Archive 42 - November 2005
also  see main archive page

Cob tax deal hearing scheduled, H&N 11/30/05

House budget sleeper splits the 9th Circuit, SFGate 11/30/05

Tulelake Irrigation District well water level 11/30/05

Oregon wolf plan comments by Nov 30. See wolf page for more stories.
Go HERE for letter and photos by Julie Smithson
OREGON, BEWARE: As a solution to wolf problems to ranchers, Defenders of Wildlife "purchased and retired a 16,370-acre sheep grazing allotment in the Targhee National forest for use as grizzly bear and wolf habitat." Go HERE for more of their solutions

Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett's official comments regarding the wolf plan, 11/30/05.

Activist judge betrays million voters, stabs property owners, newswithviews.com 11/29/05

If They Would Only Eat Bison, New West, posted to KBC 11/29/05. "Hunters and outfitters in south central Montana continue to bemoan the dramatic—possibly as much as 50 percent—decline of the famous northern Yellowstone elk herd. They blame the wolf, which has greatly expanded its numbers since its historic re-introduction back in 1995. From the original dozen wolves introduced, the population has grown to 171 in the park, 106 of which live on the northern range."

Commercial fishermen forming national organization, Register Guard posted to KBC 11/29/05

Please pray for Marcia Foley who is battling cancer. See Prayer Page, 11/28/05

Prosperous sea lions make fishermen angry, msnbc.com posted to KBC 11/28/05

Ranchers Balk at Wolf Plan, Outdoor Life 11//28/05

Coho Salmon a candidate for Endangered Species list, Curry Pilot, posted to KBC 11/28/05

Smith introduces Senate bill on salvage logging, WashingtonPi 11/28/05

Klamath River 'summit' called to address salmon declines, The Press Democrat, posted to KBC 11/28/05. (KBC editor's note: Despite the fact that the National Research Council's independent peer review states low flows did not cause fish die-off of 2002 in the Klamath River and river flow management is not justified, and despite the fact that the river flows are now higher than possible before the Klamath Project was built, blame continues to be directed toward the Klamath Project, loggers and fishermen.)

The Deadline for receipt of comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding issuance of the annual license extension is Monday, November 28^th, 5:00pm EST. Go HERE for instructions and sample letter.

Letter to FERC by Senator Doug Whitsett, Oregon Senate District #28 regarding extension of PacifiCorp's licence, posted 11/26/05.

Tulelake Irrigation District holds election to raise operation rates, Write letters to FERC by November 28, Klamath Courier 11/23/05

Klamath Water Users Association Update November 23, 2005
* FERC Filing Deadline Set
* PUC Staff Opposes MidAmerican
* Wetlands May be Part of Crop Rotation
* Smith, Wyden Secure Funds for Ag Projects
* Quotable
* Calendar of Activity

PUC Staff Recommends Against MidAmerican, Oregonian 11/22/05

44,000 pot plants seized in 2005, Last year, 27,000 marijuana plants were confiscated, followed by Billion dollar pot business takes hit, Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 11/22/05

Leadership Award Honors Tribal Chairman, Tidepool 11/22/05. "Leaf Hillman is honored as a 2005 Buffett Award finalist for his grassroots efforts to restore Klamath River salmon habitat, protect sacred sites and build the capacity of the Karuk Tribal government....Hillman is currently the Steering Committee Chair for the Bring the Salmon Home Campaign that seeks to remove four Klamath River Dams."

Update on "Stop the COB" Activities 11/21/05 by Lyn Brock. For COB page go HERE.

Salmon fishing on the Trinity (and Klamath) continues, Record New 11/21/05

A Summary of the Family Farm Alliance's Recent and Upcoming Activities and Important Water News 11/21/05
* Registration Beginning for Annual Meeting
* Ninth Circuit Deals Blow to Klamath
*Alliance Representatives Active Throughout West
 *Bureau Announces Key Appointments
*Three Members Join Alliance Advisory Committee
*Reclamation Storage Inventory Goes to Congress
*Judge Allows Idaho Environmental Suit to Go On
*Family Farm Alliance Website Gets a Makeover

National Water Resources Association report 11/21/05

Sacramento River salmon at highest population level in 24 years, Mercury News 11/20/05

Tulelake Irrigation District well water level report posted to KBC 11/18/05. HERE for past reports.

Federal grant aims to clean up Klamath, Capital Press 11/18/05

Property rights advocates seek to recall judge, NWV 11/18/05.

