*** HERE for KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement Lawsuits, bills, laws, acts, court decisions

*** HERE for Tribal Lawsuits

KBC NOTE: Most litigation against Klamath River Basin resource users: farmers, loggers, miners, is Earthjustice is funded by George Soros.  "...Earthjustice was founded as the "Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund" in 1971.This group seeks to place severe restrictions on how U.S. land and waterways may be used. It opposes most mining and logging initiatives, commercial fishing businesses, and the use of motorized vehicles in undeveloped areas....Earthjustice has provided free legal representation to more than 600 client organizations."    Former Earthjustice clients: PCFFA, Klamath Riverkeeper (board members are Craig Tucker, Karuk Tribal Spokesman and Leaf Hillman, Karuk Counsel President, Yurok Tribal member Frankie Meyers and Klamath Tribal member David Taylor), PCFFA founded IFR. The Yurok Tribe, PCFFA, IFR, and Karuk Tribe were "friends" / "stakeholders" of KWUA, and claimed to support Klamath farmers in the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. Yet in a 2011 video Tucker called the Klamath farmers "enemies", and pledged to work to destroy Keno Dam after the other Klamath River hydro dams are destroyed.

*** Top 10 Stupidest New Laws in California for 2017, by Former California State Assemblyman: Backpacks
for cow farts, felons voting, early release for rape and sex trafficking of minors, legalize child prostitution, ...

 

 

Klamath ranch seeks $1.5 million from Oregon water regulators, Capital Press 10/28/22. "The state Water Resources Department affirmed the 1864 priority date and the ranch’s right to divert 9.4 cubic feet of water per second between March and November, enough to irrigate the property at a depth of three feet per acre a year...The ranch has since been “regulated off” every year, generally shutting down irrigation “earlier and earlier” each season...the ranch’s carrying capacity was previously 200 head of cattle, it’s now only able to sustain 50 head due to the lack of irrigation..."

Ruling invalidates Klamath irrigators' injunction, H&N 9/9/22. “Any number of tribal and non-tribal parties can sue the government to take water away from irrigators, but irrigators can’t sue to protect their own interests in water.”

Water dispute should be decided in court
"As with all government activities, the Klamath Project should be operated in accordance with law, not illegal shut-off orders, illegal water diversions, nor thuggish federal extortion tactics."
< by Klamath Irrigation District Executive Director Gene Souza, Herald and News 8/27/22
KBC Explanation: Bureau of Reclamation encouraged farmers to fallow their land this season because there would not be enough of our stored water for crops. Thousands of acres were fallowed. There is abundant water. On August 19: The Blackmail: the Bureau illegally told our water districts that if they did not shut off water to their customers, they would not allow any irrigator to be paid for fallowing their land.

 

9th Circuit rejects arguments against farming in Klamath wildlife refuges, Capital Press 7/19/22. "A unanimous panel of three 9th Circuit judges has now upheld that decision, ruling that the Fish and Wildlife Service’s plan complies with all the laws governing the 200,000-acre refuge complex... The 9th Circuit has disagreed with that argument, ruling that the Fish and Wildlife Service’s plan struck the appropriate balance between agriculture and wildfowl management as required by refuge management statutes...FWS adequately explained that some amount of pesticide use was necessary on the Refuges to ensure sufficient crop production, on which Refuge waterfowl now depend..."

Klamath Drainage District Press Release: Reclamation files surprise complaint against KDD, District disappointed in government's conduct July 11. 2022. "Scott White, General Manager for the district notes that this is not a contract issue at all and points to the district’s existing water rights of record. 'The Bureau has literally acknowledged and affirmed KDD’s water rights in the past and encouraged us to exercise them when there is no Project Supply available,'said White. 'It’s incredible that they claim we are in breach of contract for doing the very thing they asked of us for years.' '...The district is also bound by contract to deliver water to water users outside of the district, but the complaint makes no mention of the district currently facilitating the conveyance of water to the refuge under state law. 'The Bureau is out of its lane in picking and choosing which law to recognize,' states Bill Walker, President of the district. 'The Bureau supports state law when it means getting water to their land but does not when it means getting water to family farmers and ranchers...'"
UNITED STATES of America VS Klamath Drainage District, COMPLAINT with Department of Justice attorneys against the small Klamath Drainage District 7/5/22.

Klamath Tribes sue federal government over water releases to farmers, Capital Press 5/13/22. "...KWUA says the anticipated 50,000 acre-foot Project allotment represents no more than 5% of all the water that will be used this season from Upper Klamath Lake. About 40% will be sent down the Klamath River for ESA-listed salmon, 28% will be held in the lake for C’waam and Koptu and 27% will be lost to evaporation..." KBC NOTE: Klamath Project irrigators store their irrigation water in Upper Klamath Lake, causing the lake to be higher than historically possible before the Klamath Project was built. The highest sucker counts were when the lake was lower, before the ESA mandated confiscating our legally stored water.

Klamath Tribe suing Biden administration over Oregon water to farmers, H&N 4/15/22. “We implore you to rescind the 2022 plan and operate the project this year consistent with the law, which requires the prioritization of the needs of the C’Waam and Koptu,” (Klamath Tribe Chairman Don) Gentry said using native language terms to describe the suckerfish. The fish also have spiritual, cultural and historical significance to the tribes." Yurok Vice-Chairman Frankie Meyers said, “The Upper and Lower Klamath Basin once functioned as an integrated system that provided abundant salmon, suckers and waterfowl with minimal intervention. It is our duty to bring this system back into balance and we will never stop working toward that goal..."
KBC NOTE: Not mentioned in the H&N article, last summer farmers got zero allocation while the Bureau of Rec. withheld 40,000 acre feet of our stored water above what the ESA required, and refused to pay it back to the farmers. In 2021 the agencies and tribes dewatered our refuges for the first time in more than 10,000 years according to Fish and Wildlife Service.
< Photo from High Country News of Frankie Meyers. Not mentioned by Meyers is, our Klamath Basin DID function as an integrated system with abundant salmon, suckers and waterfowl until, against the direction of the "best available science," the National Research Council, the government agencies mandated higher lake levels and river flows than historically possible before the Klamath irrigation project was built. Lake level and river flow management will not increase sucker propagation according to the NRC. Suckers thrived in years of low water levels.
Watch Meyer's video: https://www.facebook.com/frankie.../videos/4455720501123904 "...You are always in the right if you're telling your government officials to give land back to indigenous communities..." A ten minute video well worth your time.  Keep in mind, every Klamath tribal member was given a ballot to vote on whether to terminate their tribe and receive money...they overwhelmingly voted to terminate and were paid for their land. They later were given allotments and most of them sold their allotments.
   Also, Mayers claimed that only white veterans were chosen to win a Tulelake homestead. FACT: WWI and WWII veterans with farm experience were entered into a contest, and winners were drawn from a pickle jar. Skin color was not a prerequisite.

< Photo from Herald and News. Don Gentry, current Klamath Tribal Chairman discusses termination and allotments in October 7, 2003 on Tribal Tour of the forests they hoped to be given: #9 In the van, Tribal Resource Specialist Don Gentry in discussion about Termination

 

 

 

 

OWRD/Oregon Water Resources Department counter claim against U.S. Regarding Bureau of Reclamation releasing legally-stored stored Klamath Project irrigation water into ocean 4/7/22. "...Section 8 of the Reclamation Act of 1902, which authorizes Reclamation to operate the Klamath Project in Southern Oregon and Northern California, expressly requires Reclamation to comply with state water law in those operations..." KBC NOTE: FYI, 2 of the Plaintiffs are PCFFA / Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen and IFFR / Institute for Fisheries Resources. According to PCFFA, "Rather than seek out yet another unrelated non-profit to funnel the money through, PCFFA created a new organization (IFFR)..."  

Judge halts curtailment for Siskiyou County irrigators, CFBF AgAlert 4/6/22. "Irrigators in Siskiyou County have won a court ruling to temporarily block a state water curtailment order that would have prevented area farmers and ranchers from tapping into percolating groundwater supplies they have relied on for decades...."Historically, the State Water Resources Control Board has not had jurisdiction over groundwater, and this was a classic example of government overreach where they exerted jurisdiction over percolating groundwater without authority and without evidentiary support."

Mt. States Legal Foundation: "Shoot Owls to Save Owls? That's The ESA in Action (Reuters) Big Green and Bill Clinton used northern spotted owl "protections" as a pretext for throwing lumber producers off U.S. forests. But loggers weren't the bird's biggest problem, as it turns out. Now the feds are shooting barred owls in order to "save" spotted owls, all with the blessing of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in another Endangered Species Act absurdity: Government can kill invasive owls to study effect on threatened ones – 9th Circuit, Reuters 3/5/22. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service legally authorized the killing of thousands of barred owls in Oregon’s old-growth forests to see if it would help the threatened northern spotted owl make a comeback in the area, a federal appeals court affirmed Friday."

