Archive 91 - December 2009
also  see main archive page

Betrayal of the Year

Hundreds of Klamath farmers' and ranchers' attend public input KBRA meeting hosted by S. Oregon Legislators. Klamath Water Users Association, Klamath County Commissioners and PacifiCorp boycotted it. 11/11/09, by KBC News. "We're told we don't deserve a seat at the table. The key KBRA people won't come to hear us. The robbers don't usually want to hear the victims...The government is supposed to represent all of us, not just a select few."

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Klamath water talks to continue; revisions still not finished, more meetings in January, H&N, posted to KBC 12/31/09 "Stakeholders involved in final negotiations on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement failed to finish revisions this week at meetings in Sacramento. Klamath County Commissioner John Elliott said stakeholders are expected to meet again Jan. 6 and 7"

Board of Directors of the Klamath Water and Power Agency (“KWAPA”) will hold a public meeting at KID January 4, 2010 - HERE for agenda

Conservation groups buy working forests, Capital Press, posted to KBC 12/30/09. (KBC Note: now that the nonprofit organizations have bankrupted the logging companies by shutting down timber harvest, the nonprofits are buying up the forests so they can log them. Also, the Klamath Tribe acquisition will include taking 92,000 acres off the tax rolls, possibly trading for National Forest Land, acquiring off-project land, building power plants since they want to tear out Klamath dams, and building a casino.)

Klamath Lake Levels and River Flows 12/21/09-12/28/09
Klamath Lake Levels and River Flows 12/15/09-12/22/09
Klamath Lake Levels and River Flows 12/8/09-12/15/09
Klamath Lake Levels and River Flows 11/30/09-12/07009

December 2009 "Monthly Newsletter" (PDF) 
2010 Family Farm Alliance conference March 4-5

* Water For Life Motion for Preliminary Injunction, with 6 plaintiffs,  v. Oregon Water Resources Department and Phil Ward, Director posted to KBC 12/27/09, Preliminary injunction to restrain defendants from participating in negotiations with the Klamath Tribes that pertain to the federal reserved water rights of the Klamath Tribes unless said negotiations are open to the public. This relates to the secret negotiations in the controversial Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. HERE for KBRA page.

EPA enforcement plan must address runoff, utilities say, Greenwire, posted to KBC 12/20/09

12/20/09 More information links added to Calif power rate increase public comments

< Heaven calls a patriot home - Larry M. Toelle

The history of the Shasta Tribe, by Betty Hall, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 12/17/09.  1905, "Parties coming in from Keno state that the run of salmon in the Klamath River this year is the heaviest it has ever known". The article also states that there is a natural rock barrier below Keno, which it is almost impossible for the fish to get over, should some succeed they are spotted, bruised, and are worthless. Evidently salmon getting to Link River was not a common occurrence, as to the statement made above."

Calif. Congressman) Mike Thompson says he will introduce Klamath River legislation in January, KlamBlog, posted to KBC 12/17/09. (KBC NOTE: KBC does not share environmental activist Felice Pace's views on Klamath irrigators, however we appreciate his sharing information on Thompson's upcoming legislation.)

12/17/09 - PACIFIC POWER PROPOSED RATE INCREASE: Pacific Power has a request into the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to raise local power rates by about 9.6 percent. Residential residents would see a 12.9% increase, irrigation 4.2% and other users from 4.2-10.7%. Future rate increases for dam removal and alternative power to replace hydropower will be in addition to this general increase. Write your comments on this proposed increase to The Public Advisor, California P.U.C., 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102 or e-mail to: public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov 

Groups push alternative to Klamath deals, Times Standard, posted to KBC 12/17/09
3 environmental groups joins forces to speed up Klamath dam removal, KDRV, posted to KBC 12/17/09. "The group also opposes commercial agriculture on the 22,000 acres of National Wildlife Refuge land currently leased to farmers in the Basin, and wants better protections for endangered fish runs than are provided in the KBRA."
Clock ticking on Klamath dam deal signing, Times Standard, posted 12/17/09. "The deadline to sign the agreements to tear out the Klamath River's four main dams is only a month away"

Politicians: Do the right thing; keep (Klamath) dams, Siskiyou Daily News 12/17/09

(Siskiyou) Supervisors have 12 points they want addressed, H&N 12/17/09

(Klamath) Potatoes cross the Pacific, Delegation helps expose Southeast Asia to Klamath Basin potatoes, H&N 12/17/09

Workshop for ranchers will be Jan. 4

Group sues over Klamath water-right negotiations, Capital Press 12/10/09

Obama resorts to 'Chicago way,' Capital Press 12/17/09. "It came as no surprise that the Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that it had found cause to regulate carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act."

