Fishing Forum

Hey everyone -

Just thought I'd pass on some important info regarding stream access. This affects us all.

Bullet list:

Rally at the capitol: 2/11/14 9:45 a.m. More info at this link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/43959199...n&source=1

Fisherman support HB 37 -

The basics: If you're only going to read one link, read this one.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lsavd9on6gui1...202014.pdf

HB 37 Summary:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lsavd9on6gui1...202014.pdf

Full text of HB 37:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lsavd9on6gui1...20Text.pdf


Lastly, HB 37 is still stuck in the rules committee. If the bill isn't let out of rules and taken to the next step, it will never have a chance to become law. Email your representatives and house leadership and tell them you support the bill. It will make all the difference.

Follow the Utah Stream Access Coalition (USAC) on Facebook to stay apprised of all of the updates : https://www.facebook.com/utahstreamacces...on?fref=ts

This affects all of us. If you have a desire to keep Utah's larger rivers and streams open to the public, please contact your representative and tell them to support HB 37. They value your input. Many representatives have no opinion on stream access one way or the other and they leave it up to their constituents to influence their decision.

Helpful links:

Find your representative:
http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp
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Do you know how long will it be by a chance???
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Sorry, I don't. You might try posting on the event page on facebook and I'm sure someone will have an answer.

After the rally on the steps, people are going inside to talk to their reps. That is probably the most important part.

If you can't make it to the rally, talk with your rep. If you can't talk to your rep face to face, call or email them and let them know to support HB 37.
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i called my house rep and my state senator and talked to them about hb37 a couple of weeks ago.They were both very happy to hear from me... both of them told me that i was the first of their constituents to call them and talk to them about any bill..that's pretty ...i would like to urge anyone reading this to call your representatives..it is not scary...they love to hear from you...they have no idea how to represent us if we dont let them know...i cannot stress enough how important this bill is to us and to our future generations...almost half of the public water in utah (that we as taxpayers own!!!) is inaccessible to sportsmen and the public...also pretty ...it only takes a few minutes of your time..if you cant attend at the rally (which i personally cannot) then please call your reps...
thanks
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Hope to see some of you there tomorrow!

If some of you are going up and aren't sure what points to bring up with the reps, this link may help.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lsavd9on6gui1...202014.pdf
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9:45 a.m. today!

South steps of the Capitol.

A little time today might preserve countless hours on the river in the future!
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Per the USAC, HB37 and an alternative bill by McIff will not be considered this year by the legislature. So yes, it is dead.
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Long story short, some of the leadership in the legislature want to see what the court rules before they do anything. Just a way to "pass the buck." The following is the official email USAC sent our. Join USAC if you have not and they'll keep you up to date on everything.


YOU ARE GRASSROOTS - THANK YOU!

Tuesday, February 11th, we amassed over 400 concerned citizens on the Capitol steps in favor of HB37. Afterwards, we went inside and over a hundred of you stuck around to talk to your Representatives and Senators. We have received considerable feedback indicating how impressive the showing was, and we commend you for your efforts. THANK YOU!

This legislative session we had an opportunity to find the middle ground, and end the stream access fight once and for all. We tried to build a foundation that protects both property rights and the public's right to use our resource. We strategized, we gave you the tools to be effective advocates, and we played every card we had in the best way we could.

On Thursday, February 20th, our 2014 legislative battle came to an end. In a meeting with House Leadership, we were informed that neither HB37 nor HB233 will leave the Rules Committee this Session. Both bills will die in Committee, as the House Leadership wants to see a ruling from the courts before they address the issue of stream access again. If you have any questions, please direct them to Speaker Lockhart or Majority Whip Greg Hughes.

This may seem like a loss - but make no mistake, it was not. As a result of our collective efforts, we have reached more legislators on both sides of the aisle, and gained more support than we ever have before. We have established our cause as an unsettled issue on the Hill. We have grown our membership, our support, and our image. Most importantly, we have shown the power of grassroots efforts to organize and be effective in addressing the injustice of the Public Waters Access Act of 2010 (HB141). We mobilized and built momentum in a magnitude which we never had before. All the while, we did it in an open and honest fashion - with respect and dignity. Your actions are aboveboard, and you should be proud of what you've accomplished.

We want to keep building our momentum. For those of you who have made contact with your legislators, stay in contact with them over the summer. Reach out to them after the session, and let them know you appreciate their interest in restoring public access to, and lawful use of, the public waters of Utah. Organizing a small group to meet with your elected officials after the legislative session ends is a great way to keep this issue before your legislators. Invite them to meet with like-minded groups of fellow constituents that feel as you do, to discuss stream access and the challenges in finding the right balance between the public's right to use its resource and protections for private property owners. Try to educate them on why this is important to you, what it means to future generations of Utahans, and why it's important to find a lasting solution. Let them know that you will be a responsible steward of your resource, and that you believe in compromise.

It takes courage to speak, and perseverance to be heard. Our membership has proven that you have both of those qualities. Please keep it up. If you have yet to reach out to your elected officials, please do. They will have a great deal more time to speak with you and meet with you after the legislative session ends.

Also, remember that this is an election year. For those of you whose legislators do not support your views, we encourage you to become delegates. Over the summer we will be briefing you on that process so that you can stay involved and help ensure that your elected officials represent your views up on the Hill.

USAC, in the meantime, will press forward with our lawsuits focusing on both the Weber and the Provo rivers. The Provo (Public Waters) case is set for trial this spring, while the Weber (Navigability) case will go to trial this summer or fall. We hope to have decisions from both District Courts in both lawsuits by the time we return to the hill next year.

Finally, please take a moment to thank Rep. Dixon Pitcher for all of his efforts this session sponsoring HB37.

Our fight is not over. We will not stop until we have restored our right to lawfully use our resource, Utah's rivers and streams. Thank you for your continued support.


Board of Directors
Utah Steam Access Coalition
info@utahstreamaccess.org
www.utahstreamaccess.org
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