Klamath Basin Water Crisis Archive 211 Dec 2019

Archive 211 - December 2019
also see main archive page

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Judge revokes Hammond Ranches grazing permit, Tri-State Livestock News 12/27/19

Court orders EPA to write temperature control plans for Columbia, Snake, Capital Press 12/27/19. "The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is likely to intensify the ongoing debate over breaching four Lower Snake River dams in Eastern Washington to increase salmon and steelhead runs...The plaintiffs...Columbia Riverkeeper, Snake River Waterkeeper, Idaho Rivers United, the (IFFR) Institute for Fisheries Resources and (PCFFA)Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations.."
KBC NOTE: Coincidently PCFFA and it spinoff IFFR, and Riverkeepers are the litigants who strategically constantly sued to downsize Klamath agriculture and destroy the Klamath River dams.

Oregon starts appeals of $1 billion timber verdict, OPB 12/26/19. "In November, a jury in Linn County ruled that the state breached its contract with 13 rural counties by failing to generate enough revenue through logging on state-owned forests. Jurors awarded more than $1 billion in damages..."

* Yurok Tribe files suit against Reclamation, H&N 12/29/19.

* Federal agencies can’t ignore science and facts; National Academy of Science found there was no credible scientific basis for Hardy's flow requirements, by RY KLIEWER Guest commentary for H&N Dec 22, 2019. Ryan Kliewer is a Klamath Basin farmer and entrepreneur.
"Dr. Hardy made the mistake while he was working for the government. He didn’t admit his mistake; instead he blamed the government. Now he is helping someone else sue the government for his mistake. While all this is going on, Dr. Hardy’s theoretical fish models remain disputed by the highest science body in the land — the National Academy"

* The court case is ”Yurok Tribe, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association and Institute for Fisheries Resources vs. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and National Marine Fisheries Services . Attorneys Earthjustice, representing Yuroks, PCFFA and IFFR, are financially supported by George Soros

* 'Erroneous' data triggers new biological opinion, H&N 11/17/19. "The most recent consultation, which also took into consideration the effects on the killer whale in the Pacific Ocean, was expected to last through 2024"...“There are things that we believe that have gone beyond the duties of the Klamath Project,” said KWUA Executive Director Paul Simmons.

* Yurok Preliminary Injunction Motion filed 10/18/19

*12/21/19 - Comments Due February 6 regarding Klamath Dam removal on the recirculated portions of the Draft EIR. NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT OF RECIRCULATED PORTIONS OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE LOWER KLAMATH PROJECT LICENSE SURRENDER FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION PROJECT NO. 14803
*California waterboard seeks more feedback on dam removal, H&N 12/24/19
*FYI: Strategy to form the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement: Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Action Plan May 18, 2005. Lead Agency: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). "It may be the desire of the Tribes to restore the river to the pre-European settlement condition.... Restoration will likely need to increase flows, which might result in reduced agricultural water supply. To achieve necessary reductions funding may be required to purchase and fallow agricultural lands."

A 'wait and see' world for water users regarding Upper Klamath Basin wells regulated by OWRD, H&N 12/19/19