Letter Submitted to the Napa Register & San Francisco Chronicle
An out of state developer, David DiCesaris is pulling out all the stops to influence environmental groups that his deforestation project for vineyard in Angwin is good for the environment. He calls it a “zero-emissions” project. He’s going to use electric tractors!.The description sounds great at first. Why wouldn’t Napa want a zero-emission vineyard? But this catchy slogan requires a closer look and a deeper discussion.
Le Colline Vineyard, which received initial approval from Napa County, promises electric tractors and more tree plantings. But what gets left out when describing these “green initiatives” is that they come after destroying 34 acres of old-growth forest. Nature created this majestic and pristine forested area on Howell Mountain. Trading our natural resources for wine grapes and calling it “zero-emissions” is classic greenwashing.
A project calling for the deforestation of Napa Valley makes a mockery of the alarm bells we’re hearing about our heating planet. Tearing out carbon sequestering trees puts us further behind in our goal to fight the climate crisis, while contributing to erosion and destroying wildlife habitat.
The more I learn about this project, the more convinced I am that the zero-emission pledge is a sneaky way to dress up a very harmful project.
Sincerely,
Mike Hackett, Angwin
President of Save Napa Valley Foundation