HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 74-077RESOLUTION NO. 74-77
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA,
URGING A NO VOTE ON PROPOSITION 17
BY ALL CITIZENS OF THE STATE.
WHEREAS, Proposition No. 17 on the November 5, 1974
ballot will stop construction of the New Melones Reservoir
Project on thestanislaus River, upon which $80 million will
have been spent by November, and
WHEREAS, the issue in Proposition 17 is whether a small
number of commercial rafting companies who profit by their
activities, together with a relatively small number of
rafting enthusiast, can block a project that has the approval
of all state and federal agencies involved and all environmental
groups in the area as it would enhance the environment in
many significant ways, and
WHEREAS, Proposition 17 was qualified as an initiative
by petitioners claiming the Stanislaus to be a"wild river",
and
WHEREAS, in fact the flow of the 9-mile section of
river which the proponents seek to place in the wild river
system is provided by two upstream dams, otherwise there
would be water for rafting for only a short time each year,
and
WHEREAS, New Melones will prevent flooding on the lower
Stanislaus River that has historically resulted in damage of
$1,900,000.00 annually, and
WHEREAS, it will save 93,000,000,000 gallons of water
annually for municipal, industrial, and irrigation use with
annual benefits of $3,600,000, and
WHEREAS, it will produce 430,000,00 kilowatt hours of
clean electric power annually, providing enough power to
meet the domestic needs for a community of 200,000 and not
requiring the use of fossil fuel thus saving annually about
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RESOLUTION NO. 74-77
700,000 barrels of crude oil, a major consideration in this
ti.me of energy shortage, and
WHEREAS, it will provide recreational facilities esti-
mated to be 4,000,000 recreational days per year as contrasted
with 80,000 recreational days annually for the river's
present use, and
WHEREAS, it will provide development of 55 miles of the
lower Stanislaus River for parks, campgrounds, fishing access,
and protection for 3,500 acres of wildlife habitat, and
WHEREAS, it will provide improved spawning grounds for
salmon and steelhead, and improved stream fishing for salmon,
trout, steelhead, shad, striped bass and sturgeon, and
WHEREAS, it will provide improved access to the river
for the public to enjoy numerous environmental and recreational
facilities, and
WHEREAS, the proponents of Proposition 17 would sacrifice
all of this, including the major environmental benefits, for
a small amount of man made white water for expensive rafting
purposes, and
WHEREAS, all-environmental and ecology groups in this
area, including the Sierra Club, who understand the project
and its benefits are solidly in support of the project and
against Proposition 17,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the
City of Palm Desert that it urges a NO vote on Proposition
17 by all citizens of the state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council urges all
persons having questions or needing information regarding
the environmental impact of this project to contact the
State Department of Fish and Game, the State Resources
Agency, the United States Bureau of Sports, Fisheries and
Wildlife and the United States Corps of Army Engineers.
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RESOLUTION NO. 74-77
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 26th day of
September , 1974, by the following vote:
AYES: Aston; Benson; Brush; McPherson; Clark
NOES: None
ABSENT: None ' ; �
' C
�. � ,
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HEN Y B. CL , ayor
City of Pal esert, California
ATTEST:
H VEY L. RL , Ci y C erk
City of Palm Desert, California
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