State Sen. Anthony Cannella proposes loophole for Salinas River clearing.

The Salinas River is easy to miss, especially this time of year when it's barely running. In many sections, bridges on Highway 101 cross the river at such densely vegetated spots it looks more like forest than river. 

State Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, held a press conference Friday morning at such a spot, under Highway 68 next to a tree-covered section of the Salinas River. He was there to highlight the need for riverfront landowners and farmers to clear brush and trees, part of a plan they say would ease the potential for devastating floods in case this winter turns out to be a wet one.

"Right now, we're at a very dangerous place,"  Cannella said. "I want to see all available options to get it cleared. We cannot ignore this anymore"

There was supposed to be a county plan for getting the river cleared, but the board of the County Water Resources Agency soundly rejected a proposed Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program in September, after growers and environmentalists all lined up to speak about the plan's shortcomings. 

The plan would've allowed for landowners and growers along 92 miles of Salinas Riverbank to apply for permits to clear vegetation and remove sediment, steps intended to help move water rapidly through the channel when water levels are high. 

It would have allowed for unlimited removal of non-native plant species and up to 845 acres of native vegetation. 

But with agricultural interests unconvinced it would actually control flooding, and environmental interests worried about devastating sensitive river habitat in an otherwise highly impacted area, MCWRA voted 7-0 against it. 

That leaves growers worried about a rainy season with no system in place to get permits for clearing brush. 

Cannella's proposal, which he pitched this morning, is a bill that would let growers apply for permits to clear brush in two major choke points, in Greenfield and Chualar.

His bill would let the California Department of Fish and Wildlife grant permits for removal in those areas—even though the MCWRA board rejected an environmental impact analysis on such activities, which is required under the California Environmental Quality Act. 

As similar examples with CEQA loopholes, Cannella cited the new Kings Arena in Sacramento and the Farmers Field arena in downtown L.A.

"If it's good enough for the NFL, it should be good enough for Monterey Bay and agriculture," Cannella said. 

Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, joined Cannella Friday. Alejo declined to comment on whether he would support these specific proposed exemptions, but said he would advocate for working together on a long-term solution in Sacramento for a flood-control program on the Salinas River. 

Salians City Councilman Steve McShane and County Supervisor Simon Salinas also spoke in support of taking action despite the squabbling between stakeholders. 

"It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that from King City to the mouth of the river, there's a lot of clutter, a lot of debris," Salinas said. "We understand the critical need."