Posted by larry o'neil on August 13, 2009 at 12:57am
QOUTE I FOUND ON GPAA FORM MAYBEE HELPFULOk everyone. I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with Mark Stopher. He is the current Enviromental Program Manager in the State of California. He is one of the top people working on the DFG Enviromental Impact Report. He seems to have ALL the answers, so far. We had a very nice conversation. Here are some of the topics we talked about concerning the current California dredging ban.His department has already been working on a general Enviromental impact report. They do not have enough money to do a report on every lake, river, stream and creek in the state. SO, they have decided to do a general report on ALL the waterways in the state combined. They will focus on the main problems that could impact aquatic life: fish, and other life, that breeds and lives in the water. This is really great news. It would take forever to study every body of water in the state! His team is currently working on their report now! He said they want to have their completed report in, no later than the Summer of 2011. That is 2 years from now. After the final report has been written, it will go to the Secretary of State, and he will have 30 to 45 days to approve or reject it. Mark said his report will be as accurate as possible, to avoid having to do it again. He wants it right the first time!He said this Nov. there will be 3 meetings that anyone in the State of California can attend. One meeting is in Sacramento, another in Fresno and the final one in Redding. Anyone can bring information for or against this issue and present it to the DFG. Also anyone can email Mark at mstopher@dfg.ca.gov and offer any information relating toissues for or against this dredging ban.It seems to me that he is very neutral on this issue, and looking for information from both sides.I got the impression from talking to him, (even though he did not actually say this) that the DFG does not want to stop suction dredging all over the state. Only in areas that could impact aquatic life. Quote from Chuck Pharis: "I feel that both sides could win here." "It seems that some water bodys will be closed and others open to dredging." I also got the impression that a lot of areas could be open to dredging after the Summer of 2011 if all goes well.He did say that no matter what his report says, there will probably be more law suits. Could that temporally halt a possible dredge ban again, maybe. He seemed very open to suggestions and information from anyone.Now some really good news. He said that we are NOT banned from using hand operated (non motorized) suction devices in any waterway in Calif.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This means it IS OK to use those PVC hand operated suction pumps anywhere in the state!!!!! Nothing can be used that has a motor to vacuum or suck material from a lake, river, stream or creek. Now is the time to invent a 3" or 4" PVC hand operated device! I asked him directly about these PVC units, and he said they were OK to use!Here is DFG website to go to: www.dfg.ca.gov. Click on the (current topic icon) "Suction Dredge Information." Read all links on the right side of the page. More information will be posted soon about the public meetings in Nov.All is not lost folks, it is just going to take a few years.!Chuck Pharis
Comments
no motors involved there either.