Carl Zichella
Regional Field Director
Sierra Club of California
1414 K Street, Suite 500
Sacramento, CA 95814
November 20, 2002
Dear Carl:
California's water resources are vastly important to the state and its citizens from an economic and public trust resource consideration base. In short, water will be at the root of many issues facing the citizens of California and the environmental community. Neither the state nor the environmental community can afford not to take action to protect and restore our dwindling water resources.
In particular, environmentalists face significant challenges in dealing with the all-important State Water Resources Control Board and its policy considerations, and especially at the Regional Board level in dealing with such policy and program matters as Waste Discharge Reporting and related Waivers, TMDLs, forestry water quality problems, and diversion and water use problems.
It is clear to many of the operating activists and environmental organizations in California that we need additional help in dealing with water problems. But one of the largest and most influential environmental groups, the Sierra Club, has let their presence on state water issues wane in the past years. In view of this alarming trend, the undersigned interested parties request additional dedicated help, in the form of at least one full time staff person based in Sacramento, to represent the Sierra Club in addressing the challenges of water policy in California.
Sincerely,
Helen Libeu, Citizens for Watershed Protection
Jay Halcomb, Russian River Residents Against Unsafe Logging