Just received a CalTrout “Trout Clout” alert; it says Governor Ahhhhnold’s latest budget calls for the disbanding of the California Youth Conservation Corp – a move CalTrout thinks is going to cost taxpayers money in the long run:
Eliminating the CCC is a text book example of “penny-wise, pound-foolish”. In 2008 alone, the CCC saved the State taxpayers $30.8 million in its work with other state agencies, including: CalFire, State Parks, CalTrans, and the Department of Water Resources – this alone is more than the State would save by eliminating the CCC.
It would also weaken the state’s emergency preparedness. Over the past ten years, the CCC has devoted over 2.8 million hours to emergency response activities.
And the Corps contributions to California’s wild fish and watersheds are critical. Since 1980, CCC corpsmembers have:
o Improved over 1,500 stream miles
o Modified over 1,250 barriers to fish passage
o Stabilized over 48,880 feet of stream bank
o Installed more than 6,500 fish habitat structures
o Improved over 326,500 square feet of fisheries habitat
o Planted over 2,000,000 trees
You can find out more at this page, or – if you’re already convinced the CCC merits saving – go directly to this page and invest about 40 seconds.
But do so before February 2 (that’s soon), or it won’t matter.
See you on the CCC restored river, Tom Chandler.
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