Welcome to the debut of Down to Earth! Once a month, the San Luis Obispo Chapter of the Sierra Club will highlight what’s being done to protect the Central Coast and beyond.
When Andrew Christie retired from the Sierra Club, he also retired from his New Times contributions, and many of you asked about it. So, we’re co-authoring this column. We think this is particularly timely given the national administration’s threats to people and the planet.
Because the Sierra Club’s mission is to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet—including 640 million acres of national parks, wilderness, and federal public lands across America—we sued Elon Musk and DOGE for unlawfully firing employees of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and 14 other agencies; slashing funding; and violating contracts.
On March 5, alongside the Japanese American Citizens League, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, we filed the 110-page lawsuit Japanese American Citizens League v. Musk, which states the problem plainly:
“Defendant Elon Musk is not, legally, the president of the United States, nor is he a federal elected official of any kind. And Mr. Musk is not a Senate-confirmed officer of the United States. But he and his so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE)—not, in fact, a federal executive department—are lawlessly and unconstitutionally wielding sweeping power across the executive branch. As Mr. Musk and DOGE lawlessly seize power over large swaths of federal spending, decimate the federal workforce, and dismantle federal agencies, they are severely harming, and threatening further imminent harm, to everyday Americans.”
Further, “Mr. Musk is exercising the authority of a principal officer of the United States without Senate confirmation—and, indeed, exercising authority even in excess of a principal officer. These actions are ultra vires, violate the U.S. Constitution’s separation of powers, and, as to Mr. Musk, also violate the Constitution’s Appointments Clause.”
The Sierra Club is demanding an end to the attacks on public lands, communities, and the environmental and public health programs that protect us all. It’s time to stop the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration.
We are not alone. On March 13, 21 state attorneys general sued the Trump administration, demanding a halt to its “policies to dismantle” the Department of Education. On the same day, the Washington, D.C., District Court blew the whistle on Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for mass firings at the Departments of Defense, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Treasury and Veterans Administration. The court ordered the immediate rehiring of fired employees, citing clear evidence that OPM has no authority to order these firings. The court noted that the Trump administration’s attempt to hide this was “a sham in order to avoid statutory requirements.”
As with all litigation, we may win or lose. Either way, will these cases wind up at the Supreme Court? Probably. Is it chock full of Trump appointees? Yes. Do they always bow to his wishes? Nope!
On top of that, Sierra Club supporters are calling and writing to Congress members demanding an end to the systematic undermining of democracy, public lands, public health, and support systems. Local voices are imperative to pressure our representatives to stand strong against policies that threaten our communities. These issues hit home as we see our neighbors and public lands in SLO County targeted. But the fight isn’t over.
The Sierra Club is supporting local organizations’ litigation, San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, et al. v. County of San Luis Obispo, to compel SLO County to protect endangered steelhead in Arroyo Grande Creek, identified as critical habitat. After 25 years of the county’s noncompliance with the Endangered Species Act, a federal district court ordered the release of additional water from Lopez Dam. The court’s order came through a preliminary injunction, something courts only do when immediate intervention is required.
The court based its requirements on the county’s proposals, not environmentalists’ dream scenario. The county’s data shows that the small, temporary additional water flows ordered by the court do not threaten communities’ water supply.
Since sufficient community water supply and ecosystem resilience are not mutually exclusive, the Sierra Club hopes an eventual settlement agreement between the county and environmental groups will serve as an example of intersectional solutions that prioritize people and the planet together.
While national advocacy is necessarily on the defense, we must also look toward local efforts to keep the momentum for intersectional environmental justice. 2025 has swiftly proven we all must remain vigilant in the local and global fights to protect our planet’s current and future generations. Δ
Gianna Patchen is chapter coordinator for the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Andrew Christie served as chapter director from 2004 to 2023. Send comments in response to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Apr 24 – May 4, 2025.
What a great duo!