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C ali forn ia’s Olde st Ne w spaper
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Volume 172 • Issue 39 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Friday, April 7, 2023
Hippity hoppity Legislation would protect retardant amid litigation n Lawsuit claims adverse habitat
impacts, need for EPA permitting Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
Representatives Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) have introduced a bill to Congress that would create Clean Water Act exemptions for federal, state and local firefighting agencies to continue using fire retardant to fight wildfires while its environmental impacts are considered in a federal lawsuit. Fire retardant, which is dropped from firefighting aircraft onto forests, structures and grassland, is used to contain or slow the spread of wildfires, but its use is currently being challenged by the Forest Service Employees For Environmental Ethics in a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service. The suit was filed Oct. 11, 2022, in the Federal District Court of Montana. n See Retardant, page A8
City to fill gaps in Broadway sidewalks Odin Rasco Staff writer
Katie Baldasano of Rescue, above, takes a family photo of her husband Kyle and daughters left to right Natalie, 5, and Maddison, 4, before the start of the Cameron Park Community Services District EggStreme Egg Hunt April 1 at Rasmussen Park. Sisters Bailee, 10, and Elaina, 5, of Cameron Park, right, have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. Easter egg hunting continues this weekend with hunts planned across the West Slope. On April 8 hunting begins at 9 a.m. at Promontoy Park in El Dorado Hills and at 9:30 a.m. at Lions Park in Placerville. Also on Saturday is a 10:30 a.m. hunt at Georgetown Park in Georgetown and at noon a hunt begins by the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park sawmill in Coloma. On April 9, Easter Sunday, a hunt is planned at Indian Creek School that begins at 1 p.m.
After years of studies, surveys, discussions and paperwork, Broadway in Placerville is poised for improvements. During its March 28 meeting Placerville City Council approved a resolution that will direct $1.9 million toward the Broadway Sidewalks Project. The project is intended to ease walkability of Broadway, closing gaps in sidewalks along Broadway between the Mosquito Road and Schnell School Road intersections and adding sidewalks along the greater portion of the north side of the street. “This is a much-anticipated item to bring to the council, as it proceeds to put the Broadway sidewalks project into the construction phase,” City Engineer Rebecca Neves said in a report to the council. Bidding on the project is expected to open April 27, and the bid is anticipated to be awarded at the May 23 council meeting. Neves said construction would likely begin sometime in June. The sidewalk
Photos by Laurie Edwards
Children receive assistance from their parents and grandparents while gathering colorful plastic eggs containing goodies in the 5 and younger age zone at the CPCSD Easter egg hunt.
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
n See sidewalks, page A9
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