Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on October 13 vetoed AB
1032, the suction dredging bill supported by a broad
coalition of fishing organizations and California Indian
Tribes. The bill would have empowered the California
Department of Fish and Game to take additional steps to
protect endangered salmon, steelhead and trout against
certain types of motorized gold mining activities in
sensitive habitat on the Klamath, Salmon, Feather,
American and other rivers. This veto occurs within the
context of Governor's increasing attacks on California's
fisheries and ecosystems. The same Governor that vetoed
this legislation is pushing a $9 billion water bond that
would build two new dams, expand an existing reservoir
and build an environmentally destructive peripheral
canal. This water grab would result in the destruction
of the California Delta, the largest estuary on the West
Coast, and devastate its rapidly declining populations
of Delta smelt, longfin smelt, steelhead trout, chinook
salmon, green sturgeon and other fish.
Here is the press release about the veto of AB 1032 from
California Trout, followed by the Governor's veto
message:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 13, 2007
CONTACT: Severn Williams, California Trout
510-336-9566, C 415-336-9566
GOVERNOR PRIORITIZES GOLD MINING OVER ENDANGERED TROUT
AND SALMON; VETOES AB 1032
Sacramento, CA - It's been thirteen years since the
California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) updated its
regulations regarding instream mining activities. Since
that time, multiple fish species, from the coho salmon
to the Paiute cutthroat trout, have seen rapid declines
and been placed on state and federal listings for
threatened and endangered animals.
AB 1032 (Wolk), vetoed today by Governor Schwarzenegger,
would have empowered DFG to take additional steps to
protect these endangered fish against certain types of
motorized gold mining activities in sensitive habitat.
The law would have applied only to mechanical suction
dredging and would not have affected recreational gold
panning activity.
The endangered and threatened species that live in
California's rivers and streams have faced increasing
challenges over the years. The ill-effects of
irresponsible logging and mining activities, commercial
dams and water diversion efforts, and polluted run-off
from agriculture and other industries have all decreased
the quality of the state's waterways. AB 1032 focused
specifically on the suction dredging used by gold miners
for both recreational and commercial mining activities
because it is one major factor known to disturb the
sensitive habitat of vulnerable fish species.
"Trout are the 'canary in the coal mine' of California's
waterways," said Brian Stranko, Chief Executive Officer
of California Trout, a major supporter of AB 1032.
"These fish are incredibly sensitive to environmental
change. By ignoring one major contributor to fish
habitat degradation, the Governor has endangered the
long-term health of all California wildlife."
The genesis behind AB 1032 was a 2005 law suit brought
against DFG by the Karuk Indian tribe over the need to
protect sensitive waterways from the harmful
environmental effects of suction dredging on fish
habitat. Although DFG agreed to complete an
environmental assessment and revise its existing suction
dredge mining regulations by July 1, 2008, funding gaps
for the department have made it unable to begin this
work, making it unlikely - if not impossible - for DFG
to comply with the agreement by 2008. AB 1032 would have
provided stopgap measures to allow DFG to further
regulate mechanical gold mining activity until January
1, 2011, with the hope that additional funding would be
made available in the meantime to allow it to complete
its environmental assessment.
"We are dismayed that the Governor caved into special
interests and failed to stand up for the fish and the
Karuk people. Currently recreational gold miners are
having fun at the expense of our fishery and our
culture. After years of fighting to protect salmon,
steelhead and lamprey from suction dredging, we are back
to square one," stated Karuk Vice Chair Leaf Hillman.
California Trout and the Karuk Tribe of California were
two of nearly thirty organizations that worked together
in support of AB 1032.
About California Trout
California Trout is dedicated to protecting and
restoring wild trout and steelhead waters throughout
California. Founded in 1971, California Trout was the
first statewide conservation group to focus on securing
protections for California's unparalleled wild and
native trout diversity. Among its many current
initiatives, California Trout is now leading the effort
to save the official state fish, which is the California
golden trout.
###
To the Members of the California State Assembly:
I am returning Assembly Bill 1032 without my signature.
The purpose of this bill is to protect fish and wildlife
from the potential deleterious
effects of suction dredge mining. Although I appreciate
the author’s intent and the need
to protect our fish, wildlife, and water resources, this
bill is unnecessary.
Current law gives the Department of Fish and Game
(Department) the necessary
authority to protect fish and wildlife resources from
suction dredge mining. It has
promulgated regulations and issues permits for this
activity. Permits for suction dredge
mining must ensure that these operations are not
deleterious to fish and allow the
Department to specify the type and size of equipment to
be used. In its regulations, the
Department may also designate specific waters or areas
that are closed to dredging.
It is unclear why this bill specifically targets a
number of specific waterways for closure
or further restrictions. The listed waterways represent
only a small fraction of the waters
in our State where suction dredging is occurring. The
benefit or protection from such a
minor closure is negligible and supports the notion that
scientific environmental review
should precede such decisions.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
|
|