|
For Immediate Release
March 1, 2016 |
|
Rep. LaMalfa Demands Answers on Klamath Dam
Removal “Shell Corporation
Richvale, CA
– Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) today questioned
Deputy Secretary of the Interior Mike Connor
about the administration’s role in the
proposed removal of four dams on the Klamath
River in Northern California and Oregon.
Citing an agreement signed by Interior
Secretary Sally Jewell, the State of
California, the State of Oregon, and
PacifiCorp to create a “non-federal entity”
to remove the dams, LaMalfa demanded that
Connor explain where Interior derived the
authority to engage in removal of the
Klamath Dams.
“We’re seeing an administration that claims
to be the most transparent in history
engaged in closed meetings, neck-deep in a
shell corporation, and requiring
stakeholders to sign nondisclosure
agreements just to learn how they’ll be
affected,”
said LaMalfa. “This seems like a front
company in a process designed to avoid
public scrutiny and avoid open government
laws. The administration is moving forward
with its goal of dam removal while ignoring
the water supply issues that impact
thousands of residents.”
Deputy Secretary Connor was refused to
answer whether the non-federal entity would
be required to comply with the Freedom of
Information Act and other open government
laws. While Connor claimed that Interior had
no involvement with the non-federal entity,
he later admitted that federal employees
were working on the project.
LaMalfa also referred to recent meetings
held between Interior, California, Oregon
and PacifiCorp officials and a hand-picked
group of stakeholders, at which all
attendees were required to sign
nondisclosure agreements in order to
participate. Deputy Secretary Connor
admitted that such agreements, which
prohibit participants from speaking publicly
about the meetings, had been required.
“It is entirely inappropriate for public
employees to participate in secret meetings
and force those who lives could be impacted
to sign nondisclosure agreements,”
LaMalfa added. “For the record, I want
you to know that I’ll be submitting a
Freedom of Information Act request to your
office for documents related to these
meetings.”
Video of LaMalfa’s exchange with Secretary
Jewell and Deputy Secretary Connor may be
found at the following link:
Part 1:
https://youtu.be/1zkEqkh3Shkadded
Part 2:
https://youtu.be/_cqHphIhJ-E
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong
farmer representing California’s First
Congressional District, including Butte,
Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer,
Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama
Counties. |