Sunday Psalm: Psalm that had a profound impact on me, Psalm 91, by Dave Crane 12/13/09. "I especially remember a situation when we were caught between a war between two countries, and would listen for planes that would fly over our college campus and have to turn out the lights and take refuge under our beds, since they tried several times to take out the nearby hydroelectric dam. I especially remember thinking of the "terror of night" as I could hear the planes overhead."
Prayer Page

Aanestad responds to Klamath dam questions, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 12/12/09. "Aanestad closed the meeting... stating that he has had various agribusiness groups in his office supporting dam removal, not knowing until the meeting that there were agribusiness interests opposed to removal." (KBC NOTE: some attending the meeting said Aanestad met with Project irrigators and they told him everyone supported the agreement, and they didn't mention the nearly 2000 petitions opposing the KBRA, and public input meeting unanimously against the KBRA, and poll with only 5% supporting the KBRA negotiations.)

Congressman Greg Walden's Oregon Congressional Connection, 12/12/09

County issues ‘negotiating points’ on Klamath hydro agreement, Siskiyou Daily News 12/12/09

Columbia Basin Bulletin, 12/11/09, including:
* Harvest Managers For 2010 Predict Largest Spring Chinook Return On Record
* 2009 Fall Chinook Redd Counts In Snake River's Hells Canyon Marks Another Record

* PRESS RELEASE: Water for Life Files Lawsuit Challenging Secret Water Right Negotiations, 12/11/09. (KBC NOTE: The lawsuit is regarding the secret Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement water right negotiations) "'Oregon law is very clear,' said Water for Life spokesman, Richard Kosesan. 'The Department has legal authority to participate in Tribal water right negotiations, but the negotiations must be open to the public.' " 

* Water for Life Final Complaint, posted 12/11/09. According to ORS539 310, the Oregon Water Resources Director may engage in negotiations with federally recognized Indian Tribes defining water rights, however they must be open to the public, with public notice and progress reports.  The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement is not open to the public, and people effected are not welcomed at the negotiation table.

Becky Hyde responds to former Senator Harper's letter, a KBC editor responds 12/8/09. "Unlike your secret meetings negotiating our water rights, Legislators Gilman and Garrard and Senator Whitsett invited you, the tribes, Klamath Water Users Association, PacifiCorp, Klamath County Commissioners, and the entire public, and you chose NOT to listen to your neighbors and the people you claim to represent."

Water group suing state, Lawsuit claims closed-door talks violate state law (Regarding Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement), H&N 12/10/09

Spotted owls’ rivals targeted, H&N 12/10/09

Update on Energy and the Environment: EPA’s Attempt to Circumvent Congress Recklessly Endangers our Economy, 12/10/09, Congressman Wally Herger

State’s participation previously criticized, H&N 12/10/09

What the Enviros are doing with the ESA, Pioneer Press guest writer Nita Still, 12/9/09

Mark Johnson of Grants Pass talks about the insane difficulty of getting through locked BLM gates to legally prospect for gold on public lands. This is an mp3 (audio), it may take a few moments to load: http://www.kmed.com/common/global_audio/51/15015.mp3

Becky Hyde responds to former Senator Harper's letter, a KBC editor responds 12/8/09. "Unlike your secret meetings negotiating our water rights, Legislators Gilman and Garrard and Senator Whitsett invited you, the tribes, Klamath Water Users Association, PacifiCorp, Klamath County Commissioners, and the entire public, and you chose NOT to listen to your neighbors and the people you claim to represent."

Legally defined water rights at heart of Basin solution; Arriving at a good agreement also requires strong values, vision and fair treatment, by Steve Harper, 12/6/09. "Harper was commander of Kingsley Field from 1984 to 1993. He was also executive vice president of the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce and served two terms as a state representative and one as a state senator. He owns and operates with his son..."

* Town Hall meeting with Senator Aanestad on December 8th, 2009 at 4pm in Yreka at the Best Western.

* On Wednesday Dec. 9 the USDA, Happy Camp and Oak Knoll Rangers, will hold a meeting at the Yreka RV park main building from 6 - 8 PM.  This meeting is about authorizing livestock grazing in Hornbook, Ash Creek and East Beaver allotments. They are speaking of creating a set of corrals to assist with livestock management. It appears they will be speaking to Term permits with On and Off Provisions and is designed to improve trends in rangeland vegetation conditions, stream condition and forage utilization.

