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Klamath Riverkeeper Press Release
July 14th, 2009: For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott Harding, Executive Director, Klamath Riverkeeper, 541.488.3553
SUCTION DREDGING LIMITED BY COURTS, LEGISLATURE
SB 670 and separate court injunction shut down harmful hobby mining in California
In a stunning double victory for river advocates and fishing groups, suction dredge mining has been shut down this week both by California courts and the State Legislature. On Friday, a California Superior Court decision granted an injunction immediately halting use of general fund monies to process and issue suction dredging permits. Yesterday, SB 670 – a bill that imposes a moratorium on suction dredging pending scientific reviews and a new rulemaking process – passed the Legislature on a Senate concurrence vote of 28-7 and will now head to the Governor’s desk with broad bi-partisan support.
“This is great news for California’s budget and California’s rivers. The courts and the Legislature agree it’s time to end subsidies for destructive suction dredge mining in the middle of an economic and fisheries crisis,” said Scott Harding with Klamath Riverkeeper. “Governor Schwarzenegger, it’s your turn,” added Harding, noting that the two-thirds majority win in the Legislature means the “urgency” bill will go into effect immediately after the Governor’s signs it.
“Halting the suction dredging program will put over $1 million back in the General Fund,” added Harding. The state spends $1.25 million more per year on the suction dredge mining permit program than it receives in permit fees, amounting to a $400 subsidy for each of the 3,200 miners that obtain permits.
The practice of suction dredging has been shown to disrupt spawning beds, force fish into areas of dangerously warm water, muddy river water, alter the course of stream channels, and hurt or kill aquatic organisms living in the river bottom. At times, ten or more suction dredges can be found in one river mile on the Klamath.
This week’s court injunction prohibits the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) from spending any of the State of California’s General Fund on issuing suction dredge permits while the program is inadequately regulated. The injunction effectively halts suction dredging until CDFG completes an existing court-ordered revision of its suction dredge regulations. CDFG has previously admitted in court that its current suction dredge mining regulations violate the California Environmental Quality Act and Fish and Game Codes §§5653 and 5653.9, but a defiant CDFG Director Donald Koch has thus far failed to bring the program into compliance with state law.
A coalition of seven fishing and conservation groups, including Klamath Riverkeeper, filed for the injunction on June 9th. Senate Bill 670 was sponsored by Senator Pat Wiggins with broad grassroots support from river advocacy and salmon industry groups across California.
The public can urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the bill at: http://www.klamathriver.org/comments/sb670/index.html