Clearcuts - Gualala, CA
Two new bills affecting commercial timber harvests are being considered by the California Assembly; one good and one bad.
The good bill, A.B. 2575, introduced by Chesbro includes goals to: restore fisheries and wildlife habitat; reduce the risk of wildfire, recover forest characteristics, reduce sedimentation and soil loss; achieve optimum carbon sequestration; and restore and recover unique attributes of a given planning watershed.
The bad bill, A.B. 2163 as explained in comments provided by the author’s office, would “grant THPs extended in 2008 and 2009 (thus, expiring this year and next) four one-year extensions under specified circumstances” resulting in approximately 50-80 THPs becoming eligible for additional extensions under this bill. “By granting a maximum of four 1-year extensions, some of these THPs, by including previous extensions, would be theoretically eligible for a total of six 1-year extensions, two more than that allowed under A.B. 1066.”
The author if the bill has already indicated that this is not his “intent” and has offered to clarify language in A.B. 2163. But regardless of intent, as the bill reads now it is not consistent with the existing THP process and would result in more THP extensions without further environmental analysis. It is important to halt this bill so that unintended THP extensions would not be granted.
TAKE ACTION Urge your representatives to support A.B. 2575 and to stop A.B. 2163.
Contact the Speaker of the Assembly John A. Pérez (www.asmdc.org/speaker)
Call or email the following conservation-minded Assembly members on the Appropriations Committee:Felipe Fuentes, Chair (D-Sylmar) (916) 319-2039
Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) (916) 319-2011
Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) (916) 319-2013
Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) (916) 319-2014
Alberto Torrico (D-Newark) (916) 319-2020
Joe Coto (D-San Jose) (916) 319-2023Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) (916) 319-2045
Mike Davis (D-Los Angeles) (916) 319-2048
Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) (916) 319-2051
Isadore Hall III (D-Compton) (916) 319-2052
Charles M. Calderon (D-Montebello) (916) 319-2058
Jose Solorio (D-Santa Ana) (916) 319-2069
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