September 6, 2004
It has been a very warm July in the Mateel region. Water levels are not as good as last year's, lacking the abundant late spring rains of 2003, but levels are better than the year before when large reaches of important salmon and steelhead habitat in headwaters regions dried up. Word is getting out about the need to avoid drafting water from the creeks and rivers during the latter part of summer and in the fall prior to the onset of the rains. Large storage tanks are springing up and are especially noticeable in the upper Mattole headwaters area, one of the crucial habitat areas that has been adversely affected by low water flows.
A lot of watershed restoration work has not started up yet this year, or has started up slowly, for a couple of reasons. One has been permitting problems, which I understand mainly involve the Army Corps of Engineers, although Water Quality and the Fish and Wildlife Service and other are also involved. The other has been the unresolved issues of transition to prevailing wages for public works with public funds and limiting or eliminating volunteer labor. These issues are too complex to adequately address in this column. The short version is that the issue over volunteers and prevailing wages is likely to be settled with volunteer advocates satisfied by legislation carried by Lonnie Hancock, AB 2690, which appears to be a shoe-in for passage and signature in August. The thornier problem of transition to the prevailing wage and amnesty for back wages looks impossible to resolve through amendments to AB 2690 or in other administrative or legislative action this year. [As we go to press AB 2690 passed the legislation and is on the governors desk awaiting his signature. The amnesty for back wages issue remains unresolved.]
A significant number of project contracts were approved before the 2003 Department of Industrial Relations ruling made it clear that prevailing wages must be paid for any public works project funded at any level by the state. Prevailing wages are often significantly higher than the wages budgeted and paid so far. Managers of ongoing projects must seek additional funds to pay back wages that are due under the ruling. An ice cube in the hot dust of Reggae on the River stands a better chance. They also face changing the scope of the work in their contracts to meet the stiffer labor budget. A complex set of claimed exemptions, or lack of exemptions, and conflicting statutes make resolution, even by fall of 2005, unlikely. There has been a lack of legislative leadership, lack of open negotiations by all affected parties, and a lack of a commonly understood set of facts and possibilities. While a number of projects may be successfully carried out this year, many others without permits and/or back wage resolution by the end of August may lose this season's work. This will be a serious setback to affected workers and organizations, and may be a big blow to the watershed restoration effort overall.
In a related negative scenario, we find the Fish and Game Commission floundering over the state listing of Coho Salmon. The last "Diggin' In" described the positive actions taken by the Commission in February to move forward with the Coho listing. Now, after the `whine time' gang of industry and range interests, assisted by a Bush appointee who specializes in scuttling listed species protection, brought pressures to bear on the Commission -- the Commission at Crescent City in July postponed the listing to confer with NOAA Fisheries over federal assistance, hoping to further delay or avoid listing. The Commission has until February or March 2005 to finally act. It's on their agenda again at their next meeting near Mono Lake in August. The `taboo' on listing has gotten ridiculous. The actual measures proposed and what would be enforced by the Department of Fish and Game amount mostly to guidelines, not the end of the world. The `whine timers' rave about everything from loss of jobs to threats to "stop doing good things" if Coho is listed. All of the positive recommendations of the Coho Recovery Plan that were approved for implementation, by over twenty representatives of a wide range of interests and by the Department and the Commission, are being ignored.
The long awaited public field trips to the Canoe Fire that burned in the South Fork Eel/Salmon Creek/Canoe Creek/Bull Creek area in September and October 2003 have yet to happen. The latest word is that tours will take place this Fall. In related fire matters, much is going on. The Blue Ribbon Report on the spectacular Southern California Fires last Fall is out--check the Office of Emergency Services web page, or www.oes.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/PDF. Fire Safe Councils are forming and active on all levels from neighborhood to region to the state.
I'm not sure what's current with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Management Plan for the King Range, but the long-awaited General Plan for the Sinkyone Wilderness continues to be held up, this time because of inability to resolve carrying capacity issues and estimates. I was told that the Draft General Plan would possibly be heard in a Public Hearing before the Commission in 2005. Copies will be available to the public in advance of that hearing. Some of the alternatives discussed last summer and other information can be located--with perseverance and ingenuity--on the California Parks and Recreation website.
The Board of Forestry (BoF) is involved in emergency exemptions for fire reduction around human interface areas and private and state forestlands. An emergency package was passed that went into effect recently and its permanent extension is being sought. Related legislation, AB 2420, is wending its way through the Legislature.
The Old Growth/Heritage Tree disclosure rules package is basically being filibustered by the industry in the BoF's Forest Practices Committee. The Heritage Tree Bill, SB 754, has its biggest hurdle in August in the Assembly.
The flawed Road Management rules package is likely to be put out for hearing by the Board in early fall. Lack of adequate standards and procedures is a continuing problem.
The Board's flawed process for Sensitive Watershed designation and response is highlighted with the current Water Quality nomination of Elk River. A workshop is planned by the Humboldt Watershed Council in August to try and come up with recommendations for a fair and positive process.
Work continues with the Buckeye Forest Project (BFP) to come up with relief and incentives for small landowners. Workshops on NTMPs (Nonindustrial Timber Management Plans) and Watercourse Protection have been held this year. Getting an adequate and credible feedback or monitoring loop continues to be key for progress.
The clean-up of the Redway Ridge Forest by Stable Slopes Forever! (SSF!) has been coming along well. Abandoned buildings, vehicles, and other various and sundry items are being processed and removed. This 581-acre addition to Parks and Recreation's Whittemore Grove and the John DeWitt State Reserve was a long and successful struggle, participated in by many, over many years. The clean-up is being enjoyed by dozens of activists as part of the culmination of the struggle.
Get in touch with EPIC at 707/923-2931 and Humboldt Watershed Council at 707/822-1166 for the latest information on many of the above topics and other issues.
Pray for sufficient fall rains, act to reduce fire and erosion hazards--get involved.
P.S. By the time the next "Branching Out" and "Diggin' In" are published, California government might have a different look. The California Performance Report (CPR) is due out any day now. It will allegedly abolish many Commissions and Boards and make big reorganizations, e.g., put all peace officers in one agency, and split CDF into separate fire and resource management entities. Minds and realities may be boggled.
More Information About
Committee for the Sinkyone
More Articles...
TOC for Forest & River News, Summer 2004