Klamath pact creates concern; Talent Irrigation District manager, customers wonder if agreement to remove four Klamath River dams could lead to water cuts locally, Medford Tribune, posted 12/6/09

The Cash Cows are coming, by Pat Ratliff, Pioneer Press 8/30/06. "Listed among "stakeholder groups" attending the meeting will be California Trout, the Klamath Forest Alliance, the Nature Conservancy, Oregon Natural Resources Council, Oregon Waterwatch and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisheries Associations, just to name a few. I beg to differ; I don't see any of those groups as stakeholders. I see them holding their hands out wanting to jump on the prospect of even more grants and federal money flowing down the river." (KBC Note: these are mostly the same NGO's that have carried out this plan to control the Klamath Basin through he Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.)
Water Deal would require major expenditures not previously disclosed, by Felice Pace, from Philadelphia, founder of Klamath Forest Alliance, owner of Klam Blog, 11/6/09. (KBC NOTE: An environmental activist's take on the KBRA).

Unemployment rates by county..map American Observer, updated Dec 2009

UN asks: Did British experts exaggerate climate data? 12/5/09 Scotsman.com

Did you know that in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, 18.4 p 98 working draft May 6, "Climate Change: The parties will determine as early as practicable, whether and, if so, how long term climate change will affect the fisheries and communities of the Klamath Basin. The Parties will re-convene to negotiate in good faith any supplemental terms to this Agreement which may be made necessary by changes in the climate in order to achieve the Parties' goal of maintaining sustainable fisheries and communities." KBC Note: remember, the passel of 9 NGO's and endless government agencies and 2 farm reps are at the table in a non-consensus group. If the majority thinks the farmers need to give up more water to sustain fish....

Supervisors updated on Klamath dams agreements,  Siskiyou Daily News 12/4/09

A century of farming, H&N, posted to KBC 12/4/09, Caarleton family

"A deadline of Jan. 14 is set for all parties to sign or oppose the (Klamath dam removal and settlement) agreements." KBC NOTE: Thousands of citizens have had no input into the controversial, secretly negotiated KBRA, the settlement negotiators have not allowed the public to even see their new law of the land inflicted on them, and the time to review the several hundred page deal is over Christmas. The November public input on the obsolete KBRA draft was boycotted by Klamath Water Users, gov't agencies, Klamath County Commissioners, and PacifiCorp.

Oregon State Employee Compensation, posted 12/3/09, by Senator Doug Whitsett

CONSIDERATION/ACTION: Request Board approval and Chairman’s signature on attached letter to the Klamath Basin NWR Complex.  (Farm Advisor) Sage Grouse, Modoc County Supervisor's audio, posted to KBC 12/3/09

* American Rivers is Stakeholder in Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement/KBRA secret negotiations
NOAA awards more than $800,000 to American Rivers, 2007
American River's success stories: 58 Dams to be Removed in 2009
American River's dam removal projects including Klamath dams
* More NGO's at the KBRA negotiation table:
American Rivers
California Trout
Friends of the River    (Craig Tucker, former spokesman for Friends of the River, is now spokesman for Karuk Tribe, at the KBRA table)
Klamath Forest Alliance, (founded by Felice Pace, and Petey Brucker who is program director on the staff of Salmon River Restoration Council at the KBRA table)
National Center for Conservation Science and Policy
Northcoast Environmental Center
Northern California/Nevada Council Federation of Fly Fishers
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations
Salmon River Restoration Council
Trout Unlimited.

Hage saga shows government at worst, Capital Press 12/3/09
Hage estate wins again, Capital Press 11/21/09 HERE for Property Rights Page.

Fish can be helped without removing (Klamath) dams, H&N letter to editor by Danny Hull, Klamath Falls, posted to KBC 12/3/09

Humboldt Supervisors put support behind Klamath dam deals, Times Standard, posted 12/3/09. "A deadline of Jan. 14 is set for all parties to sign or oppose the agreements."

Tulelake Irrigation District well water levels 12/3/09

Klamath Water Report, Bureau of Reclamation 11/25-12/2/09
Klamath Water Report, Bureau of Reclamation 10/25-11/1/09 

ESA blamed for low flows (Calif. Central Valley), Capital Press 12/3/09

The Board of Directors of the Klamath Water and Power Agency (“KWAPA”) will hold a public meeting at the office of the Klamath Irrigation District, 6640 KID Lane, Klamath Falls, Tuesday, 12/1/09 at 9:00 a.m. Includes reports on KBRA, off project participation in KWAPA, hydro agreement, ....

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              Page Updated: Monday March 15, 2010 05:22 PM  Pacific


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