Klamath Central Committee letter to KID regarding ESA 032811

Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

March 25, 2011
Board Members
Klamath Irrigation District
6640 KID Lane
Klamath Falls, Or 97603

Dear Board Members;

As leaders of the Klamath Irrigation District you have a tremendous amount
of knowledge and experience dealing with the ESA and all of its
ramifications… so our request won't surprise you.

The Klamath County Republican Central Committee supports the absolute
necessity of maintaining the agricultural and timber industries in the
Klamath Basin. Agriculture and the timber industry are continually asked to
compromise and give in to never-ending demands affecting the use of the
Basin's natural resources. This in turn diminishes agriculture's ability to
be a thriving industry, one that employees thousands of workers and brings
untold millions of dollars into the Basin's economy.

The root of all these problems narrows down to the improper use of the ESA.
Past efforts to amend or circumvent the ESA and its companion, biological
opinions, have proven to be unsuccessful. Currently, there is a very
different realization locally, regionally and nationally, that has begun the
awakening of logic and common sense in regards to the ESA and its misuse.
In short, the political climate is now much better for seeking reform.

The following resolution was unanimously passed by the Klamath County
Republican Central Committee at its March 10, 2011 meeting: "the Klamath
County Republican Central Committee resolves to take on the charge and the
focus, for the next two years, to rally all Republican Central Committees
and all Tea Patriot groups and other appropriate groups in the Western
United States to Reform the ESA (the Endangered Species Act) so that
farmers, ranchers, timber industry employees, fishing industry employees,
mining employees and other employees can keep their jobs and make an
acceptable living, and; so that economic growth, economic recovery and
economic stability are given no less than equal status to non-human
species."

A united effort in the Basin will have a much more effective outcome on the
decision makers. A strong base of local support can be expanded through the
State of Oregon and then to our neighboring states… with the tide of reform
finally reaching Washington D.C. This movement has to start somewhere and
Klamath Basin has earned the right and, we believe, has the responsibility
to take it on. Your help is needed. We request that the Klamath Irrigation
District also adopt a resolution, in your own words of course, but still
calling for the reform of the ESA… to protect jobs, the economy and other
points you may wish to specify.

Time is of the essence. The sooner we have strong local support to Reform
the ESA the sooner we can get national support. Our Central Committee is
willing to coordinate, encourage and keep track of the effort and will
forward all resolutions received to the House of Representatives, to the
Senate and eventually to the President. Once you've passed a resolution you
will probably send copies immediately to our Basin Congressmen and US
Senators. Please also send us a copy of any resolution(s) you may approve
on the subject so we can keep track of all the groups supporting the Reform
the ESA effort and to help spread the word and to get others to join. We
will keep you up-to-date, too. Send a copy of your resolution to us by fax
to: 541 381-2365; by email to jeffwoodwick@charter.net, or; by US Mail to
our address on the letterhead.

On a related subject, we encourage you and all persons interested in
reforming the ESA to attend our April 9, 2011 REFORM THE ESA KICKOFF DINNER.
Speakers will be: Allen Alley, Chair of the Oregon Republican Party; Igor
Birman, Chief of Staff for Congressman McClintock and Dan Schott, Executive
Director of the Southern Oregon Timber Industry Association. Give me a call
for more details or fill out a copy of the reservation form enclosed and
mail it to us.

Please contact me if you have questions, comments, or wish a representative
to attend one of your Board meetings to discuss the subject.

Sincerely,

Jeff Woodwick, Chairman
Klamath County Republican Central Committee
541 892-3714

Similar letter(s) sent to the other irrigation districts.