Re: 5 Year Anti-Moratorium Petitions
I came across this, this morning, i was a bit surprised
here's the link if you would like to read the rest
http://www.sierracounty.ws/county_docs/planning/FG eir response letter.pdf
SIERRA COUNTY
Board of Supervisors
P.O. Drawer D
Downieville, California 95936
Telephone (530) 289-3295
Fax (530) 289-2830
3 May 2011
Mr. Mark Stopher
Environmental Program Manager
California Department ofFish and Game
601 Locust Sheet
Redding, CA 96001
Subject: Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report
Dear Mr. Stopher:
The Sierra County Board of Supervisors has completed its review of the proposed "Draft
Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the Suction Dredge Permitting
Program" in California. This review included two (2) publicly noticed Board of Supervisor
meetings and one (1) publicly noticed town hall meeting within the community of
Downieville.
First and foremost, the Board of Supervisors expresses its deepest concerns over the public
outreach program and effort undertaken by the Department of Fish and Game to
understand the impacts of the December 2006 court order; the impacts of implementing the
ban on suction dredging brought about in SB 670 effective August 6,2009; and, the
impacts that will be caused by implementation of the proposed suction dredge rules that
serve to amend the 1994 regulations and impose further restrictions on suction dredging
operations. The public meetings conducted by the Department of Fish and Game were held
in urban regions which are far-removed from the counties and communities that will
receive the burden and impacts of the proposed regulations. Rather than Fresno or
Sacramento, conducting a public meeting in Downieville or Quiucy, located in the heart of
the motherlode aud possessing a deep and rich cultural history based in the gold mining
industry, would have produced a more accurate and realistic understanding of the impacts
that the proposed regulations will have on the population and economy of the region.
The Board of Supervisors offers the following comments with respect to the draft
subsequent environmental impact report:
1. We find the dredging seasons proposed for most Sierra County waterways as
draconian and lacking scientific rationale. The approach proposed in the
regulations fails to provide specific scientific evidence that resulted in the seasonal
classification of streams in Sierra County, and this broad-brushed aproach appears