Jackson – The Amador County Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 with 2 absences to submit a statement of qualifications for a chance at getting a stewardship ownership of parts of the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed lands. The paperwork shows the county’s interest in 3 lands, the Blue Lakes area, the Lower Bear Area, and the North Fork Mokelumne River. Blue Lakes would occur by coordination with Alpine County, and North Fork Moke would occur by coordination with Calaveras County for lands within that county. John B. Hofmann, a natural resources consultant for Amador County, and Supervisor Brian Oneto, attended a donee’s meeting August 20th, and Hofmann gave an update on parties that were still interested in being recipients of surplus PG&E lands, as owners, in the Pacific Land & Forest Stewardship Council Land Conservation Plan. Amador General Services Administration Director Jon Hopkins said: “We have now been directed to submit another statement of qualifications for Amador County as a potential landowner donee to the Pacific Forest” program. The rationale for seeking land ownership in the program, Hofmann said in the statement, was that “Amador County is very concerned that the lands within the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed be managed and available for the residents and visitors of Amador County.” Hofmann said several organizations have pulled out of their interested in the program, though 7 organizations, including the board of supervisors, remain on a list of prospective donees. Hofmann said “we certainly can have multiple owners of this land.” The Mokelumne Coast To Crest Trail organization was interested in ownership for a while, but has pulled out. Likewise, California Fish & Game also is no longer interested. Supervisor John Plasse said several properties span 2 counties, and asked if they are still considered 1 parcel. He also asked if the U.S. Forest Service was still trying to be a donee in the Upper Moke Watershed, despite its own bylaws prohibiting it from having trust lands with easements. Hofman said those were issues that needed to be cleared up, but the Forest Service limits against easements kept it from being a steward of Kennedy Meadows. Hofmann said there educational interest in the land. Amador donees include the Planning Department, Recreation Agency, Resource Conservation District, Fire Protection Authority, Fire Safe Council and Agriculture Department. A public meeting on the Pacific Land & Forest Stewardship program is set for Oct. 7th, at the Amador Senior Center. Hofmann said they expect about 200 people. The 3-0 vote of approval included yeses by Supervisors Louis Boitano and Plasse, and Chairman Ted Novelli. Supervisor Richard Forster was absent, and Oneto had stepped down from the dais. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.