SFAC Meeting, Willows
November 8, 2013
Minutes
Participants:
SFAC / Affiliation / Political RepBill Wickman and Laurel Brent Bumb / SFAC Spokesperson's / Congressman LaMalfa
Jack Sweeney / El Dorado Co Ex. Board / Tim Holabird and Brenda Haynes
Gary Evans / Colusa Co Board
Lori Simpson / Plumas Co Board
Marcia Armstrong / Siskiyou Co Board
Gerry Hemmingsen / Del Norte Co Board
Randy Hanvelt / Tuolumne Co Board
Paul Roan / Sierra Co Board
Leonard Moty / Shasta Co Board
Dennis Garton / Tehama Co Bd
Sean Curtis / Modoc Co Farm Bureau
Joe Laurence / Douglas Co, OR, Co Commissioner
Frank Stewart / State Fire Safe Council
Mike Wood / Carpenter Union – Chester/Quincy
Sylvia Milligan / ROC
Dick Wright / Shasta Co Coord Council
Mike Applegarth / El Dorado Co.
Steve Brink / CFA
Wes Melo, Sue Kupillas / Communities for Healthy Forest, Inc. S. Oregon
Mark Lathrop / SPI Community Relations
Bruce Courtright / NIECW
This meeting was SFAC's fall meeting that is planned to summarize our work for 2013 as well as plan and discuss our direction and plan of work for 2014. As you see above, we had 11 different Counties that had representatives as well as our neighbors from Oregon, members from Communities for Healthy Forests and our Douglas County Commissioner and a cross section of other members.
The main emphasis for the day was to discuss how we can work together with neighboring states and representatives from those states as well as plan our 2014 meeting schedule and any change in our plan of work.
A small group had a pre-meeting discussion that centered on how SFAC and our expanded group can work together. The group consisted of Bill Wickman, SFAC and Sue Kupillas and Wes Melo, CHF and Joe Laurence, Douglas County Commissioner. The specifics from that meeting are attached as documented by Sue.
The larger group then discussed how best to combine our efforts and be effective. Some specific recommendations were:
ñ Update the SFAC letterhead to add states and counties who now have participation with the group. (in process as of Nov. 14th)
ñ Form a combined working group that will develop educational information spots. The members from SFAC to work with CHF are Bill Wickman, Sean Curtis (Modoc), Frank Stewart (Fire Safe Council), Bruce Courtright (NIECW) and Mark Lathrop (SPI Community Relations).
ñ Continue to expand our participants in other counties and states.
ñ Joe L. has already contacted 8 S. Oregon Counties.
ñ We mentioned that SFAC member Teri Murrison passes our notes and information to the Idaho Governor's office.
ñ Bill W. is still working with Nye County, Nevada to assure that they are still interested in SFAC.
ñ We will continue to send information to Nevada Senator Heller and House Representative Amodei.
ñ We will continue to work to include representatives from House members, Bera, Garamendi, Huffman and Costa.
ñ We will continue to build relations with Senator Boxer and Feinstein staff.
ñ SFAC will assist in building relationships for future meetings with political representatives from Oregon and Nevada as well as pursue members in Washington and Idaho.
ñ Thoughts for educational spots (Randy Hanvelt reminded the group about the importance of talking as a balanced environmental group);
ñ Fire impacts to watersheds and specific spots on impacts to municipal water storage, i.e. where water comes from; who benefits (people, counties, ag)
ñ If one is done soon, discuss how the current legislative proposals benefit the ecosystem and counties.
ñ Recreation and tourism and fires impacts
ñ Visual impacts to wildlife
ñ Forest and watersheds contributions to agriculture and impacts related to fire.
ñ Climate change and potential for addressing growing concern through ecological restoration (specifically proper forest mgmt)
We discussed that the current House Farm Bill will be worked on and SFAC needs to offer suggestions on changes. SFAC should ask for comment from the CA Farm Bureau (Sean take the lead for us).
We discussed the importance of maintaining and building a working relationship with both sides of the isle. Bill discussed the upcoming meeting with Senator Boxer's staff as well as the recent conference call that was held with Senator Feinstein's staff (James Peterson and Deven Rhinerson- WO staff and Jessica Glass- SF staff). Both Bill W. and Leonard Moty (Shasta Co Bd member) were on the call for SFAC.
Bruce Courtright (NIECW) made a presentation on his organizations proposed changes in HR1526 to strengthen the language in ecological terms. Bruce also discussed the current Executive Order that addresses Climate Change. His notes on both will be sent once I can get them typed and I sent both documents out after our Nov 8th meeting).
We discussed what meetings and where and with whom our 2014 meetings should be held. Randy Hanvelt and others felt to be most effective, we need to meet six times a year. After discussion, it was decided that we would hold the following meetings;
ñ Two with our political representatives
ñ February 28, 2014 in Sacramento (CA reps)
ñ Potential items for discussions
ñ Update on legislation in relation to changes to benefit and provide increase in pace and scale of ecosystem restoration on public lands.
ñ Proposed change in US Code 579c to assure that our counties receive a fair share of fire settlement dollars.
ñ SRS either in the interim of passage of legislation that will increase pace and scale or if no legislative relief to benefit our public lands, what next?
ñ June 27, 2014 in Redding (CA/OR/NV reps)
ñ Talking points to be developed
ñ Two with the Regional Forester
ñ April (date to be set after contacting the R5 Regional Office) location will be Sacramento.
ñ Potential agenda items
ñ Discussion of how to work together to define the objectives of our meetings and make meetings more productive.
ñ Continuation of development of a S/E element for NEPA documents
ñ Coordinating Councils and success or need to develop by County
ñ How SFAC and our Counties can assist in increasing pace and scale of ecosystem restoration
ñ Current status and roll out of updates of Forest Plans. Discuss bio-regional assessments.
ñ August 22, 2014 in Redding and will be a combined meeting with R5/R6 Regional Foresters to discuss common issues that would benefit both regions.
We discussed how SFAC can assist in funding our work with Chico State University Economic Development, Warren Jensen, to continue our work on the social and economic element for NEPA documents. Jack Sweeny had drafted a proposed letter to RCRC asking for assistance. If this was not to be successful, then we had a brief discussion on County support. SFAC and Jack will finalize the letter to be presented to RCRC. Paul Roen, Sierra County Supervisor indicated that Lee Adams of Sierra County was the next President of RCRC and would be willing to take the lead for us.
Topics added to the agenda that we did not get to discuss.
ñ Rim Fire- information provided by Steve B. Undersecretary Robert Bonnie will tour the Rim Fire with Regional Forester, Randy Moore on Nov. 18
ñ Under Secretaries visit in relation to monuments
ñ Fire on the landscape
ñ CA Spotted Owl. Steve Brink provided the following- attempt by Eldorado Natl. Forest Biologists to increase the core size from 310 to 617 acres. Basis is that the Eldorado Administrative Study has shown slow but steady decline of owl population for years. Now the Forest has an adverse effect Biological Opinion for the upcoming Blacksmith Thinning project.
I want to thank all of the participants for a great meeting and day. I am encouraged at the continuing coordination and working relationship that is being developed with our neighbors to the north in Oregon. Thank your for CHF members and Joe Laurence for traveling from Oregon to meet with us.
Please save the dates shown above so that we can continue to work with our political staff and Regional Foresters on issue critical to our counties.
Notes submitted by Bill Wickman, Representative of SFAC