Policy and Politics Betray the People The Lake Berryessa Saga: 1958 - 2020 by Peter Kilkus Version 7/20/20 I. THE FOUR TRAGEDIES OF THE BERRYESSA VALLEY: A HISTORY OF HEARTBREAK .............. 1 THE FIRST TRAGEDY: THE DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE .......................................................... 1 THE SECOND TRAGEDY: THE DESTRUCTION OF SPANISH CULTURE ....................................................................... 1 THE THIRD TRAGEDY: THE DESTRUCTION OF RURAL CULTURE ............................................................................. 2 THE FOURTH TRAGEDY: THE DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY RECREATION CULTURE .................................................. 3 II. LAKE BERRYESSA HISTORY TIMELINE .................................................................................................... 5 III. THE “BIG LIE”: HOW IT ALL BEGAN ....................................................................................................... 14 IV. THE “BIG FAIL”: NAPA ABANDONS LAKE BERRYESSA (1975) ......................................................... 21 V. THE “BIG PICTURE”: LAKE BERRYESSA ISSUES: 1957 - 2012 ............................................................. 23 VI. THE “BIG ILLUSION”: NOTICE OF INTENT ............................................................................................ 32 VII. THE “BIG WHOPPER”: RECLAMATION PROPAGANDA .................................................................... 34 VIII. THE “BIG FIGHT”: FACTS DO MATTER ................................................................................................ 36 THE FACTS .............................................................................................................................................................. 36 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESSES FIGHT BACK ............................................................................................. 38 RESIDENTS FIGHT BACK ......................................................................................................................................... 38 CITY OF WINTERS FIGHTS BACK ............................................................................................................................ 42 IX. THE “BIG BETRAYAL”: PERVERSION OF PUBLIC LAW 96-375 ........................................................ 45 PUBLIC LAW 96-375 ............................................................................................................................................... 47 CONGRESSIONAL HISTORY ..................................................................................................................................... 48 RECLAMATION’S UNJUST FACILITIES DEMOLITION ............................................................................................... 51 X. THE “BIG MISTAKE”: PENSUS - THE BEGINNING WAS THE END! ................................................... 53 THE SHORT STORY THAT WAS ACTUALLY A FANTASY ........................................................................................ 53 THEY’RE OFF LIKE A HERD OF TURTLES! BUREAUCRACY AT BERRYESSA ........................................................... 56 SPRINGTIME AT THE LAKE: PENSUS IN BLOOM? .................................................................................................... 58 BUREAUCRATIC WHEEL-SPINNING: HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? .............................................................................. 59 WHEN DOES HISTORY ACTUALLY BECOME “HISTORY”? .................................................................................... 60 GOODBYE 2011, HELLO 2012: PROCESS WITHOUT PROGRESS! ............................................................................. 65 A BERRYESSA MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM ........................................................................................................ 66 APPLEHOOD AND MOTHER PIE! WHAT’S RIGHT, WHAT’S WRONG, WHY ............................................................. 70 PENSUS TRIES A LITTLE BIT HARDER, BUT GETS NO RESPECT ............................................................................ 71 CATCH-22: THE BUREAUCRATIC DOUBLE BIND THEORY IN PRACTICE ................................................................ 76 SEASONS, CYCLES, AND RADICAL CHANGE: CHAOS THEORY - BERRYESSA STYLE ............................................. 78 FLOUNDERING ABOUT AT LAKE BERRYESSA (NOT A FISHING STORY.) ................................................................ 79 DECIPHERING BERRYESSA’S ANCIENT ROCK SCULPTURE AT STEELE PARK ......................................................... 82 A SENSE OF PLACE: NAMING THE LAKE BERRYESSA RESORTS ............................................................................. 84 FEDS FINAL FOLLY: THE DESTRUCTION OF STEELE PARK .................................................................................... 86 A PERFECT STORM OF DISAPPOINTMENT FOR LAKE BERRYESSA! ........................................................................ 88 XI. THE “BIG HOLE IN HISTORY”: POST-PENSUS BLUES ......................................................................... 92 A “MODEST” PROPOSAL: GIVE LAKE BERRYESSA TO NAPA COUNTY ................................................................... 92 NO BIDS FOR BERRYESSA - WHY DID IT HAPPEN? ................................................................................................ 92 A PATH FORWARD TO REVITALIZE LAKE BERRYESSA: FIRE THE FEDS! .............................................................. 97 OPEN LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: GET OUT OF LAKE BERRYESSA! ................................................ 98 WILL 2017 BE LAKE BERRYESSA'S LUCKY YEAR? .............................................................................................. 100 POSITIVE REPORT ON THE FUTURE REBIRTH OF LAKE BERRYESSA! ................................................................... 102 THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHTER, BUT THE SUN ALSO RISES (A BIT SLOWLY) ................................................... 103 ii NAPA RELEASES LAKE BERRYESSA REQUEST FOR INFORMATION & INTEREST ................................................. 105 "HOLES IN HISTORY" AT LAKE BERRYESSA: ....................................................................................................... 107 REVITALIZING LAKE BERRYESSA - IDLING TOWARDS HOME .............................................................................. 109 BEATING A DEAD HORSE WITH A STICK OR ... ................................................................................................... 109 TIME WARP MOMENT - THE “2020-SOMETHING…” SCHEDULE ........................................................................... 111 NAPA COUNTY FRUSTRATED BY RECLAMATION STALLING TACTICS ................................................................. 112 PROMISE OF THE CHRISTMAS GIFT OF REVITALIZATION ..................................................................................... 113 MPA SIGNED BUT REVITALIZATION DELAYED AGAIN ....................................................................................... 114 XII. THE “BIG BOONDOGGLE”: CREATION OF A NATIONAL MONUMENT ..................................... 116 THE ULTIMATE POLITICAL PERVERSION OF THE ANTIQUITIES ACT .................................................................... 116 BLUE RIDGE BERRYESSA NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA PROPOSAL REJECTED ........................................... 116 BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA PROPOSAL REJECTED .................................. 118 BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN DOES NOT MEET NLCS GUIDELINES ................................................................. 120 CREATION OF AN ILLEGITIMATE NATIONAL MONUMENT: GROW BIG OR GO HOME ......................................... 124 Political Step 1: National Conservation Area Designation Defeated .............................................................. 124 Political Step 2: Ignore the Democratic Process, Create a National Monument Anyway .............................. 124 Political Step 3: Confuse the Public ................................................................................................................. 125 LAKE BERRYESSA REMOVED FROM NATIONAL MONUMENT, FINALLY .............................................................. 125 BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT CREATED DESPITE OBJECTIONS .................................. 126 ADDENDUM 1. DUELING NAPA REGISTER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ............................................. 128 Return Lake Berryessa to the taxpayers: March 2, 2001 ................................................................................. 128 Don't attack Berryessa resorts: December 4, 2001 .......................................................................................... 129 Mobile home owners want to make Berryessa better: December 12, 2001 ..................................................... 130 Give public access to Berryessa, Feb 20, 2002 ................................................................................................ 131 Trailer ownership at Lake Berryessa defended: March 1, 2002 ...................................................................... 132 Beware Federal Berryessa plan: April 3, 2003 ................................................................................................ 133 Don't let feds destroy Berryessa homes: April 24, 2003 .................................................................................. 134 Lake plan should keep mobile homes: August 21, 2003