Two bills making their way through the California Assembly would create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy. If passed, the conservancy would direct money to help manage the public lands in the mountain range.
The Union photo/Pico van Houtryve
Posted on 04/03/2004 3:32:33 AM PST by calcowgirl
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Two bills making their way through the California Assembly would create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy. If passed, the conservancy would direct money to help manage the public lands in the mountain range. The Union photo/Pico van Houtryve |
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It spans nearly 500 miles, supplies the water that nourishes California’s economy and has provided vocations and vacations for generations, but the Sierra Nevada has no benefactor like the conservancies that care for Lake Tahoe or the state’s vast coastline.
That could change this year, however, if one of the two bills now winding through the Legislature is approved - or if the two morph into one. The bills, AB 2600, authored by a Democrat, and the Republican-drafted AB 1788, would create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
The conservancy’s nonregulatory board would coordinate the millions of dollars that flow into the mountain range each year from various sources for a variety of conservation uses. Essentially, it could serve as a clearinghouse for the money, which would go toward the most-needy areas instead of being scattered.
“The Sierra is something that cries out for a conservancy,” said John Laird, a Democrat assemblyman from the central coast who authored AB 2600.
Laird, chairman of the Assembly Select Committee on California Water Needs and Climate Change, said the 28-year-old California Coastal Conservancy has served the region - and the state - well. The Sierra, he said, could use the same help.
“A Sierra Conservancy will give people in the Sierra a seat at the table,” he said. “I think the model of the Coastal Conservancy has worked very, very well.”
Unlike the California Coastal Commission, which regulates land use and issues development permits, the nonregulatory Coastal Conservancy works as an intermediary among local governments, public agencies, nonprofit groups and private landowners to purchase, protect, restore and enhance coastal resources.
Republicans seek bigger role for locals
The Lake Tahoe Conservancy is in Republican Assemblyman Tim Leslie’s district. And while he has supported its efforts over the years, including raising thousands of dollars for environmental projects by supporting the Lake Tahoe license plate program, Leslie’s chief of staff, Jedd Medefind, said his boss is generally hesitant when it comes to creating such entities.
“He had to decide to oppose it on principal or get involved to make things better,” Medefind said about why Leslie brought AB 1788 forward.
Surprisingly, Leslie’s involvement was spurred by none other than the state’s top Republican, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. It may have rankled some of his fellow Republicans, but Schwarzenegger’s environmental action plan pledges to create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
“I think this is a case where the governor is showing his independent streak,” Medefind said.
Given that the Legislature is controlled by Democrats, the Republicans are drawing up another version of the conservancy plan. While the two bills differ on the boundaries of the proposed conservancy, the biggest differences are the makeup of its governing board and exactly what kind of input local governments will have.
Laird’s bill would have the conservancy’s seven-member board consult with local agencies on proposed projects. Leslie’s proposal has a 20-member board, including two county supervisors from each of the conservancy’s five subregions.
“At this point, we’re working to convince the Schwarzenegger administration that a form of conservancy that cuts locals out of the decision process is unacceptable,” Medefind said.
Conservancy control issues
The Sierra Fund, a Nevada City-based foundation that links donors with conservation projects, is a main proponent of a conservancy for the mountain range and is supporting Laird’s bill. But Izzy Martin, the fund’s Sierra Nevada campaign director and former Nevada County supervisor, said that to increase the chances that the conservancy proposal passes, there is hope that the two bills will become one.
Still, how the issues of local control versus regional and state priorities play out will be key.
The last effort to create a conservancy for the Sierra was derailed two years ago. Although it sailed through the Assembly, it never made it to the Senate floor for a vote. What scuttled the bill were differences on the makeup of the governing board and whether individual counties and towns could opt in or out of the conservancy.
“The more pertinent argument is that already, hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent in the region, and the Sierra doesn’t have a say,” Martin said. “There is no defined, formal role for where the money is being spent.”
Despite Assemblyman Leslie’s aversion to conservancies, Medefind agreed that one could help tackle some of the issues facing the Sierra, like forest and watershed health.
“It conceivably could become an excellent forum to address serious issues,” he said.
Staff from Leslie and Laird’s offices have been in communication on the two bills, and it’s “definitely conceivable” that the bills could come together, Medefind said.
