articles KBRA Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement 2012

KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
Articles, Press Releases, Newsletters
2012

Strategy to form the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement: Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Action Plan May 18, 2005. Lead Agency: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

KBRA faces uphill battle, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 11/29/12

Lame duck commissioners vote to keep KBRA going, H&N 11/20/12. "The two elected to take Switzer's and Hukill's spots, Tom Mallams and Jim Bellet, both said they were against the extension of the KBRA. Mallams voiced his opinion in a letter and Bellet spoke at the meeting....(commissioner) Linthicum tried to delay the decision until those new commissioners take office after the new year. He made a formal motion to table it, but faced silent stares from Hukill and Switzer."

Impacts on the Klamath River Basin caused by removing four dams, a Public Impact Assessment (PIA), by Thomas M. Bonnicksen, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, President Bonnicksen & Associates, Staff Scientist 11/19/12. "...the report gives the affected public a chance to participate in an assessment of the potential impacts on their environment and community caused by a government decision. It uses local knowledge and experience, as well as the knowledge and experience of people familiar with the river, to make an impartial impact assessment."

Deadline Approaches For Klamath Restoration Deal, OPB 11/19/12.

Klamath restoration agreement deadline looms; opponents call for end to settlement, The Times Standard, posted to KBC 11/19/12. "(Karuk tribal spokesman and former Green Corp member Craig" Tucker said the Karuk Tribe sees the KBRA as an expansion of tribal rights. 'With the KBRA in place, the Karuk Tribe would have a larger role in flow control, restoration of the basin and the jobs associated with those efforts,' Tucker said."

Only six sign approval so far in KBRA extension, Dissolution is imminent unless signatories sign on, H&N 11/16/12. "This issue will be introduced for public comment and voted on by the Klamath County Board of Commissioners at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at 305 Main St., Room 219... At Wednesday’s meeting in Eureka, the Klamath Water and Power Association presented significant progress on a plan to reduce diversions in low-water years, Sheets said."

Officials seek to extend KBRA, Stakeholders debate historic water agreement, H&N 11/15/12.

PacifiCorp (Klamath Dam removal) surcharge increase approved, The Daily Independent, posted to KBC 11/2/12. "In a non-binding 2010 local ballot measure, 79 percent of Siskiyou County voters opposed the removal of the dams."

1931 - Completion of the Keno regulating dam in the Klamath River, H&N, posted to KBC 1/4/12

President John F. Kennedy and California Water Projects, dams, 1962. YouTube, 8.5 minutes.

Fight to Save Klamath River Dams, local jobs, Oregon Small Business Association, posted to KBC 5/2/12. OSBA, promoting and defending Oregon's Business Owners and Employees. "The Oregon Small Business Association strongly opposes the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) because it calls for the removal of the Klamath Basin Dams. These dams are vital to the economy of the Klamath Basin."

Commissioner hopefuls discuss public safety, water , H&N, posted to KBC 10/16/12. Tom Mallams: "The KBRA began as a good effort to solve the Klamath Basin’s water problems. Unfortunately, the process was taken over by our own federal agencies, dam removal thrown into the agreement and now does not deliver any guarantee of water for agriculture, no protection from biological opinions and also no protections from the ESA and no affordable power for agriculture...The TMDLs are another example of our own government’s out-of-control, unattainable mandates being forced on the citizens. The TMDLs are absolutely unattainable even if the city spends millions of tax dollars and irrigated agriculture was completely eliminated."

U.S. Congressman Greg Walden; KBRA (Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement) not going anywhere, H&N 9/26/12. "Without great public support locally, he said, it would be difficult to champion its passage and it’s unlikely to succeed. “It’s a pretty big elephant in the Basin,” said Walden. “But you either keep running into the same wall or you find a way around it. When three-quarters of the population says no to dam removal, that’s a problem you can’t skip over.”
HERE for KBRA Page

Representatives discuss dam development, protection, House Committee to discuss dams today, H&N 8/16/12 by Tri-City Herald. " 'The bill introduced by Hastings, called the Saving Our Dams and New Hydropower Development and Jobs Act, would “help eliminate government roadblocks and frivolous litigation that stifle development,' he said. It would prohibit federal dollars from being used to remove or breach hydropower dams or to study those actions without specific authorization by Congress."

