Reports From the Bridge

Thanks Bob Franko

Secretary Chrisman Is Out in Left Field
Resources Secretary Chrisman is determined to push this MLPA through to the point that he is disregarding the law. In a letter to the Fish and Game Commission on June 1 he states: “On behalf of the Governor, I want to let you and your fellow commissioners know that California’s process for adopting an improved system of marine protected areas is well funded. Moreover, there is no reason, funding or otherwise, for the process supporting the law to be postponed.”
Apparently he never read the law or he wouldn’t be saying such nonsense. Here is what the law says. Note that the law is addressed specifically to the Commission and says:
“Fish and Game Code Section 2859(b): On or before December 1, 2005, the commission shall adopt a final master plan and a Marine Life Protection Program with regulations based on the plan and shall implement the program, to the extent funds are available.”
So Secretary Chrisman is flat out wrong, yet he has an agenda to drive the flawed MLPA forward to the extent that he will even disregard what the law specifically states. We need you to stop this process and get it back to where the legislature intended when it passed the law. We need you to get the Commission to back off and we need you to send an email to the Commission stating something like:

Fish and Game Commission
Secretary Chrisman is not correct. We need to postpone further action on the MLPA until proper funding for science, monitoring and enforcement is in place. The current budget crisis is not the time to implement an act requiring $40 million in annual funding.

 
Please send it to the Commission members at the following addresses:
Cindy Gustafson (cindyg@tcpud.org)
Mike Sutton (msutton@mbayaq.org)
Jim Kellogg (jimk@uanet.org)
Richard Rogers (rrogers921@aol.com)
Dan Richards (drichards@kendrewdevelopment.com)
And cc:
Mike.Chrisman@resources.ca.gov
Vickie.Bradshaw@gov.ca.gov

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