Is California Violating Fish & Wildlife Protection Laws?

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – September 21 – A coalition of conservation and sportsmen’s groups formally notified the state of California today that the state’s management program for timber harvest is out of compliance with laws designed to protect the state’s fish and wildlife. Recent changes in program funding have largely eliminated California Department of Fish and Game review of decisions by the California Department of Forestry (Cal Fire), the state agency that oversees logging in the state. Both Fish and Game and Cal Fire are housed in the state’s Resources Agency.

In October 2010, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed Fish and Game funding for the majority of staff positions that review timber harvest; the funding has yet to be reinstated. As a result, Cal Fire no longer regularly consults with Fish and Game over the environmental impacts of ogging, as is required by state law. In the Sierra Nevada, for example, Fish and Game involvement has been completely eliminated despite the fact that widespread clearcutting continues to occur.

“Logging can cause severe harm to California’s wildlife, including species such as coho salmon and steelhead trout,” said Justin Augustine with the Center for Biological Diversity. “That’s why state law requires Cal Fire to consult with the Department of Fish and Game: to make sure that our fish and wildlife receive the protections they need and deserve.

Cal Fire’s timber-harvest review program is currently exempted from certain provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act because the program is considered “functionally equivalent” to the normal “environmental impact report” process that most projects go through. But in order to maintain its “functionally equivalent” status, Cal Fire is required to consult with Fish and Game regarding the impacts of logging plans on fish, wildlife and rare plants.

Read the entire article at http://www.ebbettspassforestwatch.org/2011/09/21/is-ca-violating-fish-and-wildlife-protection-laws/