 

 

Environmental groups fail to stop Southern Oregon logging projects, Capital Press 4/7/22. "Environmental groups have failed to convince a federal judge to block two logging and fuels reduction projects on 8,000 acres of public forestland in Southern Oregon."

Speak up about River Democracy Act by Matt McElligott Oregon Cattlemen’s Association 1/26/22. "...River Democracy Act that Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are pushing...why are some of the designated streams not streams at all, but dry washes? Why are the stream buffers increased from a quarter a mile to half a mile? The act has pages of coordinates of the streams, rivers, and dry gulches to be protected, but not one map...This act talks a lot about fire resiliency, but supplies no details as to how locking up 3.1 million acres of federal land will reduce threat of fire to land, lumber and lives. What will the long-term economic effect of this bill have on rural Oregon?..Wyden’s bill has a $30 million price tag...every year — forever.,,"

Klamath Irrigation District Court Filings 2021 regarding Bureau of Reclamation denying Klamath Irrigators their stored water

WA1300001 is the initial notice April 25, 2021 KID request for judicial notice Dec. 7, 2018 KID motion to remand April 20, 2021 BOR memo opposition to motion May 4, 2021 KID reply memo MOT to remand May 11, 2021

Uncertainty over latest WOTUS regs may require Supreme Court to sort out issue, Farm Bureau speakers say, Capital Press 1/12/22. "Potentially, the regulation of ephemeral waters would apply to ditches and other drainage areas, as well as low spots that collect water on fields, she said."

Appeals court stays injunction against Upper Klamath Lake releases, H&N 12/30/21. "... the lack of an injunction won’t change the way water is currently flowing in the basin, because the presence of an injunction didn’t do so either..."

Judge refuses to declare Oregon state forest logging 'takes' coho salmon, Capital Press 12/24/21. "A federal judge has refused to declare that logging activities in Oregon’s Clatsop and Tillamook state forests have unlawfully harmed threatened coho salmon..."

Agriculture faces host of new state laws in California, AgAlert, CFBF 12/22/21. Farmworker overtime, hen living conditions, pot and ag, animal housing, veal, slaughter rules...

How Biden's infrastructure package invests in farming, rural communities, Capital Press 11/9/21. "...$8.3 billion in water projects including irrigation modernization, improved water storage and conveyance, aquifer recharge and repairs...Klamath habitat: Some $162 million will go toward Klamath habitat restoration work by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service..." KBC NOTE: "improved water storage" ? We HAVE excellent water storage which the Bureau of Reclamation, against a court order, did not allow irrigators to use this summer. How can we recharge our aquifer, after we must pump our aquifer to farm because the Bureau stole our stored water, if the Bureau won't allow us water to recharge it? $162M to FWS for Klamath for habitat restoration? That usually means land and water rights acquisitions. What a deal.

Bill to track foreign ownership of farmland introduced into U.S. Senate, Capital Press 11/1/21. "...foreign investors have bought more than 35 million acres of U.S. farmland worth $62 billion — about 2.7% of all privately held land nationwide..."

Upper Klamath irrigators challenge water transfer to wildlife refuge, Capital Press 10/1/21. "A lawsuit claims Oregon water regulators have authorized a water transfer to a wildlife refuge without properly analyzing the impacts on Upper Klamath irrigators.

Judge refuses to restrict water releases from Upper Klamath Lake, Capital Press 5/6/21

Klamath Water Users Association brings legal challenge to Klamath Project operations, KWUA News Release 4/22/21. "Klamath Water Users Association filed court papers to re-open a lawsuit and seek a ruling that the Bureau of Reclamation’s current approach to regulating water deliveries for the Klamath Project is illegal. KWUA filed a motion in federal court asking the court to lift a stay of existing litigation and then rule on critical legal issues that affect irrigation water availability...The Yurok Tribe and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) sued the Bureau of Reclamation and National Marine Fisheries Service for alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) related to Project operations that had been adopted to control Project operations from 2019-2024...."

 Klamath Irrigation District v. US Bureau of Reclamation, regarding Waters of the Klamath River Basin, Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction 3/29/21. "...Reclamation sometimes says it is using stored water in UKL to fulfill trust obligations it has to the Hoopa Valley and Yurok Tribes, both of which are located in California. But Reclamation’s trust obligations to the tribes in California afford no water rights to use stored water in UKL, as neither Tribe (nor Reclamation on their behalf) has ever claimed a water right in UKL in the Klamath Adjudication..."

Amicus brief United States v. Cooley filed in the U.S. Supreme Court explains why Klamath Project irrigators lost the 20+ year takings lawsuit filed by counsel who never had the chance of winning, Lawrence Kogan, Kogan Law Group 3/20/2021

Court upholds Klamath Tribes' water rights, irrigators plan to challenge, H&N 2/27/21. "...Paul Simmons, executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association, said Klamath Project irrigators are largely unaffected by the decision, as a settlement prevents the Tribes from using water rights in Oregon to curtail deliveries to the Project from Upper Klamath Lake..."

New Court Ruling Could Prevent Curtailments of Irrigation in Upper Klamath Lake Tributaries, KWUA News Advisory 2/25/2021. "The ruling has no immediate consequences for Klamath Project irrigators. Administratively-recognized water rights in Upper Klamath Lake cannot be asserted against the Klamath Project under an agreement made several years ago. Klamath Project irrigators have the right to contest the quantification of that right later in the court phase."

Upper Klamath Lake forecast looking poor for fish and farms, H&N 2/19/21. "Klamath Tribes have filed a notice of intent, saying they will sue the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for violating the Endangered Species Act if Upper Klamath Lake dips below levels outlined in the 2020 biological opinion this spring...'We know that we’re in a very serious situation,' (Klamath Tribal Chairman) Gentry said. 'It looks like there’s going to be very little water, if at all, for irrigation.' ”

Siskiyou County Water Users Association MOTION TO LEAVE TO INTERVENE for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Klamath (P-2082-063) and Lower Klamath (P-14803) Projects, Regarding Notice of Application for Surrender of License (of Klamath Hydroelectric dams) 2/3/2021

Oregon Supreme Court: Order denying petition for Writ of Mandamus and dismissing motion to stay, signed by Martha L. Walters, Chief Justice, Supreme Court 2/2/2021. In KID vs OWRD, The supreme court denied OWRD stay. They must abide by Judge Bennett's order and take over the Link River dam and abide by Oregon Law.

KID wins again, Oregon Court of Appeals, KID vs OWRD 1/14/2021. OWRD's/Oregon Water Resources Department's motion for stay is now "moot". Judge Bennett's order, that OWRD must not allow stored water in Klamath Lake reserved for irrigation to be illegally used or dumped into the ocean, is not currently appealable.

***ANOTHER WIN FOR KID / KLAMATH IRRIGATION DISTRICT, KID vs OWRD:
Judge Bennett Order on Motion for Reconciliation 1/7/20. DENIED. Judge Bennett's ORDER: "Respondents' (OWRD) Motion restates their misapprehension of this courts Orders in 20CV17922 and 20CV15606. Respondents' accepted exclusive jurisdiction over the UKL pursuant to ORS 540.210. Respondents are required by that statute to divide and distribute the water therefrom in accordance with the respective and relative rights of the various users. Despite this statutory obligation, Respondents have continued to allow the Bureau of Reclamation to take Stored Water without determining the Bureau's right to do so. The Respondents continue to violate the Oregon Water Rights Act by allowing the Bureau to take and use Stored Water in the UKL without determining it is entitled to do so as required by ORS 540.210. Respondents must stop the release until a determination is made pursuant to ORS 540.740. Nothing in the Court's Order dictates how the Respondents make the determination or what criteria is used. TPC, LLC v. OWRD, 308 Or.App. 177 is not analogous or factually similar to this case. MAKE A DETERMINATION"

***Circuit Court of Oregon to Klamath Irrigation District, KID vs OWRD (Oregon Water Resources Department) 12/17/20. "...the Oregon Water Rights Act and this court's order...require the Respondents, and in particular the Watermaster, Danette Watson, to prohibit the distribution of Stored Water unless it is for a legally permissible use by parties with an established right or license to use the Stored Water...Petitioner, having an established interest in the Stored Water in the UKL, certainly has standing to demand that the Watermaster stop the distribution to any person who does not have a right, recognized by OWRD, to take and use the Stored Water."

