Fish threatened with extinction shuts Delta water pumps, Sacramento Bee 5/31/07. "State water officials Thursday morning stopped exporting water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to protect the threatened Delta smelt, a tiny native fish that appears to be on the brink of extinction... The Delta supplies 23 million Californians with a portion of their drinking water, as well as to 5 million acres of farmland."

*Commodity commissions applications due 5/11/07

BOR Managing for Excellence May 30-31

Water Data Update, posted May 31, 2007, Bureau of Reclamation

Bill Honoring Les Schwab is Drafted, Senator Whitsett, posted 5/31/07

OREGON: Democrats steal your giftcards VIDEO. 5/31/07

Judge rules against California Delta water system, posted May 31, 2007

Interior secretary scraps proposed changes to endangered species law, posted to KBC 5/31/07

 Local fishing leader, 58, dies, The World Link, posted 5/31/07

Scott Boley with fishermen and farmers at October Potato Festival  in Merrill.	Fisherman Scott Boley, right KBC photos
Oregon coastal fisherman Scott Boley from Gold Beach passed away May 28. He and Klamath Basin farmer Dick Carleton brought their communities together in guiding tours, and bringing facts and science into finding Klamath Basin solutions and dispelling myths. Farmers and fishermen alike have lost a true friend.

Hidden costs of corn-based ethanol, diverting corn from food to fuel could create unprecedented turmoil, CSMonitor, posted 5/28/07 "With current technology, almost all of this biofuel would have to come from corn because there is no feasible alternative. However, achieving the 15 percent goal would require the entire current US corn crop, which represents a whopping 40 percent of the world's corn supply." More on ethanol, go HERE.

Walden continues push for long-term county payments extension, posted to KBC 5/28/07

Letter from Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong to the California Assembly regarding suction dredge mining, Assembly Bill 1032, posted to KBC 5/28/07. (Although there is considerable public perception that suction dredge mining has a substantial deleterious impact on various species, such as salmon, scientific studies do not generally support this view...)

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review May 25, 2007
*SB 180-UFW Sponsored Legislation (ACTION ALERT)
*Williamson Act Subvention Funds-State Budget
*SB 719-San Joaquin Valley Air Quality Management District
*SB 240-Air Surcharge
*AB 1223-Agricultural Electricity Customers
*AB 1428-Incentives, Manure-Fueled Facilities
*SB 463-Biogas Digesters, Agreements

Tulelake Irrigation District well water levels, 5/24/07

Salmon aid intact in war-funding bill, by David Whitney - Sacramento Bee May 24, 2007. (KBC Note: In fall 2002 Klamath irrigators wrote letters to keep the feds from releasing HOT water down the Klamath River that would be toxic to the fish, but tribes insisted and feds complied, and the Trinity River fish died when they hit the Klamath. The National Academy of Science said "low flows" were not to blame, but the Tribes, enviros, agencies and media continue to repeat the myth until it is widely accepted. And last yr, as we understand it from some Oregon salmon trollers, it was not lack of salmon, but lack of "wild-spawned Klamath fall Chinook", that caused management to shut down the Pacific Coast fisheries. In the end, only 5% of the 2006 ocean catch proved to be Klamath fish.)

Warren Buffett Hates Salmon, Native Americans, DealBreaker, 5/24/07. (KBC Note: The article above, Salmon aid intact in war-funding bill,  blames Klamath irrigators for fish dying in fall 2002, and so did the Tribes and enviros and Cal Fish and Game blame us. Of course they blamed Bush too, until, 2 yrs ago, they became aware that FERC Klamath Hydro dam license was about to expire. Now they blame Buffett's because fish died in 2002 since he bought the hydro dams. Does anyone think accusing Buffet of 'genocide' and snubbing "Holocaust survivors." is a bit extreme in trying to materialize the dam-removal agenda?)

Group opposes wind farm in Columbia River Gorge, H&N 5/25/07. (KBC Note: Groups oppose Hydro dams, nuclear power, wind farms, and near the Klamath Basin geothermal at Medicine Lake where the wells are already drilled.)

Support our troops.

Yurok tribe gets funding for project, Triplicate 5/23/07

PRESS RELEASE: Reps. Don Young & Stevan Pearce's Statements From Today's Hearing On Democratic Bill To Reduce U.S. Energy Security & Raise The Cost Of Gasoline & Electricity, 5/23/07, House Committee on Resources.

