Salmon bucks will have to be revived after Legislature's recess

John Driscoll

The Times-Standard
Eureka Times Standard

July 21, 2007

Millions of dollars in salmon restoration money never made it into the budget that the state Assembly passed onto the Senate, and it appears unlikely it will be added back in before a final vote.

Instead, the $11.5 million in Proposition 84 funds originally intended to go to the Department of Fish and Game' Restoration Grants Program -- the lion's share of which generally goes to far Northern California -- will probably have to make its own way through a policy bill. That wouldn't likely move until January, which could throw a wrench in the works even if such a bill passes.

The $103 billion spending plan sent to the Assembly early Friday morning was pared down in much larger increments than a few million dollars. Sen. Pat Wiggins' office has asked the Senate president pro tem and the state budget committee chair for the fish funds to be reinserted, though that prospect is unlikely.

”They were so focused on big budget items,” said Brett Williams with the Santa Rosa Democrat's office. “Eleven and a half million dollars wasn't big ticket.”

The money was extracted in the Assembly Budget Committee when regulations -- watered down according to some environmental groups -- regarding coho salmon were passed by the state Board of Forestry. In her July 18 letter to Senate leaders, Wiggins writes that stronger regulations may be needed, but that's no reason to pull the fish funds.

The restoration money is a big deal for Humboldt and Del Norte counties. The two counties see at least a quarter of the grant program's funds each year, and the program dollars leverage other federal and local money. Last year, Humboldt and Del Norte saw $3.1 million from the Fish and Game program not including a portion of the funds meant for all of Northern California .

Humboldt County 's Public Works Department has been replacing culverts to allow salmon access to spawning grounds, projects that have met with success. Public Works Deputy Director Chris Whitworth said that the department has seen more than $4 million for such efforts through Fish and Game's program since 2000, some of which is currently being used for improvements on Rocky Gulch and Warren Creek . This year's projects probably won't be affected, he said.

”It definitely would affect subsequent grant cycles, however,” Whitworth said.

Assemblywoman Patty Berg's office doesn't see it being particularly difficult in getting a fresh bill through the Legislature after the summer recess.

”That doesn't mean it's dead,” Berg's Chief of Staff Will Shuck said, “and that doesn't mean anybody's given up yet.”

Shuck said Berg, D-Eureka, has been in touch with the Assembly leadership to impress on them the importance of the funds to the region.

John Driscoll can be reached at 441-0504 or jdriscoll@times-standard.com.