Lake County Record Bee-Supervisors adopt resolution in support of Berryessa Snow Mountain conservation area

The Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Tuesday adopted a resolution supporting the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area as it applies to the county.

A representative from Tuleyome, a volunteer nonprofit advocacy organization that aims to protect lands in the western Sacramento Valley and Inner Coastal Range, delivered a presentation on the proposed conservation area.

Sarah Husby-Good, Tuleyome executive director and campaign director, said more than 321,000 acres of federal public lands would be protected by the area.

She said Lake County comprises more than 270,000 acres of those lands, with the remaining land area in Napa, Yolo and Mendocino counties. The proposed area that would be protected spans from Lake Berryessa 100 miles north to Snow Mountain in the Mendocino National Forest.

Husby-Good said Tuleyome has worked with Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) on the proposal to get it passed in Congress.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) representative Rich Burns from the Ukiah Field Office was also on hand.

BOS Chair Rob Brown said he had concerns about a "land grab" by the federal government but his concerns were addressed and he offered his support of the project.

"I see no reason to not support it," Brown said.

District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing, who placed the proposal on the agenda, said three federal agencies, the BLM, Bureau of Reclamation and Mendocino National Forest, would work together. She said this would be a good thing because they could unite to address issues affecting the region, such as illegal marijuana grow sites, invasive species and water pollution.

Ed Robey, chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group, said the group supports the project and encouraged the supervisors to do the same.

Bobby Dutcher with the Lake County Association of Realtors said the organization voted against supporting the proposal because it may affect private property owners' rights.

District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith was concerned about supporting the entire project rather than just the county's jurisdiction.

Husby-Good said at least three Napa County supervisors had expressed support of the project, though Napa County requires resolutions to be adopted unanimously. She said the organization was confident Yolo County supervisors would adopt a resolution of support.

Smith asked the other supervisors if they would support modifying the resolution.

Brown suggested adding "as it applies to Lake County" at the end of the resolution of support. The BOS unanimously adopted the amended resolution.

In other matters, the BOS unanimously approved a proposed ordinance on first reading that would establish Lake County Probation Department as a new bargaining unit.