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Letters Needed: Schwarzenegger Wants Department of Boating and Waterways Gone in 3 Months!

Boating and Waterways serves a VITAL role in keeping the water hyacinth from totally choking the Delta waterways. Without this necessary service, backwater sloughs will become impassable and huge clumps of floating plants will become a major hazard to the navigation of watercraft. CSPA joins with the FishSniffer staff in urging you to write the suggested letters.

January 29, 2009 -- Unless boaters act now, the Department of Boating & Waterways will be gone in 3 months! California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is submitting a reorganization proposal to the Sate Legislature that would eliminate the Department of Boating & Waterways. The governor's plan will become effective this spring, after it has been given to the Legislature, unless either the Senate or the Assembly adopts, by majority vote, a resolution rejecting the plan.

The Department of Boating and Waterways improves public access to our waterways and is in charge of controlling/eliminating non-native invasive aquatic vegetation from the Delta... (Continued)

Here is what we are asking you to do. Send an email or letter to Governor Schwarzenegger similar to the information below. To make this easy, you can copy and paste the information into your email. The governor's email address is: http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

We are also asking you to send this email to as many of your friends as possible who are interested in saving the Delta. In addition, please write or email your Senator and Assembly Member, identifying yourself as a constituent by including your address. To find your Legislator, go to: www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

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Cut and Paste Below, change to reflect your personal view.

http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

Please do not eliminate the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW). Here are some facts as to why we are sending this letter/email to you:

DBW receives no General Fund dollars and is funded by boater fuel tax dollars, registration fees, and interest payments on infrastructure loans.

DBW provides accountability, transparency, and leadership regarding the collection and use of boater-derived taxes and fees; the best use of these funds for programs benefiting boating.

DBW serves a vital role in eradicating and controlling invasive species of plants in our waterways, keeping these routes open for boating, fishing and other recreation.

This elimination of DBW will not provide the projected $600,000 in savings and would eliminate essential boating programs and services (i.e. safety on the waterways, environmental protection for the state waterways, and stimulation of the state's economy).

Thank you for your time to reconsider this very important issue.