In a stunning display of UNFAIR and UNBALANCED, Fox News.com on September 24, 2011 released an article by Stephen Clark, “Study Shows Klamath Dam Removal Will Help Farmers, Fish but Skepticism Remains.” I visited the area on October 22-23, 2011 during the Defend Rural America event. Approximately 1,000 concerned citizens attended, some as far away as Wyoming and the San Francisco bay area. I didn’t see one Fox News journalist or camera. Why is it the residents and farmers who would be impacted by this decision were not interviewed? I’m confounded by that decision.
Siskiyou residents read the article; they decided to give the BALANCED view of the situation. Over 500 comments were added to the referenced article. Only two agreed it would be welcomed by farmers or with the science touted for dam removal. Lo and behold ALL comments were removed. What happened to their opinions? Fair? Balanced? NO! Fox News has failed the Siskiyou farmers and residents. These are NOT country bumpkins. They are not hayseeds. They are educated, real people, in real jeopardy! Fox News knocked their comments and educated opinions off the website like they were pesky flies.
FAIR AND BALANCE WOULD HAVE EXPOSED THE GEORGE SOROS CONNECTION. IT WILL BE EXPOSED IN OUR NEXT INSTALLMENT OF DEFENDING RURAL AMERICA.
Where are you Fox News?
Fair and balanced would have interviewed Rex Cozzalio, a fourth generation rancher living at the “focal point” directly under Irongate dam. Jerry Bacigalupi, a member of the Siskiyou Water Users Association, a licensed professional engineer in planning and design projects including dams, bridges, roads and hydrology, with a B.S. in civil engineering, would have been happy to speak with Fox. His family would most likely lose their ranch due to over regulation of their water and private property rights. Once the dams are removed, the Department of Fish and Game wants 80% of all water from Klamath River to go out to sea. IMAGINE, 80% OF A GLASS OF WATER YOU JUST GRABBED TO QUENCH YOUR CHILDRENS’ THIRST…….STRAIGHT OUT TO SEA. Irrigating their ranch and farm animals will be considered anathema to our government. It’s obvious they disagree with the assessments by the Department of Interior and those of the Klamath Water Users Association.
America, if they are successful doing this to these citizens who provide for us, they SHALL do it to YOU. YOU are not safe. This author was told that ten other areas in the nation are targeted for the same actions.
Congressman Tom McClintock (CA-4) disagrees with your article as well: “Klamath Claptrap”
I suggest Fox News looks at the history of the river documented since August 1855:
http://www.siskiyoucountywaterusers.com/facts.html (by Jim Waddell Karuk Tribal member)
Waddel contributes historical documentation:
“In August 1855 at a campsite near the confluence of the Klamath River and Klamath Lake, Lt. Henry L. Abbott, Corps of Topographical Engineers made an entry into his expedition journal, “the water taken from the lake had a dark color and disagreeable taste, occasioned apparently by decayed tule.”
Rex Cozzalio contributes historical data:
A 1896 study of Klamath Basin aquaculture by Barton Warren Evermann, S.E. Meek and A.B. Alexander, described Upper Klamath Lake this way: “Very shallow, vast amounts of decaying vegetation carried into it and the ever-increasing area of tule lands render it more shallow year by year. Water quality degradation in the Upper Klamath Lake watershed has led to large-scale fish kills related to algal bloom cycles in the lake. This has probably always been a problem, even prior to farming and ranching in the area. The source of the lake’s nutrients was volcanic soils.
Bad water quality is NOT caused by dams. In fact, they improve it.
KLAMATH RANCH RESORT, THAT INCLUDES THE FISH HOOK RESTAURANT, BLUE HERON RV PARK, AND RECREATIONAL FISHING WILL BE HIGHLY IMPACTED IF NOT DESTROYED
The people in jeopardy are a wealth of information. They have documentation that refutes most everything the Interior Department has touted. They have given the powers that be less costly ways of working with the dams. They are willing to work to save the taxpayers money and to keep the dams. One of the citizens’ proposals is to create fish passage ways around the dam wall. The cost? $50 million versus $3 BILLION to eliminate all four dams. We’re broke. Our nation does not have the money.
The EPA wants approximately $530 million extortion money to satisfy them and keep the dams intact. Here’s an idea. Let’s ask Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to retrieve the taxpayers money from failed Solyndra and use it to make the EPA happy.
This isn’t about fish or water quality. This is about dismantling energy supply, robber-baron land grabs, and paying political cronies. Mr. Clark please take another look at this issue and this time make it FAIR and BALANCED. William La Jeunesse, in August of 2004 brought to light the water crisis for the Klamath Basin farmers. I, for one, would love to see Fox News do an updated, more in-depth investigation on this problem. Expose the players and the crony political favors. For heaven sakes don’t air it on a Sunday competing with football and Nascar.
Next installment on Defending Rural America, “Soros, Buffet Connections”
Part One “The Real McCoys”
Teapartyhobbitwoman. part 2 Defending Rural America
part 1 “The Real McCoys”