Reply With QuoteI changed the name in The Sandbar. I sure hope it drums up some interest. Thank you to all that have helped so far...
BRA
I'm kinda surprised that this thread hasn't generated more interest. The majority of people on this forum prob. doesn't give a shit about Berryessa or have never been there but as stated above Berryessa is just the first lake that will be off limits to powerboats. I've seen a few of the proposals and one of them is to "encourage" the use of sailboats, canoes and kyacks because they are enviromentally friendly and they don't pollute the water and air, not to speak of the so-called noise problem. With the pass of one silly ordnance or whatever they will call it Berryessa will then be off limits to those NASTY powerboats. When the bark-eaters are sucessful they will then focus their attention to another lake or river that they think needs saving. GET INVOLVED!!!....The lake you save may be the one you use.
It hasn't generated more interest because most of the people who post in th Sandbar and Hot Spots West frequent the Colorado River System. The thread title doesn't catch their attention because they aren't interested in Berryessa. That's why I tried to make it relevant to them on the other thread, but most probably don't even view it because of the title. Sorry to say. :frown:
I changed the name in The Sandbar. I sure hope it drums up some interest. Thank you to all that have helped so far...
BRA
I changed the name in The Sandbar. I sure hope it drums up some interest. Thank you to all that have helped so far...
BRA
I'm pinning this so more people will hopefully see.
I put this reply in the Sandbar thread, but I guess it should be over here...
The non-boating eco-freak public will always out number the boaters on these issues. They scream louder too. Protecting the "safety of our drinking water" will always win the court of public opinion and at the poles.
The Colorado is definately in danger of closing to motorized boat traffic IMO. It's not like other waterways that are routes of commerce, like the Mississippi, the Illinios, the Ohio, and other large rivers of America. The Colorado is a series of reservors to hold fresh water for use by the drought ridden area of the Southwest. Sadly, I can see them one day saying the "risks" of contanination are too great to allow boating.....or maybe even bodily contact. Will the non-boating public (and voting majority) agree? Maybe.
I am not giving up w/o a fight. I do believe we should be united and vocal about our opinions on this subject. That's why I wanted to say what I first did, to show anyone who thinks it just won't happen to us, that it could very well happen!!!
We'll end up like the smokers! They gave up a little over time, and have now lost almost all rights. We need to be like the NRA, and fight each and every issue as it happens. The gun owning public is losing it's rights much slower than the smokers for the simple reason that they fight ALL movements to degrade their rights.
Is there some organization that is fighting on behalf of the boat owner in cases like the Berryessa example?
RTJas
I'm pinning this so more people will hopefully see.
Good idea!!
we are to busy with our life
those focker don't have a life so they have all the time in the world to **** us over
Is there some organization that is fighting on behalf of the boat owner in cases like the Berryessa example?
RTJas
Yes, there is a group called Taskforce 6, as well as others. I can get you all the information I have if you want. Obviously this is near and dear to me b/c I am only 30 min from the lake, but this can be a country wide problem as if it happens here, it will happen elsewhere. The Colorado is all run by the BOR if I am not mistaken, and will be another place this happens as their concessions come up for renewal in the future. My personal belief is the BOR is using Berryessa as a test ground for what they can get away w/, and their plan of action in the future for other sites. I don't think they believed a group of small business owners could create such a large following, but we all need to keep the pressure on them. I would like to personally thank each and every one of you that have shown some support. Let's keep the pressure on...
BRA
Dear Friends of Lake Berryessa,
You've been getting a lot of emails lately about Lake Berryessa. That's because we are at a critical point in our battle to save our lake. Sometimes it takes a couple of requests before some of us finally decide to do something. Please take that time now! It took me more than an hour to write, email, and fax my comments to everyone listed below. But that is not too much time to invest in protecting your future!!!
We have heard from several people in Washington, D.C. (and actually through a Task Force 7 member with connections to Senate sources in Nevada of all places) that Lake Berryessa is one of the hottest topics of conversation in Congress and the Department of the Interior. We need to keep up the pressure.
I have to share with you a letter from one of our most passionate supporters who has done an incredible job during the last couple of years in rallying people to our cause. Don Lombardi has been doing this work for almost 5 years and can still get fired up! I want you to read it in his own words and FEEL IT!
We need you to write, fax, email now! Can you believe I still meet local residents, lake users, and mobile home owners who don't think it will happen. We've heard from several sources that there may actually be trailer owners who support the BOR and tell them what we are doing - supposedly because some BOR employee promised them he'd let them keep their trailer if they spied on us. This may just be one of those conspiracy theory rumors (we've heard some strange opinions from people about what they think is happening) since I can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to believe anything the BOR (especially a certain local employee) says about this issue!