From KID manager Gene Souze to KBC News regarding KIDvsOWRD lawsuit 11/11/2020: "Please find the attached public records (below) which you may find useful in documenting 2020 - OWRD appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court in the KID vs OWRD case and our initial bill to pay OWRD to do the bidding of Representative Helm under the guise of “taking control of the reservoir”.    It is very disturbing for my state public servants to be fighting so hard against the people of Oregon.  Farmer’s rights to protect their property from unlawful seizure is being undermined by my own state who’s public servants should be protecting its residents against federal overreach.    I would say the water from Gerber and Clear Lake would not currently be flowing if the stored water in Upper Klamath Lake was not illegally released earlier this year.    Best, Gene"   *OWRD letter to KID demanding $41,988 in advance "estimated compensation and expenses" to perform their services of regulation of Upper Klamath Lake water distribution 11/5/2020   *Oregon DOJ and Oregon Attorney General Memorandum in KIDvsOWRD in support of PETITION for Alternative Writ of Mandamus, in Oregon Supreme Court November 10, 2020   *OWRD appeal to Oregon Supreme Court on KID vs OWRD November 2020.

Reschke, Iverson: Oregon must stop sending Klamath water to California, H&N 11/3/2020. "Instead of complying with the court order, however, OWRD announced they plan to fight the ruling. OWRD is seeking a legal stay to allow them to continue to illegally divert water while their appeal is pending. And now California special interest groups are joining OWRD in the lawsuit."

Klamath Irrigation District court case continues, H&N 11/2/20. KID attorney Reitmann: “Just because the Bureau has an obligation to provide water for the Yurok Tribe doesn’t give them the right to go steal someone else’s...” 

Klamath Irrigation District scores victory in water rights case, Capital Press 8/7/2020. "No party has provided this court with law or fact which allows the bureau the right to use stored water in the (Upper Klamath Lake) without a permit or license,” Bennett wrote in his opinion. “OWRD’s failure is a deprivation of a precious resource belonging to the people of Oregon. OWRD failure is also an infringement of property rights of established users, permittees and licensees.”

US appeals court denies bid to resurrect Bundy standoff case, H&N 8/7/20. "Navarro found “deliberate attempts” by the FBI and prosecutors “to mislead and distort the truth.” She blamed FBI agents for “reckless disregard” of requirements to turn over evidence relating to government snipers and cameras that monitored the Bundy homestead...government agents “threatened the Bundys’ lives, killed their cattle, assaulted family members and perpetrated tyrannical executive power over them.”

***KID / Klamath Irrigation District vs OWRD/Oregon Water Resources Department 7/30/20: "...respondents are ordered to stop releasing Stored Water from the UKL (Upper Klamath Lake) without determining that the release is for a permitted purpose by users with an established right, license, or permit to use the Stored Water in the UKL"

Ninth Circuit Court decision could benefit many Oregon ranchers, H&N 6/24/2020

'Takings' case closed, H&N 6/23/2020. "After nearly two decades, the takings case stemming from the water shutoff to the Klamath Reclamation Project in 2001 is closed. The U.S. Supreme Court made the announcement on Monday that it has denied a petition to review a lower federal court’s decision that ruled that Project irrigators of about 175,000 acres on the Oregon and California border are not entitled to compensation for the re-allocation of water under the Endangered Species Act in 2001..."

SCOTUS Blog Coverage: Baley v. United States  6/22/2020.

Judge in Seattle to rule on wolf removal, Capital Press 6/22/2020. "The Wedge pack has attacked at least four calves in Stevens County between May 11 and June 17, but the department has not opted for lethal removal. The calves belonged to two different producers."

Walden, LaMalfa, Bentz: Supreme Court must prevent uncompensated theft of Western water, Pens Op-ed in Washington Examiner,  6/18/2020. "

! Klamath Irrigation District requests a temporary restraining order against OWRD, Director Byler and Watermaster Watson, filed 6/12/2020. Bureau Of Reclamation, with an agreement with PacifiCorp, is presently diverting an extreme amount Klamath Irrigators' stored water into Klamath River, and Upper Klamath Lake elevation is rapidly lowering: "...enough to supply one acre foot of water to at least the 10,342 acres of land in Klamath Basin Improvement District, 3,911 acres of land in Shasta View Irrigation District, 2,981 acres of land within Enterprise Irrigation, and 904 acres of land in Pine Grove Irrigation District, which are shut-off and not receiving any water from UKL reservoir..."

Court denies Yurok Tribe effort to increase downstream Klamath River flows, H&N 5/24/2020.

Klamath water users oppose Yurok Tribe request for flow increases 5/19/2020. "Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) filed its opposition with a federal court to a motion filed the Yurok Tribe and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association that was filed May 13.  The tribe’s motion requests that the court re-open a lawsuit that was put on hold for two years in March, and that the court immediately require increased flows below Iron Gate Dam in the Klamath River.."

Yurok Tribe joins lawsuit seeking temporary restraining order to restore essential water flows for Klamath River salmon, Del Norte Triplicate 5/18/2020. "The Yurok Tribe joined the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resources in pursuit of a temporary restraining order to reinstate water flows on the Klamath River."

Klamath Irrigation District vs Oregon Water Resources Department, filed May 14, 2020.

Supreme Court scales back scope of groundwater pollution ruling, Capital Press 4/29/2020.

Klamath Project operations unchanged by OWRD ruling, H&N 4/26/2020. KBC Note: The article reads: "The order urges the Bureau of Reclamation to stop releasing stored water from Upper Klamath Lake..."  The court order reads: "The BOR is hereby ordered to cease releasing stored water from UKL reservoir..." They continue to divert our stored water out of Upper Klamath Lake.

Klamath water allocation short of demand for farmers, ranchers, Capital Press 4/24/2020. "The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will provide approximately 140,000 acre-feet of water to farms and ranches from Upper Klamath Lake in 2020...only one-third of historical demand for the Klamath Project...The plan, finalized Wednesday, comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by the Yurok Tribe, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resources against the bureau, seeking an additional 50,000 acre-feet of water for salmon..."

OWRD takes charge of Upper Klamath Lake, H&N 4/24/2020. "The (court) order said it prohibits U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from diverting stored water in Upper Klamath Lake through Link River for purposes of a 50,000 acre-feet flushing flow without a water right."  KBC NOTE: Rumor has it that the Bureau is defying the court order and continues to divert our stored water into the ocean.

American Farm Bureau urges Supreme Court to hear Klamath water case, CFBF AgAlert 4/22/2020. "Under the rule announced by the (appeals court), farmers and ranchers in the arid West operate under the constant threat that federal bureaucrats will unilaterally override their water rights in service of federal interests once more, just as they did in 2001," the brief said, adding that "the stakes for farmers and ranchers thus could not be higher."

ALTERNATIVE WRIT OF MANDAMUS, KID v OWRD 4/21/2020

Diverse Crowd of Parties Supports Request for Supreme Court Review in Klamath Water Takings Case, KWUA News Release, 4/19/2020.

Baley v. United States: Water Users in the Klamath Project Petition the U.S. Supreme Court for Certiorari, 4/17/2020, Somach Law firm.

4/4/2020 - KBC NOTE: PCFFA (Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen), IFR and Yurok Tribe sued to take another 50,000 acre feet of Klamath Project stored water to dump into Klamath River. Klamath Water Users settled for giving up 23,000 acre feet of their deeded water. Yuroks celebrate their victory: Yurok Tribe and commercial fishing families secure more water for salmon, from an Earthjustice news release April 1, 2020. "The Yurok Tribe, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), and the Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR, represented by the nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice, have successfully obtained a new three-year plan from the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) for operating the Klamath Irrigation Project to increase springtime flows in the Klamath River..."

Agreement Buys Time on New Klamath Project Ops Plan, KWUA 3/30/2020.

Oregon water regulators exceeded authority, judge rules, Capital Press 3/17/2020. "In 2018, OWRD established a rule that wells within one mile of a waterway in the Upper Klamath Basin will substantially interfere with surface waters and thus can be regulated off at the tribes’ request...The judge has now agreed with the plaintiffs’ argument that Oregon’s water law doesn’t allow for such a restriction without OWRD going through the formal process... the agency would have to show that wells are substantially interfering with surface waters and determine how much water irrigators can sustainably withdraw from the aquifer each year...Without that opportunity, the agency unconstitutionally deprived them of property rights without due process, the judge said."

*** Klamath 'takings' case filed with U.S. Supreme Court, Capital Press 3/13/2020. "Agricultural producers in the Klamath Project have taken the water “takings” case to the highest court in the land..."

