Good news:
pril 1, 2009 -- Sacramento -- In a hastily assembled press
>>> conference at the State Capitol today, Governor Arnold
>>> Schwarzenegger apologized for the damage he has caused the state's
>>> fisheries and contritely reversed his long standing support for a
>>> peripheral canal, according to breaking news from the California
>>> Sportfishing Protection Alliance,
http://www.calsport.org.
>>>
>>> Governor Apologizes for Destroying California Fisheries, Reverses
>>> Position on Canal
>>>
>>> by Dan Bacher
>>>
>>> In an epic conversion like that of Saint Paul of Tarsus, Governor
>>> Arnold Schwarzenegger this morning apologized to the public for his
>>> role in the destruction of California's fish populations during a
>>> hastily assembled press conference at the State Capitol in
>>> Sacramento. Central Valley chinook salmon, steelhead, green
>>> sturgeon, delta smelt, longfin smelt and other fish populations are
>>> in an unprecedented state of collapse, due to massive water exports
>>> out of the California Delta and declining water quality - and
>>> Schwarzenegger vowed to do everything in his power to reverse the
>>> decline.
>>>
>>> "I greatly apologize to recreational anglers, commercial fishermen,
>>> California Indian Tribes, environmentalists and the public for the
>>> damage that my administration's policies have caused to California
>>> fish populations," said Schwarzenegger, with tears streaming down
>>> his face. "Starting today, I will begin a new initiative to place
>>> the restoration of California's rivers, the Delta and coastal
>>> waters as the number one priority of this administration."
>>>
>>> He announced a number of immediate measures that will go in effect
>>> today. These include:
>>>
>>> . imposing a ban on suction dredge mining on California rivers
>>> until new restrictions are developed by the DFG
>>>
>>> . instructing the Central Valley Regional Water Control Board to
>>> adopt tough new water quality standards for agricultural dischargers
>>>
>>> . setting up a meeting with President Obama and Warren Buffett,
>>> owner of the PacifiCorp's dams, to immediately begin dam removal on
>>> the Klamath River.
>>>
>>> . rescinding the layoff notices of 98 Department of Fish and Game
>>> wardens and cadets
>>>
>>> In a stunning break with his previous positions, Schwarzenegger
>>> said that his plan to construct a peripheral canal around the Delta
>>> and Temperance Flat and Sites reservoirs was ill advised and "wrong."
>>>
>>> "The public has spoken and all of the scientific evidence indicates
>>> that building the canal and more dams would be a gigantic mistake,"
>>> Schwarzenegger said. "I now agree with fishermen, Delta farmers,
>>> environmentalists and respected scientists that building a
>>> peripheral canal and more dams would only exacerbate the collapse
>>> of salmon, delta smelt and other fish populations. I have instead
>>> instructed the Department of Water Resources to begin mandatory
>>> water conservation in California and have issued an executive order
>>> to take drainage impaired land in the San Joaquin Valley out of
>>> production. If we are going to have a truly green state,
>>> Californians must conserve water and practice sustainable
>>> agriculture."
>>>
>>> Schwarzenegger also announced the immediate firing of Mike Chrisman
>>> from his position as Resources Secretary and replacing him with
>>> Bill Jennings, executive director of the California Sportfishing
>>> Protection Alliance and a longtime advocate for clean water and
>>> healthy fisheries. He also ordered the resignation of Lester Snow,
>>> Director of the Department Resources, replacing him with Barbara
>>> Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign coordinator for Restore the Delta.
>>>
>>> "For too long we have had the fox guarding the hen house in our
>>> state agencies," said Schwarzenegger. "By appointing new leadership
>>> in the Resources Agency and Department of Water Resources, we will
>>> reverse the decline of our precious fish populations and will make
>>> these agencies true stewards of our public trust resources."
>>>
>>> Schwarzenegger also announced the disbanding of the controversial
>>> Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Blue Ribbon Task Force after
>>> years of complaints by anglers, commercial fishermen, Indian Tribes
>>> and grassroots environmentalists that the process was biased and
>>> put sustainable fishermen and seaweed harvesters out of business
>>> while not addressing the true causes of fishery declines.
>>>
>>> Craig Tucker, spokesman for the Karuk Tribe, responded to
>>> Schwarzenegger's reversal of positions with surprise and
>>> jubilation. "I'm elated that the Governor has finally woken up,
>>> seen the destructive impact of his policies and vowed to restore
>>> California's salmon and other fish populations," said Tucker. "If
>>> he actually follows through with his plans, we can start calling
>>> him 'Conan the Riparian' and the 'Green Governor' rather than the
>>> 'Fish Terminator.'"
>>>
>>> For more information, go to:
http://www.calsport.org/4-1-09.htm>>>
>>> __._,_.___
Bob
Author
