"Save Serene Lakes" update for July 2008:

Note: Tell friends to go to www.saveserenelakes.org and sign up for these monthly email updates.

News: (for a complete news timeline see "news timeline")

The American River Complex fires (Government Springs fire) are now 50% contained due to phenomenal work by the fire crews and improving weather conditions. The latest status from the Tahoe National Forest can be found here: Wednesday July 16
At their board meeting on July 11th, the SLCWD water board expressed concern that there has been no progress relating to their efforts to purchase or acquire by eminent domain the lake bottom and greenbelt. The board also discussed their response to the state water board complaint filed by a lakeside homeowner. The response clarified their method of diverting water during the summer. The response can be found here: SLCWD_response.pdf
During the June 26th Placer County Planning Commission meeting, a Royal Gorge representative told the commission that the "idea" to pipe water up to Serene Lakes from Rainbow Lodge is "dead," "scrapped," and "won't happen." This contrasts with a recent statement by Mike Livak, RG's program manager, that they didn't want to sell water to Big Bend (who are on "boil water" orders and desperately need a new source) because they may need it on the Summit. See HAS ROYAL GORGE LLC COME TO THEIR SENSES? for more details.
Research from the University of Utah on community evacuation safety in the face of wildfires has been applied to the Serene Lakes Community. The research shows the evacuation safety in Serene Lakes is very bad and will be much worse with any new development. The research results are available in: Serene Lakes: A Fire Evacuation Nightmare.
State water quality officials made an unannounced visit to the South Yuba River to test water near the DSPUD outflow. A bloom of algae just down stream led them to investigate whether DSPUD's outflow could have created the algae bloom. Test results are pending. People and animals would be advised to avoid contact with the river until test results are known.
The Placer County Planning Department has sent a letter to Royal Gorge stating that a second access road will be required in their plans, mentioning the safety of existing and new residents. The letter is here: Second_Access_Road.pdf This requirement is consistent with the fire safety bill (AB2447) being considered by the state legislature.
A fire safety bill (AB2447) dealing with new development in fire hazard areas will be heard August 4th in the California State Senate Appropriations Committee after being passed by the state assembly. The bill requires that fire officials review and approve new subdivisions in high fire hazard areas and that the subdivisions have at least two exits before they are approved.

Upcoming Events:

August 8, 5PM, SLCWD Board meeting at the district offices.

Recent Publications: (for links to these and other publications see "articles")

The following articles have been published:

THE SOUTH YUBA RIVER-- ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S RIVERS OF CONSTANT SORROW

(CaliforniaProgressReport.com, July 7)

Royal Gorge LLC's Water Supply: Is It "Grounded" In Reality?

(YubaNet.com, July 11)

Bill Requiring Subdivisions Be Built With Fire Safety Planning Faces Key Vote Tomorrow-- Will Development and Greed Kill Common Sense in California?

(CaliforniaProgressReport.com, June 24)

The Summer issue of the Donner Summit Clarion is available here: Summer 2008 Clarion.

Current Placer County Status:

Crystal Jacobsen of Placer County Planning reports that they will require a second egress and have sent a letter to Royal Gorge to that effect. See the news entry above. Otherwise the County says they do not know when Royal Gorge LLC's plans will be filed.

Quotes of the month:

"For if one link in nature's chain be lost, another might be lost, until the whole of things will vanish piecemeal." -Thomas Jefferson

"Developers on the run, In the cold Sierra Sun, 'Cause they don't have a prayer, Against the Wall Street bear." -KTG

"Among these treasures of our land is water- fast becoming our most valuable, most prized, most critical resource." -Dwight Eisenhower

"Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes trees, then names the streets after them." -Bill Vaughn

Web Sites of Interest:

www.SaveOurSummit.org

www.saveserenelakes.org

www.saveVanNordenMeadow.org

www.savethesummit.com

www.savedonnersummit.org

www.saveroyalgorge.org

www.pissdsociety.com

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