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 Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
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  AUGUST 18, 2006 California Farm Bureau Friday Review

Senator Wesly Chesbro, (D-Arcata) placed SB 1342 on the Assembly Inactive file this week due to
increasing opposition to the bill. The bill would allow an extension of the length of Timber Harvest Plans
(THP) only for those operations that practice uneven aged management and are not in the Southern
Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District. CFBF is opposed to the bill due to the inherent inequities created
by the restriction of forest practices and areas eligible for extended THPs. The sponsors of the bill have
expressed an interest in working with CFBF and other groups opposed to the bill to craft legislation that
all parties can agree upon to be introduced in the next legislative session.

AB 450 (Leland Yee, D-San Francisco) passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on a
unanimous vote. This bill requires the Office of Emergency Services to incorporate the California Animal
Response Emergency System into its standardized emergency management system. California’s livestock
producers are well aware of the difficulties faced during emergencies when trying to evacuate or protect
livestock. CFBF supports this bill as a way to improve coordination between the livestock industries and
agencies tasked with emergency planning to ultimately reduce risks to livestock and livestock producers
during emergencies. The bill now moves to the Senate floor.

This week the Assembly Appropriations Committee approved SB 1640 (Sheila Kuehl, D - Santa Monica),
which would create an expensive and unnecessary groundwater monitoring system throughout the state,
which many view as a first step towards state regulation of groundwater use. Farm Bureau remains
opposed to this legislation unless it is significantly amended to limit its application only to those
groundwater basins where the state has a true interest in groundwater use. The bill will next be
considered on the Assembly Floor.

SB 419 by Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) passed out of the Assembly Appropriations committee on an 11 to
5 partisan vote. This bill would create a “California only” registration and compliance program for rail
tank cars used to carry essential materials into California and would impose additional requirements on
tank cars that are not required in any of the other states. The rail industry does not have an adequate
number of tank cars that meet the proposed regulatory standard, which would result in the shortage of raw
material, fuel, gases and chemicals used for crop production and protection, drinking water sterilization,
sewage treatment, the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and electronic equipment in California. Farm
Bureau is opposed and will continue to work with the large business coalition as the bill continues
through the legislative process. SB 419 will be heard next on the Assembly floor.

FARM TEAM ALERT: Please contact your Assembly member to express opposition to SB 419. Click
here: Legislative Action Center for a sample letter.

 
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