California: timber industry slowly losing entitlement to pollute streams

The Board of Forestry is reviewing proposed changes to the “Threatened
and Impaired Watershed Rules” that currently provide (minimal)
additional protections for watersheds with listed fish species and
watersheds listed as impaired by the Regional Waterboards. The new
proposals would increase many of the protections, although the current
policy paper would reduce canopy retention in the riparian corridor in
the southern sub?district (Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Santa Clara
Counties).

I attended the January Forest Practice Committee discussion
on a portion of this package and shared my concerns about these
proposed canopy reduction measures. Much of the five hour session
seemed to be a filibuster by one industry member who was concerned
that new definitions of unconfined stream channels would limit his use
of roads currently found in that channel area. A representative of
NMFS, the State Waterboard and three DFG representatives participated
in the discussions. More to follow in the months to come. Jodi
Frediani
Chair, Forestry Task Force Santa Cruz Group Ventana Chapter, Sierra
Club JodiFredi@aol.com

— Posted to http://forestpolicyresearch.com via gmail to posterous and
also to forestpolicyresearch@yahoogroups.com

Posted via email from Deane’s posterous