The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area seems to be getting closer to becoming reality.
Proponents are quick to point out that there is no language included in this that directly affects private ownership. This is technically correct, but there is also no language in it that assures future improvement to the area.
The detrimental side effect of this designation will be to make landowners within the area a target for CEQA abuse should they decide they want to build a road on their property, or a stock pond, or convert any of their land to agriculture.
The same environmental groups that play down this possibility are the ones that are experts at manipulating the CEQA and NEPA processes. There is very little a landowner can do on their property without a CEQA permit, which requires public notification and public input.
Special interest groups can cause huge delays and added expenses to the applicant by flooding the responsible CEQA agencies with public comment. It”s easy to draft an example letter, post it on a website and allow hundreds of people to participate in the stalling process.
This measure will absolutely discourage landowners in the future to make improvements to their property and therefore, suppress future land values.
A few years ago the Snow Mountain Wilderness Area was expanded. We went through the same debate and locals were promised that this designation would add jobs, increase land values, enable funding for projects, blah, blah, blah.
None of it ever came true and you won”t find a more neglected corner of Lake County than this wilderness addition. Don”t take my word for it, drive out there, hike around and look. Chances are you will find two pot gardens for every deer you see.
This is the type of superficial accomplishment that makes environmental groups feel good about themselves. Designer labeling might play well in the press, but calling this region a new name doesn”t make me feel much better about the future of the area.
Congressmen Thompson and Garamendi seem to feel this might allow future funding for projects and I hope they are right. The thing that bothers me is that few things work as poorly as federal agencies. The only thing worse is trying to get multiple federal agencies to accomplish something.
I”ve never been a fan of people who write letters complaining about something, then don”t offer a solution; so here”s mine: Go ahead and pass this measure. It will hurt landowners in this area, but it just makes a terrible situation a little worse. Have the press conferences, photo ops, hang a few fancy signs and let the peasants rejoice. After that, support S.1692 which would fund the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 for five more years. This program allows local citizen committees to work with local federal employees to fund projects such as trail development, stream restoration and road maintenance. Increase the amount funding allowed RAC committees and let them consider projects within BLM land, as well as USFS.
Funding can come through user fees. You need to buy a license to hunt, a license to fish, fees to park, so why not a sticker program to use federal roads if the funds received are used to maintain these areas. Anyone who can afford the investment in backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, hunting equipment, etc, can surely find $100 a year to help maintain these assets.
There are some outstanding people working in the local BLM field office in Ukiah and the USFS ranger station in Upper Lake. Taking more discretion away from Washington D.C. and giving it to local federal officials working with local volunteer committees will accomplish much more than renaming federal lands.
Bobby Dutcher
Kelseyville
