Comment extension on DFG DEIR

[jerhobbs]

PAC Members

As you know, public review of the draft regulations and Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report began on February 28, 2011. Public meetings will begin next week in Santa Clarita, then on to Fresno, Sacramento, Yreka and Redding. We had intended for public review to conclude on April 29, 2011. However, a closer inspection of the Administrative Procedures Act makes it clear that we will need to hold at least one public hearing after 45 days of the public comment period have passed. All five of the scheduled meetings occur before that time. Consequently we will hold a sixth public hearing, probably on May 10, 2011 in Sacramento and extend the public comment period through that date. By now you have probably seen the documents on our website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/suctiondredge/. I intend to add a few more this week related to the APA process.

The first five public meetings will bear some similarity to the scoping meetings, beginning with one hour of informal discussion and informational stations around the room. However, the scoping meetings included a substantial segment where DFG responded to questions generated by the participants. This meeting is intended to receive public input, not for DFG to respond in the moment to questions and statements. We will be videotaping each meeting and preparing a transcript from the videotape for our record, and for use in considering what modifications may be needed to our SEIR and the regulations.

We have been receiving numerous written comments through regular mail and email; and I have had dozens of telephone conversations. They cover the expected range of viewpoints, from advocating no restrictions on suction dredging to an outright ban. There have also been numerous specific questions and recommendations. We will fully consider everything we receive.

Looking back, forming the PAC was a great idea, at least from my perspective, and it arose from public requests during the scoping process. I doubt that any one person's hopes or expectations were entirely met through your participation. However, for DFG and our consultant team we learned a lot from the content and dialogue and the relationships we made have been very useful.

Thank you for your past participation and I look forward to interacting with each of you in the future.




Mark Stopher
Environmental Program Manager
California Department of Fish and Game
601 Locust Street
Redding, CA 96001

voice 530.225.2275
fax 530.225.2391
cell 530.945.1344

[Hoser John]

blah blah blah and mo' bs--they violated the laws of the Administrative act and now trying to call their screwup a favor BS-last favor that lying dog did dredgers was the complete illegal shutdown of the Sacramento river system almost 20 years agoo-ya sum favor mo'fo'-John

[CalGoldDredger]

I got a favor for him, right here.

[Plumas]

Comments submitted this morning.

Plumas