Read Don's letter, get as fired up as he is, and take action now. We need you to write especially to a few new names in Congress. I've included them again at the end of Don's letter and right here:
These Congressmen's districts are close to Lake Berryessa. They must be called, faxed and e-mailed by constituents and other supporters to urge them to ask Chairman Pombo to hold hearings and reign in the Bureau of Reclamation.
Wally Herger, (202) 225-3076 - FAX (202) 226-0852 - fax your letter - no email.
Dan Lungren (202) 225-5716 - FAX (202) 226-1298 -- fax your letter - no email.
John Doolittle (202) 225-2511 - FAX (202) 225-5444 - fax or email to doolittle@mail.house.gov
************************************************** *****
From Don Lombardi:
LABOR DAY 2005 COUNTDOWN
This is a Labor Day 2005 countdown to everyone who either owns a trailer, mobile home or wants to save Lake Berryessa. At the June 11, 2005 Task Force 7 meeting of the future of Lake Berryessa at Putah Creek Resort it was stated loud and clear that if we do not change the minds of some of the most important politicians by Labor Day 2005 we may lose the battle to the BOR. Let me be clear, this came from our political analyst whom we have paid to inform us of the effects of our strategy on Washington policy makers and politicians. It is pretty clear and plain to see that Labor Day 2005 is right around the corner. We cannot say that we did not have time to do our part to save Lake Berryessa for our children and grandchildren.
My wife and I, my daughter's and my son's families have mailed 100 of the letters to Richard Pombo Chairman of the Resources Committee (per the email dated 6/16/05 to you from Pete Kilkus) of concerned people to save Lake Berryessa. If only three families can send 100 letters, just think if everyone would just send three letters per trailer owner, the total would be 1300 times 3 or 3900 letters to our congressmen. Everyone needs to do their part and find the time before it is too late - men, women, children, and friends all send letters, E-mail, and faxes to the congressman. Remember, Labor Day 2005 is D- Day for everyone, and for those who own mobile homes, trailers, it will be a loss of investment plus an expense to clean out the trailer sites, approximately between $6,000 to $10,000 and bring it back to a nature state.
Remember, you did not buy in a nature state, but the radical environmentalists and the BOR wants you, at your expense, to be responsible for all the expenditure. This is a wake-up call for those who expect someone else to do the work to save their places. Time is vital and is closing in on who will win the war. We have fought many battles, but the victory of war is at stake. We and we alone can lose the war if we don't have enough time to mail letters, e-mail, and faxes to our congressman to make them stop this BOR onslaught.
Please do not stop now until we are sure of winning the war. Do not put yourself in the position to explain to your children, grandchildren, friends, that we lost Lake Berryessa because of excuses of not having enough time to stand together to fight the Sierra Club and Berryessa Trails & Conservation, both non-profit organizations, which means they do not pay taxes, and the BOR, for whom we write paychecks with our taxes. Remember we are taxpayers and do not need to hide from these people. Stand up and fight for your legal rights or lie down and let them take those rights away from you. You will only have yourself to blame because you did not care enough to stand up and fight for your rights not only with your donations, but also standing together as one.
Some people think they have until 2008 - 2009 at the end of the Resort leases. Let us not be naive to think that our only saving grace is our resort owner, because if he sees it is total loss by Labor Day 2005, he might decide to make a deal with the BOR to relieve him of a large clean up expense at the end of his lease. He might make an early termination of the resort lease and at that time we are no longer protected and will have 30 to 60 days to remove our mobile homes and trailers. This could happen as early as 2005 or 2006 so the 2008- 2009 ending leases means nothing without the concessionaires. You already saw this happen at Pleasure Cove!
We have less than 60 days to try to convince our congressmen to put a stop to the BOR's actions. I believe our political analyst's words that we have only until Labor Day 2005 to win the war. I have been at Lake Berryessa over 30 years and I believe the BOR is out to get rid of the recreation as it is at Lake Berryessa at everyone else's expense. If everyone does his or her jobs, our congressmen will hear us loud and clear. Remember, they count numbers, the more they see, the more they will feel the need to respond to us. Now is the time to act before the countdown to Labor Day 2005. One good example is Pleasure Cove Resort whose contract was terminated by the BOR. The new Resort owner of the new Pleasure Cove Marina is Forever Resorts Corp. of Arizona. They make their money renting houseboats so they have no need for mobile homes, trailers, or pleasure boats. The BOR has brought an Arizona company with a promise they will have the lone concession of Lake Berryessa, and are throwing out California taxpaying citizens. One down; six to go, no time to lose to make sure the BOR destruction plan does not include us. Contact your State Representatives and Governor and tell them you don't want our tax dollars leaving our State. WE MUST WIN THE WAR.
