Friday, January 29, 2010

HB80 Update.......please help!

This can potentially affect all/any state(s) so it could benefit everyone to help out if you can

Subject: HB-80: URGENT Request - contact your reps and senatorsURGENT! Please read! As many of you know, a new bill has been introduced to the Utah legislation a few weeks ago by Rep Lorie Fowlke. The bill, HB-80, is a bill that we (TU), our hired lobbyist, and other groups and individuals have been working with Lorie on for the last 6 months. The bill is in response to last year's HB-187 debacle which tried to severely change our recreational right, access and use of Utah's streams and rivers. Lorie's bill is a compromise bill that actually strengthens and supports the current law when it comes to accessing and using streams and rivers that pass over private stream beds. The time is now to start contacting your representatives and senators and asking them as their constituents, to please support HB-80. Tell them that Rep. Fowlke has gone through the proper processes to ensure a compromised bill for all interested parties. Over the last 6 months she has had several open public comment sessions at the capitol, met with members of TU, the DWR, Utah Anglers Coalition, the Farm Bureau, private land owners, etc, in order to come up with a fair and compromised bill. Rep Fowlke has done her due diligence in writing this bill. As a Utah Trout Unlimited leadership group, we fully support HB-80 and hope that you will take our lead and contact your representatives asap. Our grassroots movement will be key in getting HB-80 passed. Unfortunately, as good as a bill as it may be, we're not guaranteed that this bill will pass throught the house without a fight. We do have opposition. The Farm Bureau has been aggressively trashing Rep Fowlke's bill the last 3 days, saying the bill does not go far enough. Rep McGiff and Ferry have been working on their own bill that is written to overturn the Canatser supreme court ruling. There is obvious opposition that we face and we need your help. Please take 5 minutes of your time and look up your representative's contact info. Send them an email or give them a call. Be professional and polite in your correspondence and let them know that their constituents feel that HB-80 is important. Here's a few links to help you find your reps and senators as well as links to HB-80.
http://www.facebook.com/l/e51c0;le.utah.gov/http://www.facebook.com/l/e51c0;le.utah.gov/~2010/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0080.htmhttp://www.facebook.com/l/e51c0;le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsphttp://www.facebook.com/l/e51c0;le.utah.gov/Documents/09roster.pdf


Tally from this week....$1,420.00!! Great job so far everyone!!!!The $200 @ $50 was a great idea, let hope it keeps going!!http://www.utahonthefly.com/forums/showthread.php?p=251664#post251664Jay's Facebook page and photo offer also brought in more donations, thanks J!!Although it sounds like a ton of cash, its only a small chunk.We still need over $12,000.00!! and we have about 30 days to do this.Please contact everyone you know, post on blogs, forums and Facebook.... spread the word!!!! We have a very tough road ahead of us, we really need all the help we can get.

3 comments:

Chase Murdock said...

Interesting post. What is the opposition saying? Why oppose such a basic principle that I thought was already a right I had to fish in public water?

mike doughty said...

the opposition basically feels that they own the streambed and if they can't get that then they want the ruling to be 'wet foot', meaning that if you are using the rivers/creeks that run through private property then you must have your feet in the water at all times

mike doughty said...

chase- if you'd like to read more about it go to www.utahonthefly.com, there are quite afew threads on the subject