Rep. Mike Thompson

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Environment

Northern California provides some of the most picturesque and important natural landscapes our country has to offer. These areas provide not only escapes from a hectic urban life but its natural resources are the economic and cultural cornerstone for Northern California's coastal communities.

Protecting the natural resources in our region is one of Congressman Thompson's top legislative priorities. He prides himself by working with his congressional colleagues from both sides of the aisle to help protect our air, water, public lands, human health and wildlife. Congressman Thompson is committed to protecting our nation's resources in a fair and equitable manner.

Oceans

Northern California's coastline is a natural treasure and is world renowned for its beauty. Keeping our coasts healthy is vital to our regions multimillion-dollar tourism and fishery industries. They provide important economic and social benefits to Northern Californians, including high quality seafood and recreation.

Congressman Thompson will continue to support all legislation that will meaningfully advance renewable energy policies, anti-pollution initiatives and will oppose drilling for oil off of California's coast which could harm its resources and economy.

Fisheries

The fishing communities of Northern California once represented some of our country's most productive salmon rivers, generating more than $1.25 billion for the regional economy. But declining fish numbers and poor water conditions along many of these rivers has forced the federal government to all but shut down commercial fishing along California's North Coast. This closure has cost coastal communities nearly 80% of the region's job base and over 7,000 family wage jobs.

Scientists believe that one of the best ways to protect anadromous fish, like salmon and steelhead, is to restore their inland spawning grounds. However, impediments like culverts, bridges and sedimentation have made it either impossible or difficult for these fish to return to many of their important spawning areas.

Congressman Thompson introduced legislation (HR 1945) which authorizes the federal government to spend $200 million in California, Idaho, Alaska, Washington and Oregon to help remove these impediments and restore riparian areas. This bill has bipartisan support in the House and Senate.

Klamath River

The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon fishery in the continental United States. However, over the last 40 years salmon populations have plummeted to less than 10% of their historical levels due to poor water management. This has crippled the economic and cultural livelihood of Northern California's coastal communities.

Congressman Thompson is committed to protecting and restoring the Klamath River and its fisheries. To resolve the water crisis in the Klamath Basin, Congressman Thompson has introduced legislation (HR 1760) that will bring balance to the Klamath Basin.

HR 1760 will:

· Allocate $200 million over 12 years to landowners and tribes throughout the Klamath Basin who participate in water conservation projects. Programs would include incentives for using less water intensive crops, restoration of streams, lining and piping of earthen irrigation ditches, more efficient water delivery and monitoring systems;
· Merge the upper and lower Klamath Basin working groups into one to ensure that all parties are represented;
· Require the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to prepare quarterly reports to Congress on the progress of conservation projects in the Klamath Basin; and
· Require that the Department of Interior report on the best ways to manage fish and wildlife in the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge - home to 80% of the continental United States bald eagle population and the key nesting area for millions of migratory birds in the Pacific Flyway.

This bill encourages basin stakeholders to find feasible long-term solutions. Congressman Thompson believes it is time we work together to find practical solutions for the Klamath that take all affected communities into consideration.

Land Wildlife

Congressman Thompson introduced legislation (HR 233) to expand wilderness protection on publicly owned lands in Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake and Napa Counties. The legislation is important to protect some of Northern California's most treasured lands, its federally threatened and endangered salmon and trout and to ensure a source of clean, reliable water for California's future. This legislation is supported by hundreds of organizations and thousands of people.

Congressman Thompson invested many hours in the formation of this bill. He has hiked, fished, hunted and has had aerial tours of the areas in this legislation. He also held public hearings with stakeholders representing timber, hunting and fishing, conservation, government, off-road vehicle, mountain bike, business and farming.

With respect to HR 233, Congressman Thompson has made sure that:

· There will be no legal roads closed in this wilderness bill.
· This bill will allow the Bureau of Land Management or the National Forest Service to use any means necessary, including the use of machinery, to fight, prevent or provide preventive fire suppression activities in wilderness areas.
· No private lands will be included in this proposal.
· Nothing in this bill will prohibit people from hunting and fishing in these areas.

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Environment

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