Yurok vs. Reclamation case moved to March 6, H&N 2/28/2020

Klamath Project farmers say question marks loom over coming season, Capital Press 2/19/2020. "Without those plans — known collectively as the Klamath Project Biological Opinion, or BiOp — Kirby said he cannot predict how much water will be available for the 400-plus family farms and 65,000 irrigated acres in his district...a lawsuit filed by the Yurok Tribe in California, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and Institute for Fisheries Resources also seeks a preliminary injunction to keep another 50,000 acre-feet of water in-stream for Klamath River salmon this year..."  KBC NOTE: "PCFFA, IFFR and Yurok Tribe, all signatories to the closed-door Klamath water "agreements," have sued Klamath Irrigators in the Takings Case claiming they should must not be reimbursed for the 2001 water shutoff, when many family farmers, with deeds signed by a U.S. president with "water appurtenant" to their land, went bankrupt." Those groups petitioned against the farmers on water quality, water quantity, and are still demanding that the Klamath River hydro dams are removed.

LaMalfa Praises Senate for USMCA Passage, LaMalfa News Release 1/16/20
USMCA:
  *   180,000 jobs created
  *   $70 billion increase to our GDP
  *   $20 billion more exports to Mexico
  *   $15 billion more exports to Canada
California exported $48.5 billion in goods to Canada and Mexico in 2018
  *   Mexico: $30.7 billion
  *   Canada: $17.8 billion

New Laws 2020 Edition - California Capitol Update Friday, January 10, 2020, CFRW. "SB 104- California is now the first state in the nation to offer free healthcare to illegal immigrants who are between the ages of 19-25. We already provided this to illegal immigrant children, this is an expansion of that program....Governor Newsom unveiled his 2020 budget this week and it clocked in at $222 billion, the largest spending plan in our state's history...In just a decade, our state budget has grown by almost $90 billion... "Despite the $64 billion in additional Medi-Cal spending, researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research did not detect significant improvements in patient health", according to Assemblyman Kiley. Furthermore, "after a $39 billion increase in education spending, the National Assessment of Educational Progress finds that Californian's 8^th grade math and reading scores continue to decline". And finally, Assemblyman Kiley stated that "despite $7 billion in additional spending on social and welfare programs, the Census Bureau reports California continues to have the highest level of poverty in the nation."

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

Court Denies Farmers’ and Ranchers’ Just Compensation Claims in Water Takings Case Western Water Law challenged in the process, KWUA 11/14/19

Groups sue over Klamath River water: KRRC's dam removal efforts continue, OPB 8/8/19.
KBC NOTE: The attorneys for the Yurok Tribe and PCFFA (which created IFFR) is Earth Justice, funded by George Soros

Klamath Basin water takings case argued in Washington, D.C., Compensation sought for federal 'taking' of water in 2001, H&N 7/11/19.

Justice Thomas: “Nothing in the Constitution Prohibits Passing Laws Prohibiting Dismemberment of a Living Child,” Life News June 28, 2019

Federal judge rules against WOTUS, Capital Press 5/31/19

Oregon Disarmament Bill: SB 978 by Dennis Linthicum, Oregon State Senator District 28, 4/25/19.

CFBF Legislative Review 4/19/19...ag employee housing, pot, marketing, hemp, pesticides, ESA-protected Tricolored Blackbirds.

Lawsuit renews attack on grazing in Oregon national forest, Capital Press 4/18/19.

KWUA files lawsuit against Reclamation, H&N 4/12/19. "Klamath Water Users Association, which had announced its intent to file suit last week, did so against Bureau of Reclamation on Thursday due to limitations to water supply for the Klamath Project outlined in the 2019 biological opinions."

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review KBC 4/12/19.

KID, KWUA sue agencies over water supply followed by Fears of Flooding, H&N 4/7/19.

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 3/22/19

ITTSD Motion for leave to File Amicus Brief, filed by Lawrence A. Kogan 3/19/19, regarding Klamath Dam Removal.
ITSSD Amicus Curiae Brief, filed by Lawrence A Kogan In Re Siskiyou County Water Users Association, Petitioner on Petition for Writ of Mandamus 3/19/19: "...The States, by assisting USG to shift jurisdiction over (Klamath) dam removal from EPA to DOI and FERC, effectively freed DOI from conducting the rigorous EPA-required scientific assessment of the significant risks to human health and welfare dam removal would trigger upon release of decades of contaminants accumulated in the dam reservoir bottoms..."

PLEASE ATTEND, or COMMENT before March 12!!! Hearing Scheduled on Bill That Would Ban Forest Practices on Over a Million Acres in Oregon, OFS 3/8/19:  "On Tuesday, March 12 at 1:00 PM, the House Committee on Energy & Environment will hold a public hearing on HB 2656. HB 2656 is probably the most threatening bill to Oregon’s managed forests by banning harvest, road building, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers in forestland that supplies drinking water for public sources. Thus, locking up over a million of acres..."

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 3/8/19: emission reporting mandates, climate change, forests, construction mandates in high fire zones, wildlife.

California judge upholds wolf protection, H&N 3/1/19.

CFBF Legislative Review 3/1/19: Air quality, pot, climate change, zero greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regs, hemp, food, rural health and safety, drinking water fund, groundwater recharge, wildlife trapping, wildlife, ESA accidental take.

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 2/22/19.

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 2/15/19. Governor Newsom's intentions, budget and appointments, truck emission mandates, rural crime, utilities, $51.3million for safe drinking water, wildfire bills.

Oregon rivers, lands would gain protection under bill passed by U.S. Senate, H&N 2/13/19. "...according to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, the measure would provide protection for about 250 miles of rivers and streams in Oregon. That would give the state more wild and scenic designations than any other state besides Alaska..."
Wilderness-Wildlands Page

Oregon lawmakers debate multiple gun bills, H&N 2/13/19. "It would limit ammunition purchases to 20 rounds in a 30-day period and prohibit firearm magazines that can hold more than five rounds.....

PRESS RELEASE: Siskiyou County Water Users: Hearing scheduled for DC Circuit Court on Writ of Mandamus regarding Klamath Dams, KRRC and Klamath Compact, SCWUA 2/8/19

Cal Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review, 2/8/19. More taxes, more 'restoration' 'conservation' and 'management' of rural farmland, water, forestry...

 CFBF Friday Legislative Review 2/1/19: biotechnology, Governor Newsom's proposed 2019 spending, bill to eliminate the cannabis cultivation tax and reduce the excise tax rate on commercial cannabis, proposed indoor heat illness prevention standard, land use.

Local rules governing control of well use in the Upper Klamath Basin: OWRD / Oregon Water Resource Dept. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, filed 1/29/19
OWRD Hearings: 2/21/19 in Salem, 2/26/29 Klamath Falls
COMMENTS DUE 3/4/19, 4 business days after the Klamath Falls hearing.
OWRD webpage:https://www.oregon.gov/OWRD/programs/policylawandrules/OARS/Pages/
ProposedRulemaking.aspx

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 1/27/19: CLIMATE CHANGE - California Air Resources Board adopted plan for San Joaquin Valley farmers: retiring tractors, reduce emissions by conservation, replace ag pumps with electrical pumps, create inspection and maintenance program.

AB 178 - To exempt California disaster victims from $15,000+ new residential home solar mandate, California Assemblyman Brian Dahle 1/11/19

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 1/11/19. Governor Newsoms' appointments, State Budget Proposal of $209 billion, Cap and Trade, Departments: Food and Ag, F&W, Cal Fire, State Water Resources Control Board, Transportation, ...Ag Ed, Cannabis, Commodities, Hemp, Land Use, Pest Management, Water

Oregonians for Food and Shelter Legislative Review 1/11/19. Bans neonicotinoids, aerial pesticide prohibition, forest practice bans, dairy size prohibitions and regulations, Articles: Carbon Cap, Wolf talks, Klamath Refuge Management Attacks, Walden townhalls.

CFBF / California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 12/14/18. "The Commission formally accepted a petition to list Northern California summer steelhead under CESA and formally received the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (DFW) petition evaluation of a petition to list the 2 Klamath-Trinity river spring Chinook salmon under CESA. DFW determined that the request for listing may be warranted in its evaluation of the spring Chinook petition. This determination means there is little doubt that the Commission will vote to make that run of Chinook salmon a candidate in the near future."

Congress OKs bill to allow killing sea lions to help salmon, H&N 12/12/18. "...sea lions...dramatically increased from about 30,000 in the 1960s to about 300,000 following enactment of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act."

CFBF Friday Legislative Review 11/30/18.

CFBF Friday Legislative Review 11/16/18. Climate, air quality, ag education, pesticides, Prop 65...