DON LOMBARDI
******************************
It is time to bring the Bureau of Reclamation under control.
-----1. Send a message to Congressman Mike Thompson. Lake Berryessa is in
his district. You need to ask him to request Chairman Richard Pombo of the
Resources Committee to hold hearings on Lake Berryessa and the BOR.
Phone: (202) 225-3311. FAX: (202) 225-4335. You can send him an e-mail
message by going to his website at http://www.mikethompson.house.gov
----2. Contact Chairman Richard Pombo of the Resources Committee. This is
the kind of issue he has concerns about. Let him know you support taking
direct action. Call (202) 225-2761 -- FAX: (202) 225-5929 -
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov
-----3. These Congressmen's districts are close to Lake Berryessa. They
must be called faxed and e-mailed by constituents and other supporters to urge them to ask
Chairman Pombo to hold hearings and reign in the Bureau of Reclamation.
Wally Herger, (202) 225-3076 - FAX (202) 226-0852 - www.house.gov/herger.
Dan Lungren (202) 225-5716 - FAX (202) 226-1298 -- www.house.gov/lungren.
John Doolittle (202) 225-2511 - FAX (202) 225-5444 -doolittle@mail.house.gov
-----4. Call, Fax and E-mail -- Secretary of Interior Gale Norton
(202) 208-7351 - FAX: (202) 219-2100 - gale_norton@ios.doi.gov
-----5. Call, Fax and E-mail - Deputy Lynn Scarlett
(202) 208-4203 -- FAX: (202) 208-1873 - lynn_scarlett@ios.doi.gov
-----6. Commissioner of Bureau of Reclamation - John Keyes
(202) 513-0501 - FAX: (202) 513-0309 - jkeys@usbr.gov
-----7. Mark Limbaugh - Deputy Commissioner of Reclamation
(202) 513-0540 - FAX: (202) 513-0309 - mlimbaugh@usbr.gov
-----8. Call, fax and e-mail your local congressman. Call any Senator or
Congressman at (202) 225-3121. Ask for their fax and e-mail. Ask them to
request an investigation by the Resources Committee in the House and the
Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the Senate. Ask them to request
that funds for Lake Berryessa management by BOR be cut until the
Administration reins in this out of control agency.
-----9. Call and fax the Resources Committee -Water and Power
Subcommittee - Kiel Weaver -- (202) 225-8331 - FAX: (202) 226-6953
----10. Call and fax Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee - Water
and Power Subcommittee -- Kelly Donnelly -- (202) 224-4971 - FAX: (202)
228-0541
----11. Send a short letter to the editor of any newspapers in your area.
The BOR will be putting out propaganda. You want to build support in your
local community and those near to Lake Berryessa. Please keep the letter to
less than three paragraphs and don't make them long because people won't
read them.
***Here is what you should say:
BOR must throw out their present plan to cut down or eliminate public use and access by the general public, long-term site permittees, boaters, and dock owners.
There is an excellent alternative plan, The Resort Operators Plan (ROP), which accomplishes everything in the BOR plan and actually provides much more public access at no cost to the taxpayer.
BOR must stop the removal of long-term tenants.
BOR must stop the discrimination against long-term users and motorized watercraft.
No private property should be taken without compensation.
Bush Administration officials must require the Bureau of Reclamation be good neighbors at Lake Berryessa.
We need everyones help. If it happens here, it could very well happen in your area very soon...
BRA
We need everyones help. If it happens here, it could very well happen in your area very soon...
BRA
Not "could very well happen" but it WILL happen elsewhere. Today its Berryessa and after they accomplish what they want they will move on to another lake or river for "rescuing" What will be next? Naciemento and/or San Antonio? Shasta? Mead? Don Pedro? All will be a target. The barkeaters love nothing more than to flex their political muscle. I believe their ultimate goal is government ownership of all land in the name of "public use" Yeah...right! Public use, just try to use land that is held by the government, throw in an endangered species or a wet land and there is absoultly no public access by any living creature that has less than 4 legs. Read some of the horror storys by people that have land that some government doofus claims an endangered species lives on or some stagnant swamp that breeds mosquitos is now a "wet land" Chairman Mao has nothing on any of these people, they could teach him a few things about the power of government. :2purples:
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