CSPA
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
“Conserving California’s Fisheries"

The only lobbyists the fish have are you, the fish NEED your help. Don't let apathy KILL this bill!

Your 501(c)(3) tax deductible cash donations are desperately needed if the fight for our fisheries is to continue. Read how you can donate!

CSPA Advisory

CSPA Action Alert 8.8.08

AB 1806 clears Senate Appropriations Committee unscathed, heading to senate floor for a vote next week. We NEED your letters!

AB 1806, the delta restoration and mitigation bill, was passed out of committee on Thursday, August 7^th. It will now go to the senate floor for an up or down vote. If it passes, it goes to the governor’s desk for signature. This bill means millions of dollars for delta fisheries restoration and is a key element in the delta’s recovery. The major beneficiaries of this bill will be our critically impacted Chinook salmon stocks, wild and hatchery steelhead, striped bass, the Delta Smelt and the Longfin Smelt.

The bill requires the water districts benefiting from the pumping process to pay the costs of mitigation. The taxpayers of California will not bear the burden of the restoration costs.

However, the water districts that will be affected by this bill’s passage are pouring many, many thousands of dollars in lobbying for the bill’s defeat. They are trying to avoid the responsibility of the damage done to our fisheries through the pumping process, a process they benefit greatly from in the form of taxpayer subsidized water.

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Allied Fishing Groups, the Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers the California Striped Bass Association, and the other state and regional fishing organizations and clubs neither have the funds or the personnel to match the efforts of these water districts, made rich through the use of subsidized water at the expense of our fisheries.

The only lobbyists the fish have are you, the fish NEED your help. Don't let apathy KILL this bill!

It is imperative that EVERYONE concerned with the health of the delta write three letters, one to their district senator, one to the Senate Majority Leader, Gloria Romero, and one to the Senate Minority Leader, Dave Cogdill.

Sample letters, senator's addresses, fax numbers, e-mail addresses and on-line contact form links are below for the entire senate.

Club/organization presidents and editors, please forward this Alert to your members via your e-mail network and post on your website. Time is of the essence. The bill could be voted on as early as Tuesday!

Again:
One letter to your district senator
Second letter to the Senate Majority Leader
Third letter to the Senate Minority Leader

Since your response is time critical, in addition to paper letters, (always the most impact!) we suggest faxing when possible and e-mail or form fill follow-ups. The below senators' links provide fax numbers, e-mail addresses when available and on-line form fill pages. The most important thing is that you take action! Write, cut and paste or e-mail!

You may write your own letter or use all or parts of the sample letters below. The most important thing is that you take the time to write! Cut and paste freely!

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Sample Letter One, suggested for a Democratic Senator

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In support of AB 1806 (Wolk) - Fish Rescue Plans & Mitigation

Dear Senator ______________,

In support of AB 1806,

In the coming week you will have the opportunity to vote in favor of AB 1806. As you know AB 1806 is a delta restoration bill with mitigation for fish destroyed in the pumping process as a key element.

The fisheries of the California delta are in critical need of your support. The Chinook salmon stocks, so important to thousands of both commercial and recreational anglers are now at their lowest point in the state's history. Steelhead stocks are heavily impacted as well. The striped bass fishery, once the envy of the nation, is now estimated to be less than 350,000 adults, down from the 6 to 9 million fish that were in the delta before the pumping process began. The Delta Smelt is on the endangered list and the Longfin Smelt is not far behind.

In addition to the economic benefits these fisheries provide, their existence is a matter of quality of life for millions of Californians and, if nothing is done, a march towards extinction for the fisheries themselves.

As a California angler, voter, and taxpayer I urge you to vote in favor of this important bill. Not because your party may encourage an "aye" vote, but because it's the right thing to do for California, Californians, and California fisheries.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR PHONE NUMBER

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Sample Letter Two, suggested for a Republican Senator

In support of AB 1806 (Wolk) - Fish Rescue Plans & Mitigation

Dear Senator ______________,

In support of AB 1806,

As a California angler, voter, and taxpayer I urge you to do the right thing and vote in favor of this important bill. Please don't take the easy way out by voting the party line.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR PHONE NUMBER

***********************

A letter for organizations and clubs

Re: In support of AB 1806 (Wolk) - Fish Rescue Plans & Mitigation

Dear Senator ______________,

As (fill in your title or position) of (fill in your club or organization’s name) with a membership of (number of members) members , I am writing in support of AB 1806.