Alaska says 'NO' to U.N. designations, Ecologic Powerhouse, 5/23/07

Bureau of Reclamation information on 2007 funding for the Klamath River Watershed Restoration Program. HERE for grant details. 5/23/07

Bureau of Reclamation water data update, posted 5/22/07

(California) Eminent domain plan aired, Legislator seeks to limit governmental powers to seize homes; foes call it window dressing, Sacramento Bee 5/22/07

Letter to Congressman Rick J. Rahall, II, Chairman House Natural Resources Committee regarding HR 1975, Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act, by Elaine Willman, National Chair CERA. "It is demeaning and debilitating for urban Congressmen to assume that Western State governments are inadequate or inferior to the task of environmental stewardship on behalf of the American public. Vast areas in 42 counties within 5 rural States should not be subject to this egregious Act that alleges that such lands can only be best controlled and maintained by Indian tribes and federal agencies." 5/14/07

Responsibility by Jim Beers, posted to KBC 5/22/07. Beers is a  retired US Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Biologist, Special Agent, Refuge Manager, Wetlands Biologist, and Congressional Fellow. "What about the US Fish and Wildlife Service theft of $60 Million from funds destined for state hunting and fishing programs to fund things like introducing wolves into Yellowstone and opening an endangered species office (to cater to radicals) in California - each of which Congress had refused to fund?"

Have your dogs, kittens, calves, lambs, horses, children been eaten by wolves that the government placed in your backyard? If so go to www.wolfcrossing.org They invite you to submit information regarding your experiences with wolves, and they could use some wolf bloggers from your part of the country. 5/22/07. HERE for our wolf page.

FWS News Release: Fish and Wildlife Service Director Announces $8.9 Million In Grants to Tribes to Help Conserve Fish and Wildlife. Nearly $1.6 million will go to Tribes in the Pacific Northwest, posted 5/22/07

Here for the great global warming swindle, video. posted to KBC 5/22/05.

Salmon 'River Origin' ocean tracking program expands, CB Bulletin, posted to KBC 5/21/07. (KBC NOTE: Coastal commercial fishing was mostly shut down last year so fishermen would not catch Klamath River fish. The DNA tests found that only 5% of the West Coast catch was Klamath River fish.)

Reclamation seeks Klamath River watershed restoration projects, posted to KBC 5/21/07

FWS News Release: Fish and Wildlife Provides Nearly $19.9 Million in the Pacific Region Through Two Grant Programs, posted to KBC 5/20/07. "Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne today awarded more than $75 million in grants through two grant programs; the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund and the Private Stewardship Grants Program." (for easements and land acquisitions)

* From Dan Keppen, Family Farm Alliance Executive Director, on ESA Implementation Hearing, 'Science or Politics?', posted to KBC 5/21/07
* ESA testimony of Lynn Scarlett, Deputy Secretary of Interior.
* HERE for ESA page.

*Tulelake Migratory Bird Festival FWS May 19

PRESS RELEASE: Oregon House More pain at the pump: House Democrats seek gas tax hike; HB 2653 automatically raises the gas tax every five years, Oregon House, posted 5/18/07.

Today's CFBF Friday Review contains the following bills, 5/18/07:
Williamson Act Subvention funding elimination (ACTION ALERT)
SB 180-Secret Ballot circumvention (ACTION ALERT)
SB 200,201,202-Leafy Greens legislation
AB 1634-California Healthy Pets Act
AB 1100 and SB 63-Mandatory Labeling/Cloned Animals
SB 974-Ports/Environmental Mitigation Fee

OREGON: More pain at the pump; house democrats seek gas tax hike, HB 2653.  "Oregon already ranks among the top third of states with the highest gas taxes.  During the 2007 session, Democrats have also proposed a 44 percent increase in vehicle registration fees." 5/17/07

ESA hearing and comments due May 18

The fate of Oregon water measurement bill by Senator Whitsett's office, May 17, 2007. "When the bill was "pushed" through the committee originally, the sponsor said there would be no financial impact, in order to get it to a vote. Suddenly when it became apparent the bill would not pass in its amended form, the Democrat leadership and the bill's sponsor kept the bill alive by sending it to Ways and Means.  If it had been voted on as scheduled it would be dead for this session."

Family farms at risk, Dan Keppen comes to Scott Valley to bring message about farms and ranch issues, Pioneer Press, posted 5/17/07

Whitsett call for dedicated funding SB798, delivers over 100 new state troopers, no new taxes, 5/16/07

**Comments should be limited to the effects of suction dredge mining on water quality. Comments received by 12 p.m. on June 22, 2007 will be given full consideration. See miners page.for more mining news.

