Want to Clean Trespass Grows? Grants Are Available

Marijuana Grow

A trespass grow from July of 2016. [Photo from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office]

Press release from California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is now accepting proposals for habitat restoration projects within the California watersheds most impacted by unregulated cannabis cultivation.

Contingent on the Budget Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017-2018, a total of $1.5 million in Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration funds will be made available through CDFW’s Cannabis Restoration Grant Program. The program will focus on the North Coast watersheds extending from Sonoma County to the Oregon state line, as they have been most heavily impacted by cannabis cultivation.

“Existing damage to our watersheds due to unregulated cannabis cultivation is at crisis levels in terms of threats to habitat for aquatic and wildlife species,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “While many grow sites have been abandoned or shuttered, the infrastructure and ongoing damage remains. We are poised to initiate this critical and missing step in the process of decommissioning unwanted grow sites.”

California’s fish and wildlife are severely impacted by unregulated cannabis cultivation practices including unlawful water diversions for irrigation, conversion of lands, and prohibited herbicides, rodenticides and other environmental contaminants. The most impacted areas require immediate action. Assembly Bill 243 (Wood, Medical Marijuana) provides direction to CDFW to restore watersheds impacted by cannabis cultivation.

“Our beautiful, pristine North Coast forests have become havens for these rogue grow sites,” said Assemblymember Jim Wood, who represents five of the county areas eligible for these grants. “These sites have been ravaged by lethal chemicals, often-banned rodenticides which are used to keep animals away, but remain in the ground and eventually run off into rivers and streams, destroying everything in their path, including endangered fish species such as coho salmon. I am grateful that the Governor and CDFW are making these funds available for this much-needed cleanup.”

The FY 2017-2018 Proposal Solicitation Notice, application instructions and other information about the Restoration Grant Program are available at wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Cannabis-Restoration-Grant.

Proposals must be submitted online at https://soar.resources.ca.gov/. The deadline to apply is Friday, June 30, 2017 at 4 p.m.

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blackandwhitesripes
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blackandwhitesripes
6 years ago

This will be the easiest way to defraud the taxpayer. Legally. Lets talk about it.
Overcharging for each hour spent on these cleanups are going to add up.
Will the restoration work be actually inspected ?? By which corrupted agency?

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
6 years ago

A perfect fit for humboldt then.

Dragonfly
Guest
6 years ago

How about getting the funds from the 100s of dispensaries located throughout California who have made millions off our environment. The dispensarie tax that is currently in place does not address the economic and the ongoing environmental damage in our rural communities.

just me
Guest
just me
6 years ago

i know lets not talk about it. i m we are moving in the right direction

Country Grown
Guest
Country Grown
6 years ago

There’s always that person who has to say something negative.

I think this is great! We need to clean our prestine landscape. Any amount helps.

Realwood
Guest
Realwood
6 years ago
Reply to  Country Grown

I think its great too!

MOGTX
Guest
6 years ago

Awful small plants for July

o.k. fine
Guest
o.k. fine
6 years ago

do we get to keep the plants????????????

Shak
Guest
Shak
6 years ago

Of particular interest from their website: “These projects may also obtain ESA coverage as needed through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ programmatic Section 7 consultation on its regional general permit to the FRGP. See the PSN for more details relevant to permitting requirements.”

Free Joe Robertson. https://redoubtnews.com/2016/05/montana-disabled-veteran-convicted-pond/

nuff said.

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago
Reply to  Shak

“During a subsequent site visit in November of 2013, Robertson admitted to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and USFS Criminal Special Agents that he had performed the work on the National Forest property using an excavator. State and federal officials visited the site again in May of 2014, and observed that Robertson had done additional work. The site was now approximately 1.2 acres in size, and extended beyond the National Forest property to a private property that he did not own. The work consisted of nine ponds of varying sizes, including some as large as approximately 4900 square feet that were placed directly in the stream and wetlands area. Unconsolidated dredged material from the ponds had been used to create the berms and had been placed in and around the stream and wetlands. Robertson admitted that he had completed the additional work. Additional investigation revealed that Robertson continued to construct ponds on the USFS property after May of 2014, despite being told repeatedly that he had no legal right to do so.”

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/basin-man-sentenced-18-months-clean-water-act-violations-and-destruction-us-property

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Sounds very evil, until the rest of the story is questioned, investigated, and analysed.
The govt excludes info such as:
He had county and state permits.
Distance from property to main “navigable water”. (several reports say 150 miles)
Stock ponds have exemptions from over regulations.
Fire defense is a right, not a privilege.

This is also known as trumped up charges. Exaggerating the offense, eliminating the factual info.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Here’s another case. (He won thank goodness). http://www.independentsentinel.com/epa-fines-wyoming-man-16-million-for-building-a-pond-on-his-property/

8th amendment “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
6 years ago

Christ. Leave it alone. Use the money for something else.
Betcha if you come back in 5-10 years, you won’t be able to find the site.
Nature will take it back.

Emily
Guest
Emily
6 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

Yeah.. I find all the old oil barrels (one that was full) and cable and cat parts in the woods around my place, even some old (old) grow stuff. It’s all blended into the woods…. who cares? Doesnt bother me. I clean it up little by little.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

I don’t think their’s enough money to fix all the damage

Shawnee Sauers
Guest
Shawnee Sauers
6 years ago

I hate that my home ,Humboldt, has such a bad reputation. ..

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago
Reply to  Shawnee Sauers

Me too!😣

just me
Guest
just me
6 years ago
Reply to  G-MAS

if you hate it here. move AND STOP COMPLAINING

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

So I can take my equipment to clean it up? What do we do with the illegal pesticides? Can we be armed to protect ourselves from the cartels still operating in the vicinity?

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Sounds like a good subject for the new TV series. “Humboldt Live”