AB 1806 is critical legislation essential to beginning the process of restoring the fishery resources of the Delta and its tributaries. It requires the state and federal water projects fully mitigate for all of the fishery impacts caused by the operation of these projects. This is essential if we are to stop the horrendous decline of the fishery resources dependent on the Delta and its tributaries.

The facts are straightforward, neither of the projects completely mitigates for the direct and indirect losses of the fish killed by their delta export operations in contrast to their legal obligations.

AB 1806 is part of the critical efforts necessary to stop the declines of our fisheries from the annual direct and indirect fisheries losses caused by the project's operations. Many millions of fish are lost each year that are not mitigated and appropriate mitigation is the only solution.

While this is not the only reason for the decline of the fisheries dependent on the Delta, until mitigation for these impacts are accomplished, we will continue to see the estuary's fisheries fail to recover. The decline in our fisheries over the past forty years is estimated by a DFG report to cost $8 billion in income not generated by the State's economy.

In addition, we now face a crisis with our fall-run salmon fishery. This year's salmon closure is estimated to cost some $250 million and the closure is likely to be extended next year. These are very grim economic facts and unless we make a mid-course correction now, this situation will only become worse and fishery closures more extensive.

We urge your "aye vote" on this measure, when the bill comes to the senate floor next week. Your yes vote is imperative to help resolve one of the most critical problems faced by these valuable public fishery resources.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME, TITLE
ORGANIZATION or CLUB
ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER

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Below is the complete list of the members of the California State Senate.

If you don't know your senator, you may identify him or her by going to http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/framepage.asp and entering your address in the provided form.

Some of the senators have only a form page on their websites for constituent response. Others provide both an e-mail address and a contact form page. Still others provide only an e-mail address. If your e-mail gets bounced try the contact form page.

If you live out of the senator's district, make sure you use the suggested zip code rather than your own. Most of the senator's form fill pages key in on the zips and bounce those not within their districts.