Urgent from Senator Whitsett: Email reps on today's HB2564, well meters, followed by: Officials vote to charge property owners to draw groundwater. May 16, Please contact these legislators TODAY (Wednesday) and ask them to vote against HB 2564.Here is the list of legislators (Oregon House members that may be open to voting against the bill). We need to have people contact them on HB  2564, which should be on the third reading calendar tomorrow (ie: up for the vote): Jeff Barker, Terry Beyer, Debbie Boone, Brian Clem, Jean Cowan, Betty Komp, Tobias Read, Arnie Roblan, Brad Witt, Donna Nelson

Grassroots Group Launches National Campaign Against Congressional Effort to Repeal Energy Law, 5/16/07

Trout Fishermen!!! Judge orders environmental review of state trout program, San Francisco Chronicle, posted to KBC May 16, 2007

The Planned demolition to NE Oregon: visit to NE Oregon, by Jim Beers, 5/15/07. Beers, left, is hearing the stories of Steve Krieger and Dale Potter, Joseph OR. KBC was there. Krieger showed us the land that the state is forcing him to sell with threat of condemnation. Wallowa County water and land are being taken by the feds, State of Oregon & Idaho tribes.

Whitsett Votes for Stricter (Oregon) Driver’s License Requirements, 5/15/07

Going out of business! Really, truly, seriously! The Oregonian, posted to KBC 5/15/07 "If Senate Bill 684 becomes law, stores would be required to buy a state permit to hold a going-out-of-business sale, which would be limited to 90 days."

Never too old to learn - Indians, by Jim Beers, retired FWS, posted to KBC 5/14/07. "Indian land claims and aggressiveness toward off-reservation communities are increasingly coincidental with Federal programs to close down public lands to public uses like hunting and fishing and grazing and logging and recreation and access and the management of renewable natural resources and the elimination of revenues from the public lands..."

Oregon Wild is PacifiCorp’s best Ally in Klamath Dam Fight!, by Karuk Spokesman Craig Tucker regarding Oregon Wild and FERC negotiations, Indy Bay 5/11/07. HERE for KBC questions

Tulelake Basin soil cranks out heat; Horseradish farmers operate certified organic operation, Capital Press 5/11/07

Long Lake water storage considered, H&N 5/11/07
11/3/06 Klamath County Commissioner John Elliott responds to Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's (PCFFA) comments on Long Lake storage.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review 5/11/07. Today's Friday Review contains the following bills: SB 634 - Williamson Act, SRA Fees, AB 1338 - California Coastal Protection Act, AB 564 - Gestation and Farrowing Stalls, AB 493 - Clean Vehicle Incentive Program

Comments by Rudy Hiley to the ESA Hearing Oversight – “Endangered Species Act Implementation:  Science or Politics?”posted 5/11/07. Comments due May 18--see calendar above.

Tulelake Irrigation District well water level report 5/11/07

Tribes take Klamath dams woes to Buffett HQ, followed by On the home front: Secretive settlement talks and a surprise lawsuit, Northcoast Journal, posted 5/11/07. KBC notes, facts & information

Pacific Power would get more land, posted to KBC 5/11/07 "It seems crazy that they think that sedimentation issue would be solved by washing it down the river. It seems like that would just ruin the river down the river," Mallory said. Copco Lake is the largest private property bordered lake ever to face removal.

Project Independence too important to be cut by Legislature, by Sunny Lemming, H&N Viewpoints 5/11/07 "Sen. Doug Whitsett reported that the Democrats in Salem are proposing cutting all funds for Oregon Project Independence...This is a program allowing seniors to remain in their homes and receive care instead of being shipped to a nursing home." More OREGON go HERE

Grazing Rights on Public Land, a college report by University of Nevada student Stephanie Souza, posted to KBC 5/11/07

Judge keeps (Idaho) water flowing, Idaho Statesman, posted to KBC 5/11/07

KBC just returned from Joseph, Oregon, where we presented Klamath Basin issues. We joined retired FWS employee and author Jim Beers, author Elaine Willman 'Going to Pieces; the dismantling of the United States of America, Aubryn Curtiss, Montana State Senator, and Dan Johnson, North Central Idaho Judicial Alliance in defense of members and citizens from expanding Nez Perce Tribal claims. Wallowa farmers and ranchers are trying to endure tribal expansion, conservancies, and government land-grabs including threats of condemnation for some if they don't sell. We will be bringing you more news of their dilemma.