202 



Friends Of the Russian River 



P.O. Box 329, Cazadero, CA 95421 (707) 632-6119 



July 13, l r )')4 



Rep. Dan Hamburg 



1 14 Cannon Bldg. 



U.S. House of Representatives 



Washington, D.C. 20515 



Dear Rep. Hamburg, 



Friends of the Russian River (FORR) is an organization established 

 with the aims of preserving, restoring and enhancing the natural 

 values of the Russian River. Our constituency includes twenty 

 coalition groups representing fisheries organizations, business, 

 agricultural and environmental groups in Sonoma, Mendocino and 

 Marin Counties. 



Our by-laws do not allow FORR to make policy statements in the 

 name of coalition members, however FORR's Board of Directors is 

 happy to show our support for the Russian River Fisheries and River 

 Restoration Act (H.R. 4408). 



Our organization was formed soon after the congressional hearings on 

 the future of the Russian River sponsored by yourself and Rep. Lynn 

 Woolsey. Those hearings were held at a time when it was becoming 

 increasingly apparent that the Russian River's once world class 

 native steelhead and salmon fishery were in imminent danger of 

 extinction. It was also apparent that only a comprehensive fishery 

 restoration program involving state, federal and local efforts would 

 turn the tide. 



For the past year, FORR has participated as a member of the 

 California Coastal Conservancy's Technical Advisory Committee for 

 their Russian River Resources Enhancement Plan. We have been 

 impressed by the thoroughness of the Conservancy's scientific 

 consultants and their openness to questions and suggestions. We are 

 confident that the project that is finally proposed will adequately 

 deal with the river's most serious hydrologlcal and geomorphologic 

 problems and meet the test of public acceptance. 



