Sonoma County agricultural commissioner Cathy Neville will hold three meetings this month to answer questions and take comments on a controversial frost protection ordinance.
The first public hearing will take place Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. Additional meetings will be held on Nov. 22 and Nov. 30 at the same time. All three sessions will be held at Neville's office, 133 Aviation Blvd., Suite 110, off Airport Boulevard north of Santa Rosa.
County supervisors last week reviewed the proposed ordinance and scheduled a public hearing Dec. 7.
Grape growers support the proposed law, which would allow them to use Russian River water to protect their grapevines on freezing spring nights. But environmentalists have said the proposal would fail to adequately protect the river's endangered fish.
The state Water Resources Control Board ultimately will decide what rules will govern the use of the river's water for frost protection. In that regard, the federal National Marine Fisheries Service has urged more state regulation to protect the river's salmon and steelhead.
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