Phil Isenberg and Rick Lehman honored
by Mono Lake Committee and State Senator Jim Costa

On Wednesday, March 6, 2002, nearly 70 Mono Lake Committee members and friends gathered at Sacramento's Sutter Club where the Committee recognized Phil Isenberg and Rick Lehman with its annual Defender of the Trust Award.

 

The crowd was treated to an extra surprise as State Senator Jim Costa (D-Fresno) arrived to present the honorees with senate resolutions in recognition for all their accomplishments. Senator Costa paid tribute to each - both personally and professionally - with humor and with style.

 

Art Baggett, State Water Resources Control Board Chairman, introduced Rick Lehman to the group, sharing stories of backpacking in the Sierra and touring Mono Lake and the Owens Valley. As a Congressman, Rick Lehman sponsored legislation to create the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, the first Federal designation that identified Mono Lake as a special place for people to visit, and later made sure that federal air pollution laws covered dust storms at Mono Lake. Through the Scenic Area, millions of people learned about the importance of Mono Lake to the nation and the world. These two pivotal events turned the momentum in favor of Mono Lake's preservation.

 

Former MLC Executive Director and current board member, Martha Davis, spoke of working with Phil Isenberg during his quest to secure funding, and later to convince the Department of Water and Power of the win/win potential of joint application for those funds. As a California Assemblyman, Phil Isenberg co-authored the Environmental Water Act of 1989 (AB 444) with Assemblyman Bill Baker, offering $60 million in funding to help Los Angeles develop new water supplies to replace the Mono Basin diversions. By providing funding for the development of replacement water supplies, the State initiated a problem solving approach that not only ensured Los Angeles would have reliable, adequate water supplies, but also assured that Mono Lake's protection would not harm the San Francisco Bay Delta or any other place.

 

In addition Mono Lake Committee education staff, Bartshe' Miller and Santiago Escruceria, spoke of the Committee's plans for a Mono Basin Outdoor Education Center to benefit inner-city youth who participate in the Committee's Outdoor Experiences Program. Funds raised from this event will benefit the Committee's outdoor education programs.

Outdoor Education Center conceptual drawing

The Mono Lake Committee wishes to thank the following event sponsors:

PLATINUM, $1000
Martha Davis
Richard Robinson and Marjorie Swartz
Guillermo Rodriguez, Jr.

GOLD, $500
Richard Atwater
Chevron
Ed Manning
Integrated Water Resources

SILVER, $250
Barbara Blake
Jacklyn T. Bort
Jensen and Coeur-Barron, LLP
David Kanner
P. S. Enterprises
J.T. and Linde Ravize
Frances Spivy-Weber
Technical Glass

"The public trust is an affirmation of the duty of the state to protect the people’s
 common heritage in the streams, lakes, and tidelands..."
--California Supreme Court, 1983

Last Updated January 29, 2007 Copyright © 1996-2007, Mono Lake Committee. (how to contact us)