Several of America’s best known ski areas operate on national forests under permits from the Forest Service. They own private water rights to make snow as well as basic services at their ski lodges, restaurants, and hotels. The ski areas did not get … Continue reading
Last December we reported on Siskiyou County Farm Bureau’s court victory against the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Department was demanding that farmers and ranchers seek a permit under the Fish and Game Code simply to exercise their … Continue reading
A previous post summarizes the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s ongoing improper effort to regulate water rights through minimum streamflow recommendations. First the Department published the proposed restrictions for comment, then withdrew them from comment, saying that they were … Continue reading
A friend once explained the importance of agriculture to me in a way I have never forgotten: “Every last physical thing that you use in life, was originally either grown from the ground or dug out of it.” Ponder that … Continue reading
Environment and Property Rights — Wetlands In response to our lawsuit, the Army Corps of Engineers withdrew its wetlands jurisdictional determination in Smith v. United States Army Corps of Engineers. The Smiths were thanked by the Corps for all the … Continue reading
Last December we reported on a court victory for the Siskiyou County Farm Bureau, in which the court ordered the Department of Fish and GameWildlife not to use its streambed alteration permits to regulate water diversions under valid water rights. While … Continue reading
In December, the California Court of Appeal ruled, in Central Coast Forest Assoc. v. California Fish & Game Comm., that one may not petition the California Fish and Game Commission to de-list a species, under the California Endangered Species Act, … Continue reading