USDA/NOAA/DOI PRESS RELEASE: Federal Agencies Announce New Hydropower Rules to Ensure Consideration of Environmental and Economic Values, The rules meet requirements of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, posted to KBC 11/18/05

Bush due to issue new dam relicensing rules, SeattlePI posted to KBC 11/18/05

Pombo is doing something right, Tracy Press 11/18/05

Fix ESA without partisan politics, Capital Press 11/18/05

Potato production pales in 2005, H&N posted to KBC 11/18/05

A crushing success, H&N, posted to KBC 11/18/05

Wetlands may be part of rotation, H&N posted to KBC 11/15/05

PRESS RELEASE: Walden Cosponsors Legislation to Protect America's Borders and Curb Illegal Immigration, 11/15/05

It's a banner day for Miners in the Pacific Northwest, posted to KBC 11/15/05. Congratulations Miners!

Letter from Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett, 11/15/05.

PRESS RELEASE: Former Oregon State Forester Endorses Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, posted to KBC 11/15/05

$ for ESA: Study: Over 800 Species at Risk in Calif., LA Times 11/15/05. More $ for ESA HERE.

$ for ESA: Congress Approves $6.5 million for CA Salmon Recovery, Feinstein posted to KBC 11/15/05

Endangered species controversy rages on the Klamath River, Indian Country posted to KBC 11/15/05. "Many, including environmentalists, are confident that Klamath Chinook will be listed in the near future."

Update November 11, 2005  
* 2006 Mid Pacific Conference Slated
* BOR Submits Storage Report to Congress
* High Country News Misses the Mark
* Conservation Awards Given
* Johanns urged to Overhaul Farm Bill
* Natural Gas Prices Hitting Farmers Hard
* Quotable

VALLEY OF THE VETERANS - Tulelake Homesteaders

In the early 1920's until 1949, the Federal Government invited war veterans to apply to win homesteads with "water appurtenant to that land" to feed a hungry world. This 'Greatest Generation' was honored for defending FREEDOM in America and on foreign soil.      They came in groups to Tulelake in the Klamath Project; they were young people in their early 20's. They had no roads, no electricity, no water. They built a community.     We are now responsible for defending the freedom that our fathers and sons died for.     Go to HOMESTEAD PAGE to read their stories       Go HERE to HEAR their voices.    PRAY for a veteran--see PRAYER PAGE photo: Bill Macy, 1947 veteran homesteader

PRESS RELEASE: Walden Thanks Veterans for Sacrifice and Service, Supports Additional Legislation to Benefiting Those Who Have Served, 11/11/05

Exhaustive Inventory Includes Hundreds of Western Projects; The Bureau of  Reclamation Sends Storage Study to Congress, FFA 11/11/05
Inventory of Reclamation Water Surface Storage Studies with Hydropower Components; Report to Congress Implementing Provisions of Section 1840 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58) 11/11/05 PDF

One Basin Klamath Congress Proposed, Chadwick builds forum for Klamath watershed management plan, Klamath Courier 11/10/05

PRESS RELEASE: Witnesses Highlight Tactics Groups Use in NEPA Lawsuits, House Committee on Resources 11/10/05

‘Cooking without compromise’Gourmet dining offered at a local historic resort, Medford Mail Tribune 11/10/05

PRESS RELEASE: Carpenters' Union, Cattlemen's Association Announce Support of Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, 11/10/05.

PRESS RELEASE: Walden to Visit Klamath County Saturday, Nov. 12, 2005.

Prayer request from India on PRAYER PAGE, posted to KBC 11/10/05

Summary of current Klamath River Flows recorded by USGS, Klamath Bucket Brigade, posted to KBC 11/10/05

Oregon Supreme Court will hear Measure 37 appeal in January, posted to KBC 11/10/05

ESA Needs to be Reworked, guest column by Dan Keppen, Bend Bulletin, posted to KBC 11/8/05. For more on ESA amendment go HERE.

PRESS RELEASE: Northwest Newspapers Endorse Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act's Common Sense Approach to Forest Management. Walden to hold hearing on forest recovery legislation this Thursday in House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, 11/8/05

Government Is Not Reporting Billions Spent on Endangered Species Act, Study Shows, Pacific Legal Foundation 11/7/05

ALGEA, by Dr. David Herfindahl from Siskiyou County Public Health, posted to KBC 11/7/05
PacifiCorp funding study of reservoir algae, KGW News 11/7/05

GAO looks at Klamath spending, not fish recovery, Capital Press posted to KBC 11/7/05 "This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded a multimillion-dollar study by five Klamath American Indian tribes into the impact of blue-green algae toxicity on the fishery."
(Where did the federal Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force money go?, Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 10/23/05)

