A deal to keep Yuba River and Malakoff Diggins State Parks open — the focus of a community-wide effort that blossomed on the internet — may come as early as Wednesday, according to my sources.
State spokespeople are being circumspect, understandable considering the logistics involved. But proposals to keep South Yuba River State Park and Malakoff Diggins open are being actively discussed in Sacramento — all with a positive tenor.
A local contingent including elected officials, SYRCL members, Grass Valley Charter School students and others is traveling to Sacramento on Wednesday to meet with Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird — now a confirmed attendee — and other high-ranking state officials. A visit to Gov. Jerry Brown’s office also is planned.
The locals boarding the “Yuba Express” to the state’s capitol do not know whether any deal will be announced at the meeting, but they are eager to make the trip with 10,400 signed petitions to keep the parks open, along with a letter of support from the county supervisors, and city councils of Grass Valley, Truckee and Nevada City ( the joint memo – signed ).
A deal would be the dénouement in a collaborative, grassroots effort to keep the parks open: from schools, to non-profits, to elected officials. What’s more, the campaign blossomed on social media sites, with much of the technology “made in California.”
Proposals to keep South Yuba State Park open include restricting parking on nearby Pleasant Valley Road, clearing the way for the state to charge a modest fee — around $3 to $5— for parking at South Yuba State Park. Many state parks already charge day-use fees ( august 17 web_day use).
In addition, a collaborative effort to develop a solar energy energy system to help reduce energy costs at Malakoff Diggins is being discussed.
State spokespeople in Sacramento I interviewed on Monday are being circumspect about any announcement or discussions. But none of them denies that an ideal opportunity crops up on Wednesday.
For his part, Laird has cleared his calendar to attend the event, the Natural Resource agency’s spokesman confirmed.
Laird has been present when Grass Valley Charter School students visited the state capitol previously. But his presence a second time shows the state’s optimism about keeping South Yuba River and Malakoff Diggins State Park open with a viable revenue-generating plan.
Even if a deal can’t be announced as early as Wednesday, the momentum to keep the parks open is gaining steam, all parties agree.
The locals plan to meet at the State Capitol Assembly Hearing Room 126 at 10:30 a.m. A short program will include guest speakers who are active in the local and statewide effort to save California’s State Parks.
Around 11:30 a.m., they will hand-deliver the 10,400 signatures to the Governor’s office and other officials.
To caravan down from Nevada County, residents are asked to meet up at the Safeway parking lot at 105 Neal Street in Grass Valley at 8:30 a.m., according to a memo from SYRCL.
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