BOARD00198

• Board Meeting Date: 1/15/1969
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

MR. STAPLETON:

I

MR. SMITH:

MR. STAPLETON:

MR. SMITH:

MR, STAPLETON:

I

MR. SMITH:

"Just as a matter of mere curiosity,
suppose then it is $4.00 a day, that's about a
$26,000, isn't it, loss, economic loss, give
or take a couple of thousand dollars? You
are still talking about an annual loss that
now corresponds with 30 years with an invest-
ment of $900,000. In terms of feasibility
and the cost-benefit ratios that I am used to
in the Water Board, how do you justify that
large of an expenditure, whoever takes the
burden of it, for this loss, realizing, of
course, that I am not a big-game hunter so
I don't understand that part of the problem."

"That $900,000 is to mitigate the loss of
the habitat, as well as to mitigate losses
in hunting. It's not $900,000 for acquisition
but also development so we can maintain the
present herds in the area Which is our aim.
To offset the loss that the project would
induce to the herd, we have asked for the
acquisition of certain lands on Oak Ridge to
replace the habitat."

"As I understand it, you do charge fish
and game licenses for the use of these areas.
Is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"What part of those funds are available
for use in this area as opposed to charging
landowners who are going from little produc-
tivity to considerable productivity? As I
understand it, that $900,000 is presumably
desirable to go on the irrigated landowners
solely. Isn't that correct? How do you, as
Fish and Game people, justify that as opposed
to the economic benefits derived out of fish
and game licenses Which should go back to that
area for at least a contribution?"

"We feel the project will not only reduce
the number of hunters in man days of hunting,
but it will also reduce the economy to the