Klamath Tribes drop ESA lawsuit against BOR. Merkley to hold PRIVATE Sucker Recovery Summit November 16 in Klamath Falls, H&N 11/9/18.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 11/9/18: "...regulatory requirement if the goal of retiring 12,000 tier 0, tier 1, and tier 2 tractors by 2024 is not met,'' hemp, fertilizers, purchase of ag conservation easements, habitat restoration, climate change briefings, pesticides, proposed regulations regarding Prop 65, ...
CFBF Friday Legislative Review 11/2/18: Climate change, hemp, OSHA regulations, pesticides, water, wildlife.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 10/5/18. Hemp, labor, land use, pests, seed, transportation

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, posted to KBC 9/28/18. Pot, commodities, federal milk marketing order, air pollution monitoring, food safety rules and packaging mandates, land use bill, increased penalties regarding livestock, specialty crop grants, pest control, $3 million for monarch butterfly habitat.

Project water relief funding advances, H&N 9/20/18.

OFS Oregonians For Food and Shelter legislative update e-newsletter 8/17/18. Suspected carcinogen lawsuits, WOTUS is back, Ryan Zinke: 'Environmental Terrorist Groups' Play Role in Western U.S. Wildfires, forest management, politics.

Water case moves to Portland, H&N 8/15/18. "A Klamath County court case that could affect both endangered Lost River and shortnose sucker and the outcome of the irrigation season in the Klamath Basin has been moved from San Francisco to Portland...in the case brought by Klamath Tribes..."
Judge transfers Tribes' lawsuit to Oregon court, denies injunction, H&N 7/26/28.

Judge urges state to act on Upper Klamath Lake water distribution, H&N 8/8/18. "...judge...ruled in favor of the Klamath Irrigation District...by urging the Oregon Water Resources Department to make a determination on the distribution of water in Upper Klamath Lake..."

County intervenes in Klamath Tribes water allocation lawsuit, H&N 7/4/18. "...On May 29, the Tribes requested an injunction that could lead to a shutoff of irrigation water...Multiple other parties have filed their intents to intervene in the case, including the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Yurok Tribe, IFFR/Institute for Fisheries Resources, Klamath Riverkeeper and PCFFA/Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. The case is assigned to Ninth U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick, in San Francisco..." KBC NOTE, FYI: Klamath Riverkeeper was formed by and includes Karuk Tribe spokesman Tucker and director Hillman and Klamath Tribe board members. PCFFA created IFFR.

KWUA pushes back on (Klamath) Tribes lawsuit, H&N 6/29/18. “ 'I would suspect that if the Tribes prevail, we could expect a shutdown extremely soon after that,' said Scott White, executive director of the KWUA..."

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 6/22/18. Truck rules, CEQA, Commercial Feed, CPUC, Cal Fire and timber harvest, labor, land use, rural crime, taxation...

Environmental, fishing groups sue Oregon over coho salmon, Statesman Journal 6/13/18. "...Poor logging practices by the Oregon Department of Forestry is causing real harm to the Oregon coast coho and commercial fishing families who depend on these magnificent fish for their livelihoods," Glen Spain (PCFFA/IFR attorney) said, the northwest regional director for the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and the Institute of Fisheries Resources, both plaintiffs in the case..."

"Rather than seek out yet another unrelated non-profit to funnel the money through, PCFFA created a new organization..." IFR / Institute for Fisheries Resources. KBC NOTE: That link directs you to PCFFA/IFR page detailing their many Earthjustice (partially funded by George Soros) lawsuits against Klamath Irrigators in the takings case, power rate case, shutting down suction dredge mining, Klamath River water quality TMDL's, essentially against timber harvest, farming, mining and river dams.

Notice of potential litigation for defamation by Kogan Law Group against Herald & News, Ed Bair, Ross Fleming, Jason Chapman, more..6/7/18.

Klamath Tribes sue to protect fish, H&N 5/25/18.
2 1/2 years ago: Record number of suckers recovered. Biologists find 732 juvenile suckers near A Canal screen, H&N 12/18/15. "A record number of juvenile Lost River and shortnose suckers were recovered from the headwaters of the A Canal earlier this year. According to a news release, biologists with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) found the largest number of juvenile Lost River and shortnose suckers since fish salvage operations began in the Klamath Project in the late 1990s..."
 
Klamath Tribes vs USBR, USFWS, NMFS 5/23/18
Klamath Tribes Press Release regarding sucker lawsuit 5/24/18
KWUA PRESS RELEASE - Klamath Water Users Association, Klamath Tribes action will hurt basin, fish benefits unlikely, 5/24/18.  "...why haven't Klamath Tribes shared this information...that lake levels will work now when they haven't for over 25 years..."
Dr. William Lewis Jr, National Research Council, at Science Workshop in Klamath Falls "Lewis explained that the suckers were listed since 1988 because of over harvest.  They stopped fishing in '87 but they did not recover. The lake has gone from 3' range under natural conditions to experiencing 6' deep in current dry years. With charts and graphs he showed the habitat and water quality, algae and chlorophyll. He said that the committee looked extensively at water levels, and they find 'no hint of a relationship'. He also said that there was no relationship between lower water levels and extreme ph levels. And "the committee cannot support the idea that water levels effect algae growth.' "It can not be achieved by lake levels." '92 was the lowest water year, and they expected it to be the least favorable for fish. 'The lowest water year produced the same amount of larvae as other years.' He said that fish kill information does not support that fish are dying by changing water level." 2/3/04

WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA! California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 5/11/18. "...given an additional $2.5 billion funds, the Governor included three main proposals..." "...proposes $28.3 million in 18-19, $21.7 million in 19-20, and 79 positions to fully staff the CalCannabis program at CDFA...." "...Manure management..." "...a new tax on all services purchased by businesses in California..."

PRESS RELEASE posted 5/5/18: Siskiyou County Water Users Association represented by attorney James Buchal announced today that they have filed a "Motion to Dismiss" with (FERC) in the matter of the application of PacifiCorp and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation / KRRC, which was served on the parties involved on April 24, 2018

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 5/5/18. Pests, land use, marketing, nutrition, pot

SF Judge denies Klamath Basin water users motion to delay, modify injunction, H&N 5/1/18. "Plaintiffs in the case, the Hoopa Valley Tribe and the Yurok Tribe, contend that their cultural heritage and economic wellbeing revolve around the salmon's health, as well as * Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA), *Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR), and *Klamath Riverkeeper."

KBC Editor - Who litigated against the irrigators, and their prerogatives?: * PCFFA attorney Glen Spain writes how they created IFR to get non-profit funding by, namely, George Soros-funded Earthjustice. HERE IS PCFFA/Glen Spain/IFR page. Browse the lawsuits against Klamath River miners, lawsuits against Klamath Irrigators in the Takings Case of 2001, lawsuits against Klamath Irrigators' power rate deal with Pacific Power (when Klamath Project was built and paid for by Klamath farmers, Pacific Power wanted the free regulated river water for inexpensive power in exchange for at-cost power rate for irrigators).
*Klamath Riverkeeper Page Craig Tucker is Karuk Tribe spokesman, former community organizer, Green Peace activist and Friends of the River Activist. His goal: get rid of all the Klamath irrigators and "removal of four dams on the Klamath River which would represent the largest dam removal project in history." Tucker was on the steering committee of *Klamath Riverkeeper before it spun off from umbrella group Klamath Forest Alliance, and he’s presently on the board.  

Federal Judge Upholds Fish Disease Prevention Flows on Klamath River; Hoopa Tribe Celebrates Victory in U.S. District Court, Two Rivers Tribune 5/1/18.

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR RELIEF FROM THE JUDGMENT AND CLARIFYING INJUNCTION ORDERS April 30, 2018.
    "...Interveners’ argument mainly rests on the effects of the Klamath River Project on the family farms and ranches in the Project’s irrigation districts...I am not free to favor economic or other interests over potential harm to endangered species..."
   "...the injunctions prioritizes first and foremost the wellbeing of the endangered species (both the Coho salmon and the sucker fish to the extent that they are affected), then the federally-protected rights of the tribes, and finally the rights of the irrigation districts. Federal defendants have not shown that so-called partial implementation cannot meet the objectives of the injunctions, nor that even some lesser amount of Reserve Water would provide no benefits...."
   "...Because the injunctions demand partial compliance in the event that full compliance is not possible, federal defendants’ proposal of releasing water to the Project is clearly inconsistent with their duties. Under the injunctions, they are not permitted to release any water to the irrigation districts that could be instead used to implement Measure 4, even if only partially..."

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 4/27/18. Animal welfare, pot, commodities, energy, forestry, labor, land use, nutrition, crime.

Irrigators await Federal court ruling, H&N 4/24/18. "...The local irrigation districts claim that the prevalence of infection of fish are “misleading” and have asked that the court stay the injunction. The delay is holding up much needed spring water for irrigators in the Basin, as water supply canals low and inactive..."

