1979 – The Stanislaus River: A Fresh Perspective

This document was the most complete case for saving the Stanislaus that FOR produced. In March 1979 Representative Don Edwards was preparing to introduce H.R. 4223. Shortcut (Patty Schifferle, FOR lobbyist in DC) asked for a single document that stated our whole case for limiting the reservoir. She said something like: “we have many documents addressing bits and pieces, but we need one document to educate members of the House Natural Resources Committee, where the bill be assigned.” Richard Roos-Collins wrote “Fresh Perspectives” with help from Brad Welton and Catherine Fox. It was finished the day before Shortcutt needed it for hearings on the bill – so, it was sent by overnight courier to Washington, D.C., at a charge of $125 ($500 in today’s dollars!). That was a first for Friends of the River (of course, fax and email did not exist then).