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Halt to dredge mining needs governor's signature, your help needed for passage

July 16, 2009 -- Senator Wiggin's bill, SB 670, calling for an immediate halt to suction dredge mining for gold has cleared both houses of the legislature by over 2/3 vote but still needs the governor's signature to be passed into law. The governor vetoed a similar bill last year. If vetoed, the bill would be sent back to the legislature where it might end up the victim of a party vote. If so, it would fail to receive the 2/3 majority necessary to override the governor's veto and the mining would continue. The governor needs to be persuaded that it is to his disadvantage politically to veto the bill. That can only be done by convincing him that there is sizable support for the bill.

CSPA has supported Wiggin's bill and is a party to a lawsuit enjoining the practice of suction dredge mining on a temporary basis. Passage of this bill would impose a temporary moratorium on motorized suction gold dredge mining until an environmental impact report assessing the practice’s impacts is completed by the Department of Fish and Game and new regulations are put in place.

Suction dredge mining disturbs spawning gravels, churns up long-buried mercury, destroys large amounts of aquatic insects and kills salmon and trout eggs by burying them with disturbed silt.

CSPA, CalTrout and other environmental and fishery advocacy organizations are asking that you write a brief letter to the governor asking him to sign SB 670 into law.

Please cut and paste the below letter and modify as you see fit. You have the choice of sending a snail mail letter, fax or e-mail. The governor's address and fax number are included below.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160 ( new number )

To send an e-mail, please copy the letter below and then follow the link which will take you to the governor's form fill page (below). 

Once at the page fill in your personal information and then use the pull down menu to choose, "Environment Issues/Concerns" then click the SUBMIT button.

At the new page, check the "Pro" Button and then paste the below letter into the form box.

Again, copy the letter below and then go to the governor's e-mail page by following this link.  Governor's E-Mail Page

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Subject: Please sign SB 670, the Suction Dredge Moratorium Bill into law

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,

Please sign SB 670, the bill  placing a temporary moratorium on suction dredge mining.

Suction dredge mining has been proven to be harmful to California's fisheries by killing salmon, trout and other fish species eggs, destroying fish habitat and insect life and releasing long buried mercury back into the environment, causing a health hazard to animals and humans.

SB 670 would provide DFG with the time to conduct an Environmental Impact Study on the effects of suction dredge mining, review regulations and fees and develop a series of regulations that will consider and balance effects on the environment with the recreational value of suction dredge mining.

California's fisheries are severely impacted with a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to the state's economy. This moratorium will support the recovery and re-establishment of these fisheries while allowing the time for a scientific review of suction dredge mining on those fisheries and a basis for establishing regulations compatible with both the fisheries and miner's interests.

I sincerely and respectfully urge your signature of SB 670 into law.