California considering 5-yr moratorium on dredging

[dcpac]

I do not know if you guy's have seen this, I just got the email from ICMJ and thought I would pass it along.

ACTION ALERT
May 11, 2011
From:
ICMJ's Prospecting and
MINING JOURNAL

Action Needed Now
California considering 5-yr moratorium on dredging in current budget bill
Sorry to bother you, but we just received word that Subcommittee 2 in the California State Senate is considering adding language to a budget bill that would place a moratorium on suction dredge mining for a period of five years and stop the court-ordered Supplemental Environmental Impact Report that is already under way.

Page 39 of the agenda for tomorrow, May 12, 2011, states:

Staff Recommendation: Approve the following:
(1) Trailer bill language to continue the moratorium on issuance of suction dredge permits for an additional five years, or until such time as new regulations that fully mitigate all identified significant environmental impacts, and a proposed fee structure that will fully cover all program costs, are in place.
(2) Approve Budget Bill Language prohibiting any funding at the department from being used for suction dredge mining regulation, permitting or other activities.
The recommendation is based on the faulty premise that the suction dredge permits only cost $25 and the program creates a net-loss for the California Department of Fish & Game.

When SB 670 was passed the bill clearly stated that passage of that bill would negatively impact DFG and that enforcement activities were covered by permit fees. Here is the exact wording from the bill:


FISCAL EFFECT of SB670: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, loss of approximately $175,000 in annual revenue each year the moratorium is in effect, resulting from loss of suction dredge permit fees (Fish and Game Preservation Fund). Currently, fee revenue pays for suction dredge permit enforcement at the cost of approximately $50,000 per year, activity which will presumably continue during the moratorium.

Here is what you need to do tonight:

Only three Senators -- all part of Subcommittee 2 -- will decide whether or not to add the above language to the budget bill at this time. Call each one of them tonight. There is no time to send a letter -- you must call. If their mailboxes are full, then you must call them in the morning to make an impact.



Phone numbers:

Sen. Lowenthal (916) 651-4027 and (562) 495-4766 and (562) 529-6659

Sen. Simitian (chair) (916) 651-4011 and (408) 277-9460 and (831) 425-0401

Sen. Fuller (916) 651-4018



Here is the info they need to hear from you:

1. The Background info supplied to the Committee is inaccurate. DFG does not lose money as a result of the suction dredging program.

2. The stated fee structure in inaccurate. The cost for permits are $47.50 in-state, and $167.25 out of state ( a far cry from the $25 stated in this Background proposal)

3. PLEASE VOTE NO for the moratorium on suction dredging


Thank you.


Sincerely,



Scott Harn

Editor/Publisher

ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal

www.icmj.com



Supporting Documents:

May 12, 2011 Agenda for Subcommittee 2, California Senate

Fiscal Impact of SB670

[Hoser John]

CAN YA ALL FEEL THE LUV NOW

[russau]

im feeling something but i dont think a person could call it love!

[rivraton]

Well they passed it 2 to 1

[gremlin]

so how many were over charged by the state this year. and last year and the years befor that.

[Geo-George]

Where can I read the full content of what was just signed?

[gremlin]

http://www.icmj.com/userfiles/files/Pag ... 202011.pdf


http://www.klamathriver.org/mining/suctiondredging.html

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/special ... tfaqs.html
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/suctiondredge/

[Geo-George]

Thank you Sir!

[CalGoldDredger]

So, the Senate subcommittee passed it. Where does it go from here….

The full budget, all subcommittees, goes to Senate floor for review and vote. 2/3 to pass Senate Version of Budget… This same process is carried out at the same time in The Assembly.

...Then onto the Budget Conference Committee to work out differences between Assembly & Senate Versions of the full budget. Needs 2/3 vote from both house floors to pass…

Final Budget after passing both houses will go to governor by June 15th and he has till June 30th to sign.


This trailer for a 5yr moratorium on dredging is NOT set in stone by any means.... Still can act upon the Budget Conference Committee Members and if need be the Govenor.

Here is a link (PDF) to the Budget Conference Committee Members : http://www.caads.org/pdf/pdf/state_budg ... _02_22.pdf

Not good, I know, 6 Dems and 4 Rep.

[russau]

somethings got to pop over this GRAB! them green dems are just getting to pushy!