PRESS RELEASE: Walden Cosponsors Bill Saying Japan Needs to Open Its Border to U.S. Beef or Face Economic Sanctions, 11/6/05

WEST COAST SALMON REPORT: State says salmon harvest was third largest on record, AP ADN posted to KBC 11/7/05

NEPA Task Force To Scrutinize Lawsuit Trend, House Resource Committee posted 11/7/05

Senate sends $100 billion food and farm spending bill to Bush, Billings Gazette posted 11/7/05

PRESS RELEASE: David J. McCarthy Named as Reclamation’s Deputy Commissioner for External and Intergovernmental Affairs, posted to KBC 11/7/05

Committee on Resources schedule posted 11/7/05 - jumping frogs and kelo

Close farms' loophole on pollution,  Oregonian, and KGW Groups ask controls on farm pollutants, posted to KBC 11/7/05

Oregonians target judge for recall, World Net Daily posted 11/7/05

OTHER PLACES: Risk to dams leaves Mid-Columbia helpless, Tri-City Herald posted 11/7/05. "And certainly less invasive alternatives haven't been explored. More endangered salmon are killed by commercial fishing than are saved by spilling water over the dams."

Environmental Disinformation 101, Campus Report Online, posted to KBC 11/7/05

Appeals Court Tosses Plan to Settle Oregon Water Dispute, Fox News 11/6/05

Nature, Not Man, is Responsible for West Coast Salmon Decline, John Carlisle 11/6/05

Management rule announced November 2, 2005 - Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Program sent by Julie Smithson, posted to KBC 11/6/05

(Oregon) Pesticide reporting system on hold, Capital Press posted to KBC 11/7/05

Farm Bureau to host dinner auction 11/5/05. RSVP

Lawsuit wants bald eagle taken off 'endangered' list, (Minnesota) Washington Times 11/3/05 (note from KBC: In the Klamath Basin in 1986 there were believed to be only 12,000 'endangered' Lost River suckers. It is now known that there are 10's of thousands of suckers, however there is no delisting process in progress.  In the meantime, around 100,000 acres has been taken out of ag to form wetlands in the guise of sucker habitat, the Chiloquin Dam blocking over 95% of sucker habitat remains, and lake level mandates for 'endangered' suckers, continue to take land and water from irrigators. You will find the full testimony of David Vogel, fisheries scientist, and Dr. William Lewis, scientist on the National Research Council, and a full panel of congressmen and witnesses on KLAMATH ESA dvd)

More comment time given for Oregon wolf plan, 11/03/05

Congressman Walden Introduces The Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act (HR 4200) 11/03/05. Includes summary and pdf information packet including  the Act. 11/3/05

Smith, Wyden Secure Funds for Oregon, OSU agriculture projects 11/03/05

PRESS RELEASE:  David J. McCarthy Named as Reclamation’s Deputy Commissioner for External and Intergovernmental Affairs, 11/2/05 Bureau of Reclamation.

BELATED POSTING: Court upholds ruling on Cob, posted to KBC 11/3/05. HERE for COB power plant page.

November 3 meeting in Yreka with the California Public Utilities Commission regarding acquisition of PacifiCorp by Mid-American PDF file posted to KBC 10/28/05
HERE for 2005 proceeding regarding PacifiCorp, MidAmerican, the CA PUC and interveners, posted 10/30/05

PRESS RELEASE: Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act Expedites Cleanup, Removal, Restoration, Congressman Greg Walden 11/3/05

OTHER PLACES: Service designates critical habitat for endangered Southwestern bird, El Defensor Chiefton 11/03/05 "Impacts associated for all flycatcher conservation efforts in the proposed designated areas, not just those exclusively associated with habitat designation, are estimated to range from $29.2 million to $39.5 million annually, and include costs associated with the listing of the species under the Endangered Species Act for the designated areas." HERE for more ESA expenditures.

OTHER PLACES: Search is on to pay for incentives to encourage farmers to stop irrigating crops, U.S. Water News Online, October Edition posted 11/3/05

Success story in the Klamath watershed: Hoopa Valley opens modular home interprise, Indian Country Today, posted to KBC 11/3/05

Kulongoski breaks his promise to ag, Capital Press 11/02/05

Bureau gathering input on increasing reservoir, Redding Record Searchlight 11/02/05

Tulelake Irrigation District well report, posted to KBC 11/2/05

Chadwick Consensus meeting Nov 1-3, letter and agenda by Alice Kilham, posted to KBC 10/31/05. To attend call Lori Fernlund at 541 883 7131. HERE for Chadwick page.