News Bulletin

DFG receives major grant to operate SHARE program

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) received a grant exceeding 500,000 dollars from U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).

Notwithstanding the forbidding name of the source of the funds, they will be used by DFG to expand the existing SHARE (Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement) program. The new funds are destined to provide monetary incentives for private landowners to participate in the project and to enroll additional properties for public access during fishing and hunting and other outdoor activities. Some funds may be used to promote the program.

DFG invites again the public and all hunters and fishermen to comment on the environmental documents regarding SHARE. Hunters and fishermen ought to make active use of this opportunity to affect the proposed program rather than only complain about the lack of access to private land.

“Public comments are needed on a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) regarding the operation of the SHARE program. Both the PEA and FONSI are posted on DFG’s website at www.dfg.ca.gov/news/pubnotice”, pleads Victoria Barr, SHARE Program Coordinator, in her just published press release.

Interested parties can submit their comments until December14, 2011 by e-mail to vbarr@dfg.ca.gov.

PJJ