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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>State
lawmakers OK temporary dredging ban targeting salmon habitat<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Sacramento
Bee-7/14/09<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>By
Matt Weiser <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
state Legislature has approved a bill to temporarily ban suction dredge mining in
the state's rivers, a largely recreational practice blamed for harming salmon
spawning habitat.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
state Senate on Monday voted 28-7 to approve the bill, SB 670 by Sen. Patricia
Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa. It was approved by an even wider margin in the Assembly
last week.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
bill contains an urgency clause, meaning it becomes law immediately upon
signing by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. It would ban suction dredge mining until
the Department of Fish and Game completes a court-ordered update of regulations
governing the practice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>"In
addition to being essential to saving salmon and steelhead fisheries,"
Wiggins said in a statement, "this bill will save the department an
estimated $1 million in costs to administer a program that does not pay for
itself."<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
regulatory review was supposed to be finished by July 2008, but Wiggins said
the department has yet to begin. As a result, a new court order last week
prevents the department from using general fund money to operate the dredge
permitting program.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Supporters
say the bill includes language negotiated with the Schwarzenegger
administration, so they expect him to sign it. Those negotiations followed a
February confirmation hearing for Fish and Game Director Don Koch, during which
the administration's handling of suction dredge mining came under attack.# <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Byron
Leydecker, JcT</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Chair, Friends
of Trinity River</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>PO Box 2327</span></i><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Mill Valley, CA
94942-2327</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810
land</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 519 4810
cell</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net"><span style='color:blue'>bwl3@comcast.net</span></a></span></i></b><b><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org"><span style='color:blue'>bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</span></a>
</span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>(secondary)</span></i><b><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="http://fotr.org/"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.fotr.org</span></a>
</span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>

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