Irrigators may get their water as judge mulls altering injunction, H&N 4/20/18.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 4/20/18. Antibiotics, budget, commodities, energy, labor, land use, nutrition, pot, water, wildlife

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 4/13/18. Ag, energy and utilities, depredation, forestry, taxation, nutrition, pot, land use, water

'A lot on the line' in water hearing. Irrigators wait on Klamath River court decision, H&N 4/12/18 KBC NOTE/short update: Presently the Bureau of Reclamation will not allow Klamath irrigators to even put water in the ditches to prepare for spring irrigation until they get direction from District Judge William Orrick. We can not plan to borrow money to plant fields, or not to plant. Will we keep or lose contracts from buyers who purchase grain, onions, potatoes, mint... , keep or lose fields, keep or lose those renting our fields. One judge can determine the fate of our entire farm community,  when or if he will allow us to irrigate, thus farm, this year. Will our perennial crops that took years and tens of thousands of $ to establish, live or die? Our stored irrigation water is being sent down the Klamath River, with not a drop on our farms.

Klamath water users to attend pivotal court hearing, Capital Press 4/6/18. "The Yurok Tribe, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Klamath Riverkeeper and the Hoopa Valley Tribe sought the injunction to protect juvenile coho after several years of deadly C. shasta outbreak.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/23/18: land use oversite, nutrition, funding replacement of diesel trucks and equipment, ag equipment emissions, anitbiotics, heat illness prevention, commodities, education.
California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/16/18: $4.1 billion bonds itemized (Environmental and social equity, parks, trails, greenways, more, the highest allocation - Wildlife Conservation Board, California Natural Resources Agency, and Salton Sea Authority of $767 million. Industrial hemp, farm guest worker programs, "proposal also provides $1.4 million loan, for seven new positions, to the Department of Food and Agriculture to impose and collect a fertilizer tax, include an additional deduction from milk producer’s payments and a tax non-dairy confined animal facilities. These loans will be repaid through the aforementioned taxes.."  " Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing to transfer $26 million in Carl Moyer funds to augment its budget.... The Governor’s budget proposes an additional $50.6 million...these funds would come from the General Fund, the Motor Vehicle Account, and the Tire Recycling Management Fund and would be used to increase funds for DFW to meet its mandates."
California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/9/18: Pollinators, tax, budget

BOR PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation Responds to Klamath Water Users’ Motion in District Court, Outlines Proposed 2018 Operations, 3/24/18. "Reclamation’s proposal includes implementing a full surface flushing flow, augmented with non-Project water; forgoing an emergency dilution flow; and providing Klamath Project irrigators with a supply of 252,000 acre-feet – 65 percent of a full project supply – with deliveries commencing on April 19 with charging of main canal networks."

KID threatens to file suit against BOR; District requiring BOR response by Wed, H&N 3/23/18. " '...by the Bureau not distributing water in accordance with water law as it exists, they're causing irreparable harm to every irrigator in the state,' Reitmann said."

Agency may be awash in red ink from water litigation; The Oregon Water Resources Department is on track to overspend its litigation budget by $1.3 million in the 2017-2019 biennium, Portland Tribune 3/19/18. "Litigation over water has increased mostly due to more regulatory calls cutting off water to junior irrigators in the Klamath Basin...The agency has a legislatively adopted budget of $98.6 million for 2017-2019."

Klamath gets mixed bag out of short session, H&N 3/11/18. "House Bill 4016 would have allowed irrigators within the Klamath Project to temporarily transfer water rights from one property to another to help mitigate potential droughts...'Despite multiple supporting testimonies from local constituents, this bill died in committee, due to opposition from Portland environmental and local tribal groups,' said (Rep)Reschke."

(Klamath) Water users push back on injunction, H&N 3/9/18. “Even last year, when it was wet, we almost weren’t able to start irrigation on time because of the possibility a dilution flow might be required, and letting that water out of Klamath Lake would end up affecting ESA requirements for suckers,” said Brad Kirby, president of KWUA..."

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/2/18

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 2/23/18: Cap and Trade, Farm Ag Emissions, milk and livestock waste, forests, sick leave, "program to provide documentation to undocumented workers," harassment and discrimination, housing, invasive species, wild pigs, Monarch butterfly habitat, school food, additional trucker requirements, mandates for old farm trucks.

House committee approves Klamath Project water bill, H&N 2/20/18. "...HB 4016 would allow irrigators in the Klamath Project to temporarily transfer water claims between properties within the same irrigation district..."
House Bill 4016 as amended by committee 2/19/18

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 2/16/18. New Bill Introductions, Cannabis, Climate, Commodities, Natural Resources, Nutrition, Water, and New Appointments

2/16/18 - Oregon Rep. E. Werner Reschke’s water bill HB 4016. He serves as Vice-Chair of House Energy and Environment committee and has been working hard to get this bill passed to support water rights in the Klamath project. The bill (relating to determined claims) was passed unanimously in bi-partisan Committee on Wednesday and referred to Rules where it is expected to pass the Senate as well.
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2018R1/Measures/Overview/HB4016

* Tribes seek higher water levels for Upper Klamath; lawsuit notice filed, possibility of extinction-level event cited, H&N 2/14/18.
* Klamath Tribes PRESS RELEASE: Issuance of Draft 60-Day Notice to Protect C’waam and Koptu (suckers) 2/13/18
* Klamath Tribe's attorney's letter: 60-day notice of violations of Endangered Species Act 2/9/18

Linthicum drafts bill to defund dam removal, H&N 2/14/18. "...the cost for dam removal could amount to $950 million, with no specific plan yet in place to fully fund the project. He also said sediment could total 20 million cubic yards and releasing it downstream would impact long-term fish habitats..."

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review / Governmental and Legislative Update 1/26/18. Taxes Taxes Taxes
California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review / Governmental and Legislative Update 1/19/18: environment, labor, taxes
California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review / Governmental and Legislative Update 1/12/18: budget, DFW, DWR, Parks Bond, EPA, CDFA, environment, labor, taxes... "...law enforcement, lands management, wildlife conservation, fisheries management, and the Fish and Game Commission’s activities...The Governor’s budget proposes an additional $50.6 million..."

Klamath Infrastructure Improvement Act (H.R.4329) 11/10/17

House Passes Important Legislation to Promote Hydropower, Energy & Commerce 11/8/17. H.R.3043. "This Act may be cited as the “Hydropower Policy Modernization Act of 2017:" https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr3043/BILLS-115hr3043eh.xml

“Takings” outcome seen as win for Tribes, H&N 10/5/17.  
KBC Note: Before the Klamath Project was built, there were up to 30 feet of water where our farms are now. It was a navigable lake. That's why on our deeds, signed by US President, we were allotted 2 feet of water for our crops, as all the rest we pump uphill, at our expense, out of our closed basin and into the Klamath River? The river often went dry in the fall before the Project was built.

Trial Court Denies 2001 Klamath Project Takings Claims, Attorneys at Law Somach, Simmons and Dunn, Oct 4, 2017

Court denies water users’ compensation claims in ‘Takings Case,’ H&N 10/03/17

Judge rejects claims of Klamath Basin irrigators, H&N 9/8/17. "...The plaintiffs argued their wells were drilled into a confined aquifer that’s separated from the Sprague River by layers of rock and clay, as well as a shallower alluvial aquifer. Shutting down the wells isn’t allowed because OWRD only has jurisdiction over wells drilled into an aquifer “adjacent” to the surface water..." “There’s nothing to stop Oregon Water Resources from regulating every aquifer in a basin (within a mile of surface waters) and calling it an aquifer system,” (attorney Laura Schroeder) said."

Linthicum, Reschke, freshmen legislators, recount wins and losses, H&N 7/20/17

U.S. Senate bill includes Klamath measures, H&N 7/4/17. "Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, both Oregon Democrats, as well as U.S.Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., worked with KWUA for six months on the elements of the amendment. The bill amendment also received support from U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both California Democrats, and the leadership of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee." 7/31/17 - See article for CORRECTION

Local rancher, Tom Mallams, challenging well shutdown, H&N 7/19/17. "...Mallams has petitioned Marion County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Hart to overturn OWRD’s order because it’s “not supported by substantial evidence” as required by Oregon law..." KBC NOTE: Tom Mallams told KBC News he has not been interviewed by Herald and News or Capital Press regarding this matter within the past two years.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 7/14/17, Bills: Cap and Trade, Commodities, Labor ( requires employers to demand search warrants or subpoenas for ICE enforcement and to notify the Labor Commissioner and employees and their representatives about ICE enforcement and its results), Natural Resources ( would require California to enforce the federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act (ESA), and their implementing regulations and policies as were in place on January 1, 2016 or January 1, 2017, whichever version is the most stringent), ( would make several changes to the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) ), Transportation, Water (more requirements and demands).

