Responding to citizens who wanted to bring in the National Guard to rid the Mendocino National Forest of marijuana cartels, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has asked its legal counsel to look into declaring a state of emergency.
The board held an off-site meeting Tuesday in Covelo, where ranchers, hikers, hunters and other citizens concerned for their safety because of illegal growing in the forest spoke during an update on the issue.
"There were three people there that testified that they'd been shot at by growers in the forest," 3rd District Supervisor John Pinches said.
Pinches had asked for the discussion and a plan to "take our national forest back" after U.S. Forest Supervisor Tom Contreras reported in July that law enforcement had found 166 illegal marijuana gardens in the forest.
Contreras said his office has $250,000 of federal funding to clean up the damage, which he estimated would cover only 16 of the grow sites.
The supervisors directed County Counsel Jeanine Nadel to bring back information to the board about what it would take to declare a state of emergency, which could bring more money to the issue.
"We're turning up the pressure on the feds to do something," Pinches said.
Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said it won't take a state of emergency to bring the National Guard, but the prospect isn't likely regardless.
"Right now nobody is getting the National Guard because their resources are tapped because of the wars (in Afghanistan and Iraq)," Allman said, noting there are a few exceptions, but that domestic response isn't what it once was.
Pinches referred to a Monday letter from Congressman Mike Thompson's office, which states, "It's more than time to take our forests back.."
"That's admitting that we've lost our forest to the drug cartels," Pinches said.
Thompson's letter notes the illegal gardens mean violence associated with the grows, use of toxic chemicals and fertilizers, and stream diversion, and that the $250,000 awarded for cleanup "will only begin to address the damage to our local forest."
The board's standing criminal justice committee, which includes 5th District Supervisor J. David Colfax and 2nd District Supervisor John McCowen, are also asking five other counties to join in bringing money and attention to the issue.
"I don't think we can rely on hoping for more money without muscle behind it," Colfax said. "The response has not been adequate."
The five other counties which have portions of the Mendocino National Forest in their boundaries include Lake, Trinity, Tehama, Glenn and Colusa.
"When you get this many counties involved, you get other congressional districts involved, so we get other federal representatives involved," Pinches said. "Wouldn't it be better to have six sheriff departments working on it than one? We're going to take care of the problem."
Allman said he's talking to the sheriffs in those counties to work out a regional solution.
Nadel couldn't be reached by press time for comment on what is involved in declaring a state of emergency.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Ukiah Daily Journal
Author: TIFFANY REVELLE
Copyright: 2010 The Ukiah Daily Journal
The board held an off-site meeting Tuesday in Covelo, where ranchers, hikers, hunters and other citizens concerned for their safety because of illegal growing in the forest spoke during an update on the issue.
"There were three people there that testified that they'd been shot at by growers in the forest," 3rd District Supervisor John Pinches said.
Pinches had asked for the discussion and a plan to "take our national forest back" after U.S. Forest Supervisor Tom Contreras reported in July that law enforcement had found 166 illegal marijuana gardens in the forest.
Contreras said his office has $250,000 of federal funding to clean up the damage, which he estimated would cover only 16 of the grow sites.
The supervisors directed County Counsel Jeanine Nadel to bring back information to the board about what it would take to declare a state of emergency, which could bring more money to the issue.
"We're turning up the pressure on the feds to do something," Pinches said.
Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said it won't take a state of emergency to bring the National Guard, but the prospect isn't likely regardless.
"Right now nobody is getting the National Guard because their resources are tapped because of the wars (in Afghanistan and Iraq)," Allman said, noting there are a few exceptions, but that domestic response isn't what it once was.
Pinches referred to a Monday letter from Congressman Mike Thompson's office, which states, "It's more than time to take our forests back.."
"That's admitting that we've lost our forest to the drug cartels," Pinches said.
Thompson's letter notes the illegal gardens mean violence associated with the grows, use of toxic chemicals and fertilizers, and stream diversion, and that the $250,000 awarded for cleanup "will only begin to address the damage to our local forest."
The board's standing criminal justice committee, which includes 5th District Supervisor J. David Colfax and 2nd District Supervisor John McCowen, are also asking five other counties to join in bringing money and attention to the issue.
"I don't think we can rely on hoping for more money without muscle behind it," Colfax said. "The response has not been adequate."
The five other counties which have portions of the Mendocino National Forest in their boundaries include Lake, Trinity, Tehama, Glenn and Colusa.
"When you get this many counties involved, you get other congressional districts involved, so we get other federal representatives involved," Pinches said. "Wouldn't it be better to have six sheriff departments working on it than one? We're going to take care of the problem."
Allman said he's talking to the sheriffs in those counties to work out a regional solution.
Nadel couldn't be reached by press time for comment on what is involved in declaring a state of emergency.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Ukiah Daily Journal
Author: TIFFANY REVELLE
Copyright: 2010 The Ukiah Daily Journal
