprawl, Threatens People and Nature
Rural areas across Santa Clara County are under threat from a flood of harmful “builder’s remedy” development proposals that would hurt people and wildlife. Almost all of these projects are located on prime farmland or hillside habitat, in floodplains or wildfire hazard areas, and lack water and sewer access. If approved, these projects would result...
Why Habitat Linkages Are Essential for Wildlife
This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on May 24, 2022. At Green Foothills, we focus some of our strongest advocacy efforts on the habitat linkages that are the key to protecting local wildlife. Only a few of these critical linkages are left in the Bay Area — and they’re...
Warehouse Threatens Endangered Butterflies on San Bruno Mountain
A giant Amazon-style warehouse and distribution center has been proposed on the site of Guadalupe Quarry on San Bruno Mountain, which is home to numerous threatened and endangered species, including endangered butterflies whose habitat would be paved over by the development. Green Foothills is partnering with local residents and environmental groups to oppose this destructive...
County Supervisors Rejected Artificial Turf Ordinance
Thanks to everyone who emailed the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors regarding the artificial turf ordinance. Unfortunately, the Supervisors voted 3-2 to reject the ordinance. Please use the form below this blog to email the two Supervisors who voted in favor (Otto Lee and Margaret Abe-Koga) to thank them! Artificial Turf Ordinance Rejected by...
Welcome Alexandra (Lexi) Mendoza
Green Foothills is delighted to introduce our new Environmental Associate, Alexandra (Lexi) Mendoza, whose work will focus on the San Mateo County coast. She will take part in advocacy efforts to maintain the rich biodiversity and robust ecosystems of that region, as part of our Coastal Resilience Program. Before joining Green Foothills, Lexi worked as...