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 6/23/17, California Beef Commission assessment, rodent control, 'Call Before You Dig,' employers to provide 1q2 weeks parental leave to bond with baby, vineyard assessment, exemption for Cal/OSHA regulations from regulatory assessment, water diversions, irrigation ponds, mandate for new water well permit applicants.
California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 6/16/17. a record high $183.2 billion state budget, BOE reforms that eliminate checks and balances, oversight, and accountablilty, dam safety, new well permit requirements.

Water adjudication: Wogan hears exceptions to state's decree, H&N 6/9/17.

California Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Review 5/26/17. Welcome to California! " would require California to enforce the federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act (ESA), and their implementing regulations and policies as were in place on January 1, 2016 or January 1, 2017, whichever version is the most stringent...", "...requires employers to demand search warrants for ICE enforcement and to notify the Labor Commissioner and employees and their representatives about ICE enforcement and its results. Penalties for violations would range from $10,000 to $25,000 per violation," "... restricts employers’ efforts to ascertain a job applicant’s past criminal history and elect to not hire the applicant due to that history,"  "requires an employer with 20 or more employees within a 75-mile radius to provide 12 weeks of protected parental leave to bond with a new child after that child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement," " would create a state-operated single-payer universal health insurance program intended to provide health care to all California residents," "would expand the extraordinary values, such as scenic, recreational, fishery, wildlife, historical, cultural, geological, ecological, hydrological, botanical, or other similar values to preserve rivers in their free-flowing state designated as wild and scenic under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act."

160K acres covered in Klamath 'Takings' class action, H&N 5/26/17.

'In the judge's hands now,' Attorneys deliver closing arguments in (Klamath 2001 Water) 'Takings' case, H&N, 5/10/17.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 5/12/17. Millions of $ to State Water Resources, Fish and Wildlife, Cal Fire,  "Governor is proposing a significant increase in funds to cover the cost of Proposition 64 (recreational cannabis legalization) implementation." $94.6 Million, $3M to promote California Grown, minimum salary overtime increase, "significant new mandates on agricultural water suppliers, costing districts hundreds of millions of dollars..." well permit mandates.....

CALIFORNIA - CFBF Friday Legislative Review 5/5/17: restricts an employer’s ability to consider an applicant’s criminal or conviction history in making employment decisions, water measurement, streambed clarification, expand values to preserve rivers in their free-flowing state designated as wild and scenic under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, imposes significant new mandates on agricultural water suppliers, costing districts hundreds of millions of dollars, well permit mandates, drinking water fund..

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 4/28/17. WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA! "...would create individual facility GHG emissions caps and empower the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to establish “no-trade zones” and facility declining caps; forbids an employer from granting federal immigration enforcement authorities access to their place of business without a search warrant or providing employee-related records to federal immigration enforcement authorities without a subpoena. It requires an employer to provide notice to employees of known future enforcement action by a federal immigration agency;  would create a state-operated single-payer universal health insurance program intended to provide health care to all California residents. SB 562 includes no mechanism to pay for this program. SB 562 passed the Senate Health Committee on a 5-2 vote;  would have imposed a state inheritance tax if the federal inheritance tax law is repealed;  would require California to enforce the federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act (ESA), and their implementing regulations and policies that were in place on January 1, 2016 or January 1, 2017, whichever version is the most stringent; new mandates on agricultural water suppliers, costing districts hundreds of millions of dollars

Irrigators file lawsuit over Klamath refuge restrictions, H&N from Capital Press 4/13/17. "The Tulelake Irrigation District, Klamath Water Users Association, Tulelake Growers Association and three private farms have now filed a complaint against the agency, arguing that plans for the Tule Lake and Lower Klamath refuges violate federal laws."

List of 15 regulations to be repealed; 11 alone will save $10 billion, Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader, 4/10/17.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 4/7/17. " $52 billion in additional fuel and vehicles taxes, the state’s largest fuel tax in history..." $.20/gallon diesel tax, .12/gal. gas, additional diesel taxes, minimum salary increase, parental leave requirement, ESA changes, expands wild and scenic protections to 1/4 mile on each side of river, streambed and drinking water issues, ......

Oregon Legislative Review Newsletter by OFS, 3/31/17: pesticide labeling, foresters against HB 3226, EPA Pruitt denies pesticide ban petition, Gov. Brown fires DEQ commissioners, hemp bill, doubling Cascade-Siskiyou Monument, regulation of COW FARTS: "...in addition to smelling bad and causing global warming, cow farts can irritate your eyes, cause memory loss, and even death..."

California Farm  Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/31/17. CARB regulations against diesel trucks, " 500% increase in the sales tax collected for diesel," seed and plant labeling requirement, "AB 450 (David Chiu, D-San Francisco) was substantially amended on March 23 to add language forbidding an employer from granting federal immigration enforcement authorities access to their place of business without a search warrant or providing employee-related records to federal immigration enforcement authorities without a subpoena... $10,000 to $25,000 per violation," Cal ESA changes, "...expand the extraordinary values for 1,362 miles of rivers designated as wild and scenic under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. It would also expand current protections to include the river and adjacent lands within one-quarter mile on each side of the river," new regulations for new groundwater well permit,...)

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 3/24/17. "AB 975 would expand the extraordinary values for 1,362 miles of rivers designated as wild and scenic under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, as well as expand current protections to include the river and adjacent lands within one-quarter mile on each side of the river...Farm Bureau opposes as written."

Oregon Rep Reschke seeks comments on three water bills, H&N, 3/21/17. "Installation of measuring devices on streams can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Daily maintenance can add up to thousands of dollars in additional labor costs. The annual reporting, and more often if the Oregon Water Resources Department requests, of 'water amount, rate, and duty' will add thousands of more dollars, annually, in time and additional out-of-pocket expense. 'The inclusion of a $500 civil penalty for each day of violation of the act...' "

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/17/17. "SB 49 would require California to enforce the federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act (ESA), and their implementing regulations and policies as they were on January 1, 2016, or January 1, 2017, whichever version is the most stringent..."

Judge rules groups can intervene in Cascade-Siskiyou lawsuit, H&N 3/16/17

Judge dismisses lawsuit against grazing on eight Oregon allotments, Oregonian 3/11/17. "A federal judge has rejected environmentalist arguments that cattle grazing has unlawfully harmed endangered sucker fish in Oregon’s Fremont-Winema National Forest." 

Miners Group Urges Reversal of California Mining Ruling by William Perry Pendley, Mountain States Legal Foundation 3/10/17.

Thousands of irrigators could be eligible to join 'takings' suit. Forms must be submitted for compensation, H&N 3/7/17

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 3/3/17. SB 50 would prohibit the filing or recording of a deed for property sold by the federal government unless the State Lands Commission is provided the right of first refusal to purchase the land or the right to arrange for the transfer of property to another entity. Over $3billion for trails and land acquisitions etc. Mandate for Calif. to enforce Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and ESA. Permanent taxes and fees to raise $5.5billion. Gas, diesel and vehicle registration tax,

BRING ON OVER 4000 NEW CALIFORNIA REGULATIONS/MANDATES! California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, posted to KBC 2/24/17. "The tally for this year is a total of 2,495 bills introduced with the Senate producing 808 bills and the Assembly with 1,687 bills..." Climate change policies, mandate where prisons and schools buy food, OSHA, prohibits employers to enquire about job applicant's criminal history (murder?, rape?, child molestation?, robbery?) paid 12-16 weeks parental leave, safe harbor, water storage, ...

Klamath 'Takings' trial adjourns, H&N 2/15/17. "The two-week trial started on Jan. 30 at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, within walking distance of the White House. More than 20 irrigators or those representing the interests of irrigators testified during the trial of their losses in 2001 when water was shutoff to benefit endangered fish downstream."

Water decisions are not making any sense, by former Klamath County Commissioner Tom Mallams, H&N, 2 "The irony of this is so obvious. The rivers are at flood stage or very near it, and OWRD finally lifts the tribal call on the water...This applies to all uses on the listed water right, including stock water, and domestic...surface water, (rivers, creeks and springs), and ground water, (wells). Most all of the rights list irrigation as a listed use." "...A single judge and our federal government send extra water down the Klamath River for fish in the middle of a flood. You would certainly think a flood event would contain enough water for any fish needs, including flush or pulse flows. It is absolutely necessary that logic and true science drive the decisions critical to the survival of our local economies..."

Counties sue to overturn monument expansion, followed by Two lumber companies sue over monument expansion H&N, posted to KBC 2/17/19. "Filed Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C., the suit claims former President Barack Obama did not have the authority to include roughly 48,000 acres of designated timberland in the expansion, which affected land in Klamath and Jackson counties in Oregon, and Siskiyou County in California."

