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Conservation Corner
by Robin Egan
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DUTY CALLS
GBF conservation deployment, Saturday, August 9th: We have planned to go up to our Bear River restoration area to do some maintenance work. Most of the riparian structures that we previously installed have been washed downstream. In order to make this a one-day trip, we need LOTS of able bodies! Thank you to those who’ve already signed up at the general meeting and emailed me in July.
Volunteers will need work gloves and waders if you don’t want to get wet, although wet wading is certainly an option this time of year. We may need some 4x4 vehicles to get the tools and materials up there. I think I have 2 committed so far. Anyone wishing to do some fishing while you are up there is welcome to “dry camp” in the meadow near the area. If you haven’t put in your volunteer time yet this year, this will be a perfect opportunity to do so!
STATUS REPORT on current legislation
AB1806 is to be heard at a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing August 4th. This bill addresses the issue of dealing with fishery disaster rescues and even more important, the bill provides full mitigation for the federal and state water projects’ pumping of massive amounts of water south. See CSPA’s action alert on 6/08/08 for more details: http://www.calsport.org/6-8-08.htm.
AB2175 is to be heard at a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing August 4th. This bill sets a 20% target for water conservation by urban water agencies by 2020.
AB2502 is in the “suspense file” in the Assembly Appropriations committee because they deemed AB 2502 had "substantial costs in millions of dollars for future fiscal years." The landmark bill was apparently a victim of the state budget crisis. This bill, if ever passed, will create a Delta Ecological Restoration and Recreation Area that will allow increased angling, hunting and other recreational access while providing needed fish and wildlife habitat. Assemblywoman Wolk had proposed for the state to buy Prospect Island and Little Holland Tract from the federal government and Liberty Island from the Trust for Public Lands and turn them into a state recreation area. However, a Trust for Public Lands' spokesman said at the hearing that they plan to donate their land for the creation of the recreation area! (From CSPA article: http://www.calsport.org/4-16-08.htm) For status updates on open legislation in the State Assembly, go to http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm.
Well, that’s all for now. The next conservation committee meeting will be held on Thursday, August 14th at the Raley’s in Granite Bay at 5:30 pm. All are welcome to attend. Come see what we have in store!
~Robin, (916) 396-0030, Tggr514@yahoo.com. |
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