Because the conservancy idea is something Schwarzenneger is behind, Laird agreed that bipartisan support might be easier to come by this time around.
AB 2600 is expected to be heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee by April 19.
Can anyone draft sample letters to send to state legislators and newspapers? This is what the lefties do. In fact they create toolkits to send out to leadership in different organizations.
Can we do this? This issue is worth as much time as it will take to get it stopped.
If you were friendly with a certain Assemblyperson or a staffer, you could call them up and ask the status of the bill. They might give you insite on the probability of passage.
Keep bumping til Monday.
Maybe we can get a friendly assemblyperson to help us out.
Maybe Saundra or Lager can give advice.
Can we do this? This issue is worth as much time as it will take to get it stopped.
I don't know. I resorted to sending some emails using the most general of words and phrases (i.e. I OPPOSE because... ill-conceived; inadequately defined; out-of-touch with the California citizenry; etc.).
A few catch phrases would have been helpful to sound more knowledgeable ... but some voice of opposition is better than none, I assume.
The hearings are Wednesday, so opposition via email and phone seems like the only options.
Here are links to state representatives (w/ email/contact info).
Find your Assemblymember HEREFind your State Senator HERE
The California State Grange is going to be doing this as soon as the new web site is up and running. National already does it with their Action Alerts. I hope to be doing something similar on a county level in the furture as well.
Any new information on the hearing?
Is there anyone on the forum that can take a leadership position on this issue? If we can divide up the work we can do a lot to help organize an educated citizen base, but we will need someone to watch the bill and the legislature and post or email updates.
I would be willing to go to Sacramento to talk to legislators directly-- there are a few things we can do, and they may work, its just not going to be quick or easy.
I'm a novice when it comes to these property (and legislative) issues... I'm learning, but not educated by any means. I'm also in Los Angeles.
I think if someone knowledgeable on the subject could write up a list of points on WHY THIS IS BAD, we could probably get more people willing making phone calls, fax letters, or send emails. Unfortunately, I can help in the latter... but not the former.
I put myself on the email list at the leginfo site to be updated anytime the bill shows a change in status. I've posted those as I have received them.
All I know is that the hearings are Wednesday. Any input from the experts as to what might influence these SacroWackos into doing the right thing would be greatly appreciated.
Farmfriend: can we plagiarize any words from a Grange correspondence? (Just a thought).
Yes, though they will come out too late for the committee hearing. Should have something ready for when it goes to vote, if it makes it out of committee.
I think if someone knowledgeable on the subject could write up a list of points on WHY THIS IS BAD
Carry gets my vote on that with Sierra taking a close second. Carry has some great photos of what happens to conservancy land as well.
Thanks FF. I'd like to see them both die in committee.
Carry has some great photos of what happens to conservancy land as well.
Yes, he does. Some are even posted on this thread.
Some useful threads:
Forest Facts for you ...Managing Federal Forests in the 21st Century
Photos Reveal Changes in Sierra [Carry_Okie was right!]
A local radio show(Santa Cruz County) is going to do a segment on sustainable development and the sierra conservancy.
You can listen at www.radioliberty.com . Click on their listen now link, then on listen live. The show starts at 8PM, tonight, may 19 and I think the link doesn't work unless a live broadcast is ocurring.
Maybe we should call in? Its 1-888-24liberty, i think.
Any word on what happened in comittee today?
Bump for 8PM RADIO TONIGHT - RE: SIERRA CONSERVANCY.
(Thanks Ht... gonna go see if I can hook up).
Too bad, the show started on the topic of the sierra conservancy but didn't really get into it. However, it should be a topic for another show.
Is there anybody that could speak to this matter on the show? I am sure it could be arranged.
There is an also audience participation page,
http://www.freedom21santacruz.net/radio/
it lists the bill AB 1788 and analysis
I didn't get hooked up until a few minutes into the program. I'm still listening and haven't heard a word of sierra cons... Thanks for lettin' me know I missed it, LOL.
I think Carry has the most knowledge but his mellow voice is a draw back. Two others who would be good are in DC right now at the Grange Fly-In.
The show runs every wednesday. When do they get back?
Not sure. I will find out this evening. Stay tuned. One is the new president of Women in Timber. Will that do?
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