Judge mandates more irrigation water down Klamath River during flood, Liz Writes Life, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 2/20/17

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 2/17/17. Includes rodent control, Calif. farm product buyer mandates, funding of the Open Space Subvention program,  more than a dozen water measures, Cal State Water Resources Control Board mandates, regulations for stockponds, and MORE.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 2/10/17. Blackbird regulations, Spotted Owl issues, water rights fees, groundwater management, well permits, access to affordable water....

PRESS RELEASE: 2/9/17 - Statement From Representative Werner Reschke On Federal Court Decision Related To Klamath River.

Court orders extra water to protect salmon, H&N 2/9/17. "...The Yurok Tribe, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR), Klamath Riverkeeper and the Hoopa Valley Tribe sought a court order to compel the Bureau of Reclamation to manage river flows to protect juvenile Coho salmon. The case was heard last week. “Mismanagement of Klamath River flows below four major dams led to an outbreak of disease from a parasite called C. shasta in more than 90 percent of sampled juvenile salmon in 2015 and nearly that many in 2014,” according to a press release from EarthJustice.org... According to court documents, the defendants claim the proposed flows will require withholding more than 100,000 acre-feet of water from the irrigation districts that rely on water for agriculture in the Klamath Basin. The Klamath Water Users and the Klamath Irrigation District, and others on the project, filed as interveners on behalf of the federal agencies in the case. Scott White, director for the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), said he had not seen the order yet, but bemoaned the fact that the issue was not resolved at the negotiating table..."

KBC NOTE: Most litigation against Klamath River Basin resource users: farmers, loggers, miners, is Earthjustice is funded by George Soros.  "...Earthjustice was founded as the "Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund" in 1971.This group seeks to place severe restrictions on how U.S. land and waterways may be used. It opposes most mining and logging initiatives, commercial fishing businesses, and the use of motorized vehicles in undeveloped areas....Earthjustice has provided free legal representation to more than 600 client organizations."
   Former Earthjustice clients: PCFFA, Klamath Riverkeeper (board members are Craig Tucker, Karuk Tribal Spokesman and Leaf Hillman, Karuk Counsel President, Yurok Tribal member Frankie Meyers and Klamath Tribal member David Taylor), PCFFA founded IFR. The Yurok Tribe, PCFFA, IFR, and Karuk Tribe were "friends" / "stakeholders" of KWUA, and claimed to support Klamath farmers in the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. Yet in a 2011 video Tucker called the Klamath farmers "enemies", and pledged to work to destroy Keno Dam after the other Klamath River hydro dams are destroyed.

PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation to Release Water Below Iron Gate Dam to Address Fish Health Concerns in Klamath River, Bureau of Reclamation 2/9/17

(Klamath) Irrigators testify to their losses, Trial results could be wide-ranging, H&N 2/5/17. " 'I refer personally to it as Black Friday,' Horsley said."

Klamath irrigators press case this week, H&N, posted to KBC 1/30/17. "Lon and Nancy Baley of Merrill share a moment while discussing the 2001 water crisis on Thursday. Lon left for Washington, D.C. Saturday and will be testifying this week in the Takings case before Judge Marian Horn...'It took a full 10 years … before any high school graduates or college graduates even considered coming back to farm,' Lon said."

Klamath Irrigators to defend cause in 'takings' case, H&N, posted to KBC 1/30/17. "...more than 25 irrigators or those representing them will attend the trial for two consolidated cases, Klamath Irrigation District et al v. United States, and John Anderson Farms et al. v. United States..."

(Klamath) Court Decision May Mean California Owes Billions In Water Rights, Daily Caller by California Water Alliance,1/13/17. "...Judge Blank Horn’s decision establishes a precedent that the takings of Klamath River water from California and Oregon farmers in 2001 were physical acts, not regulatory ones, making them subject to the Fifth Amendment’s unreasonable seizure clause and encumbering the government with the responsibility to pay owners for their losses when they deprive them of their property..."

Takings case moves to Washington, D.C., venue. Basin farmers seeking $30 million in damages, H&N 1/20/17. “Under the Fifth Amendment, the United States can't take your property unless they pay you for it,” said local water attorney Bill Ganong. .. the Klamath Compact has language similar to the Fifth Amendment that says the United States cannot take the water unless they (compensate.”

1/13/17: Federal Register - Bureau of Land Management: Public Land Order No. 7859; Withdrawal of National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management Public Lands in Southwestern Oregon; SUMMARY: This order withdraws, subject to valid existing rights, approximately 5,216.18 acres of public domain and Revested Oregon and California Railroad lands and 95,805.53 acres of National Forest System lands from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the public land laws; location and entry under the United States mining laws; and operation of the mineral and geothermal leasing laws for a period of 20 years while Congress considers legislation to permanently withdraw those areas and to protect the Southwestern Oregon watershed from possible adverse effects of mineral development.

California - Minimum wage, truck exemption among new laws, CFBF 1/11/17 

!!! (Klamath) irrigators win water decision; Farmers score in battle over diverting Klamath River water for endangered species, H&N 12/22/16.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 9/30/16: includes ag vehicles, fire prevention timber harvest, heat illness indoor mandates, drone restrictions, and more...

Energy Bill’s Hidden Provisions Undermine Western and Rural U.S. Property Owners, Western States Constitutional Rights LLC, posted 9/18/16. "Senate Bill S. 2012 (Murkowski, AK) has secretly swallowed up S. 3085 (Roberts,KS) - a Forestry Management Bill that transfers management of any national forest within 100 miles of a tribal reservation, or to any tribe with ancestral or cultural ties to a national forest.  This will give tribal governments: 1) control of all water (snowpack mountain run-off); and 2) let tribal governments determine appropriate uses of the national forests regarding hunting, fishing, trail-hiking, recreating by non-tribal citizens. When strong opposition emerged opposing numerous forestry management bills in the Senate and House that were transferring forestry management to tribal governments, Senators and Congressmen played "hide the ball" quickly last week by tucking this egregious Tribal Forestry Management provision into an Energy Bill that is close to a vote - perhaps this week or next. Call your Senators and Congressmen and raise holy hell.  This could easily transfer national forestry management to tribes for every national forest in the Western States." Elaine Willman

(Klamath) Irrigators intervene against Hoopa Tribe lawsuit, H&N 9/4/16

California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of State Authority over Mining! – September 2016, The New 49ers. "Now that the California Supreme Court has ruled, my best guess is that any prospector using a motor to remove or process streambed material within 100 yards of an active waterway without a permit (which is not being made available), if caught, is likely to be successfully prosecuted." Link includes link to memo by miner's attorney James Buchal

California governor signed climate change mandates and farm labor overtime after 8 hours, CFBF Friday Legislative Review 9/13/16

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review posted 8/17/16: climate change mandates with no oversight, bills that regulate cow farts and chase dairies out of California, overtime bills that would end up reducing hours that farm laborers would work, wool, stolen bee hives, water control board stuff and more...

Klamath River Stakeholders may sue federal agencies, H&N 7/22/16. "The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) (Glen Spain), Institute for Fisheries Resources (Glen Spain), and Klamath Riverkeeper (Craig Tucker), released the 60-day notice to let two federal agencies know they could be sued under the federal Endangered Species Act if they fail to improve water management in the Klamath River." KBC NOTE: These 2 men were in the stakeholders group of the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, and KHSA, Klamath Dam Removal "agreements", posing as 'friends' of Klamath Irrigators. Now that the feds and states, tribes and NGO's managed to get the states to approve of destroying the Klamath River hydro dams with no supposed benefits to irrigators, their coalition is suing for more water, even though this is a high water year. Siskiyou County and Klamath County elected officials oppose the agreements and dam destruction. FYI: George Soros helps fund Earthjustice, the litigators for the Klamath River tribes and environmental groups 

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 7/1/16. Proposed bills on climate change mandates, regulations on livestock methane emissions that would "drive dairies out of California", put solar power projects on "not less than 100,000 acres" permanently retired farmland, pay overtime to farm workers for over 8 hours work, expand forest thinning for fire protection, stockponds, water transfers, ground water wells, more...

Merkley PRESS RELEASE: Merkley and Wyden Announce Key Oregon Wins for Rural Oregon in Senate Appropriations Bill, 6/16/16

CFBF Friday Legislative Review, 6/10/16: "A tentative 2016-2017 budget was reached and will be voted on by the full legislature by midnight on Wednesday, June 15^th, the deadline to pass the budget bill. Some budget details are included in this week’s Friday Review."

Hoopa Tribe Sues Federal Government over Inadequate Protections for Juvenile Salmon, Hoopa Valley Tribe PRESS RELEASE 5/17/16

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 5/20/16. "The proposal also would exempt marijuana cultivators from the need to obtain a streambed alteration agreement for their activities, so long as they are covered by the license they obtain allowing them to grow marijuana."

California Senate approves sweeping gun-control measures, Fox News 5/19/16