District 1 Cox, Dave (R) State Capitol, Room 2068 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4001 Fax: (916) 324-2680 Senator.Cox@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95642 on form page	District 2 Wiggins, Patricia (D) State Capitol, Room 4081 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4002 Fax: (916) 323-6958 senator.wiggins@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95501 on form page
District 3 Migden, Carole (D) State Capitol, Room 5114 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4003 Fax: (916) 445-4722 Senator.Migden@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 94903 on form page	District 4 Aanestad, Sam (R) State Capitol, Room 2054 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4004 Fax: (916) 445-7750 Senator.Aanestad@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95959 on form page
District 5 Machado, Mike (D) State Capitol, Room 5066 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4005 Fax: (916) 323-2304 Senator.Machado@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95202 on form page	District 6 Steinberg, Darrell (D) State Capitol, Room 4035 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4006 Fax: (916) 323-2263 Senator.Steinberg@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95814 on form page
District 7 Torlakson, Tom (D) State Capitol, Room 5050 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4007 Fax: (916) 445-2527 Senator.Torlakson@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 94519 on form page	District 8 Yee, Leland Y. (D) State Capitol, Room 4048 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4008 Fax: (916) 327-2186 Senator.yee@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 94402 on form page
District 9 Peralta, Don (D) State Capitol, Room 205 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4009 Fax: (916) 327-1997 Senator.Perata@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 94612 on form page	District 10 Corbett, Ellen M. (D) State Capitol, Room 3092 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4010 Fax: (916) 327-2433 senator.corbett@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 94577 on form page
District 11 Simitian, Joe (D) State Capitol, Room 2080 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4011 Fax: (916) 323-4529 Senator.Simitian@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 94301 on form page	District 12 Denham, Jeff (R) State Capitol, Room 3076 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4012 Fax: (916) 445-0773 Senator.Denham@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95340 on form page
District 13 Alquist, Elaine K. (D) State Capitol, Room 5080 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4013 Fax: (916) 324-0283 Senator.Alquist@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95113 on form page	District 14 Cogdill, Dave (R) Minority Leader State Capitol, Room 305 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4014 Fax: (916) 327-3523 senator.cogdill@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 93727 on form page
District 15 Maldonado, Abel (R) State Capitol, Room 4082 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4015 Fax: (916) 445-8081 Senator.Maldonado@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 95113 on form page	District 16 Florez, Dean (D) State Capitol, Room 5061 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4016 Fax: (916) 327-5989 Senator.Florez@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 93301 on form page
District 17 Runner, George (R) State Capitol, Room 5097 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4017 Fax: (916) 445-4662 Senator.Runner@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 93534 on form page	District 18 Ashburn, Roy (R) State Capitol, Room 3060 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4018 Fax: (916) 322-3304 Senator.Ashburn@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 93309 on form page
District 19 McClintock, Tom (R) State Capitol, Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4019 Fax: (916) 324-7544 senator.mcclintock@sen.ca.gov	District 20 Padilla, Alex (D) State Capitol, Room 4032 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4020 senator.padilla@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 91401 on form page
Distirct 21 Scott, Jack (D) State Capitol, Room 2082 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4021 Fax: (916) 324-7543 senator.scott@sen.ca.gov	District 22 Cedillo, Gilbert (D) State Capitol, Room 5100 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4022 Fax: (916) 327-8817 Contact form page Use zip 90014 on form page senator.cedillo@sen.ca.gov
District 23 Kuehl, Shelia James (D) State Capitol, Room 5108 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4023 Fax: (916) 324-4823 Senator.kuehl@sen.ca.gov	District 24 Romero, Gloria (D) Majority Leader State Capitol, Room 313 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4024 Fax: (916) 445-0485 senator.romero@sen.ca.gov
District 25 Vincent, Edward (D) State Capitol, Room 5052 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4025 Fax: (916) 445-3712 senator.vincent@sen.ca.gov	District 26 Ridley Thomas, Mark (D) State Capitol, Room 4061 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4026 Fax: (916) 445-8899 Contact form page Use zip 90037 on form page senator.ridley-thomas@sen.ca.gov
District 27 Lowenthal, Alan (D) State Capitol, Room 2032 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4027 Fax: (916) 327-9113 Senator.Lowenthal@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 90802 on form page	District 28 Oropeza, Jenny (D) State Capitol, Room 4074 Sacramento, CA94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4028 Fax: (916) 323-6056 Contact form page Use zip 90278 on form page senator.orpeza@sen.ca.gov
District 29 Margett, Bob (R) State Capitol, Room 3082 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4029 Fax: (916) 324-0922 Senator.Margett@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 91740 on form page	District 30 Calderon, Ron (D) State Capitol, Room 4088 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4030 Fax: (916) 327-8755 Contact form page Use zip 90640 on form page senator.calderon@sen.ca.gov
District 31 Dutton, Robert (R) State Capitol, Room 5094 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4031 Fax: (916) 327-2272 Senator.Dutton@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 91730 on form page	District 32 Negret McLeod, Gloria (D) State Capitol, Room 2059 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4032 Fax: (916) 445-0128 Contact form page Use zip 91763 on form page senator.negret-mcleod@sen.ca.gov
District 33 Ackerman, Dick (R) State Capitol, Room 3048 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4033 Fax: (916) 445-9754 Senator.Ackerman@sen.ca.gov	District 34 Correa, Lou (D) State Capitol, Room 4062 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4034 senator.correa@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 92706 on form page
District 35 Harman, Tom (R) State Capitol, Room 2052 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4035 Fax: (916) 445-9263 senator.harmon@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 92626 on form page	District 36 Hollingsworth, Dennis (R) State Capitol, Room 5064 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4036 Fax: (916) 447-9008 Senator.Hollingsworth@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 92591 on form page
District 37 Battin, Jim (R) State Capitol, Room 3063 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4037 Fax: (916) 327-2187 Jim.Battin@sen.ca.gov	District 38 Wyland, Mark (R) State Capitol, Room 4066 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4038 Fax: (916) 446-7382 senator.wyland@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 92675 on form page
District 39 Kehoe, Christine (D) State Capitol, Room 4038 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4039 Fax: (916) 327-2188 Senator.Kehoe@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 92101 on form page	District 40 Ducheny, Denise Moreno (D) State Capitol, Room 5035 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 Phone: (916) 651-4040 Fax: (916) 327-3522 Senator.Ducheny@sen.ca.gov Contact form page Use zip 91910 on form page