Liz Writes Life; "I am Felice Pace’s #1," Liz Bowen in Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 8/16/12. "I was video-recording Felice when Carolyn was asking questions. He said he didn’t like being filmed and then gave me the #1 hand-signal – you know — the bird. I believe Felice was holding a meeting as part of the criteria for obtaining a grant, which is how he is continuing to make his living. According to the Klamath Forest Alliance information on-line, Felice’s total revenue in 2008 was $166,050." KBC NOTE: Greencorp-trained Craig Tucker is Karuk Tribe spokesman. He was on the steering committee of Klamath Riverkeeper before it spun off from umbrella group Klamath Forest Alliance, and he’s presently on the Riverkeeper board. He is also part of the KBRA/Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement negotiations demanding Klamath dam removal.

(House Natural Resources Committee Chairman) Hastings’ Hydro Bill Will Protect and Promote Hydropower Dams, 8/15/12. HR 6247:
"...* Prohibits federal funding from being used to remove, breach or study the removal or breaching of any hydropower dam unless explicitly authorized by Congress.
* Prohibits federal funding to organizations that have engaged in dam removal or hydropower-decreasing litigation against the federal government..."
followed by Hastings’ Opening Statement at Field Hearing on Protecting and Promoting Hydropower

Let the River Run: Strategies to Remove Obsolete Dams and Defeat Resulting Fifth Amendment Taking Claims, by Christopher Scoones, Seattle Journal of Environmental Law, 2012. KBC EDITOR: the message is how to deny claims of communities and resource users when they destroy dams, and use the ESA to force dam removal. "The Endangered Species Act (ESA) can be an effective tool for the removal of public and private hydropower and nonhydropower dams..."

Dueling briefs in PUC process, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 8/6/12.

Radical environmentalists push to destroy (Klamath) dams to reopen salmon spawning habitat, Human Events by Audry Hudson, posted to KBC 8/5/12. " 'This is not about saving the salmon. This is about this bizarre new religion of the left, which reasons that mother Earth is suffering a terrible infestation of human beings and must be restored to its pristine, pre-historic condition. The only practical problem with that is it requires restoring the human population to its pristine, pre-historic condition. And that is not going to end well,' (Congressman) McClintock said."

* Investigation into methods to control algae in the Klamath River Basin, Klamath River Compact Commission, June 1962.
* Recreational exposure to microcystins during algal blooms in two California lakes, July 6, 2009.
* Toxicological summary and suggested action levels to reduce potential adverse health effects of six cyanotoxins, May 2012.
* Solution to save Klamath Dams: To the attention of Mr. Craig Tucker, fellow (anti-dam) campaigners and Klamath Water Users, from Sean McKinney, Australia, 7/4/07. (KBC note: Australian company offered solution for algae removal, California Regional Water Quality Control Board scientist said it could fix the algae problem but blamed Upper Basin for the water quality problems." From Craig Tucker to KBC: "Thanks for forwarding this along. It would be worth better understanding what they could to address the algae problem. But note that our push for dam removal comes with or without the algae as the dams remain a barrier to the recovery of salmon even if the human health threat of the toxic algae blooms were addressed." S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D., Klamath Campaign Coordinator, Karuk Tribe of California

Tea Party Blocks Pact to Restore a West Coast River, NY Times, posted to KBC 7/21/12. Included is response by KBC Editor.

Hastings Holds Hearing on Federal Regulations and Costs Impacting Hydropower Development, PRESS RELEASE 6/27/12

DOI Survey and Klamath Dam destruction, by Senator Doug Whitsett, posted to KBC 6/23/12

PUC considers surcharge increase, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 6/22/12. "Under the dam removal agreement, PacifiCorp’s customers will cover the first $200 million of dam removal costs. Any costs over $200 million would be covered by the state of California, up to an additional $250 million."

How Obama Banks on Warren Buffett—for Campaign Cash, Mother Jones, posted to KBC 6/12/12. HERE for Buffett Page. Buffett owns the Klamath hydroelectric dams, and intends for them to be destroyed at ratepayer's and taxpayer's expense.

House Votes to Prohibit Federal Government from Mailing Out Cash for Surveys, U.S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee, Chairman Doc Hastings 6/6/12. "In 2011, the Department of the Interior (DOI) distributed a nationwide survey with the questionable purpose of measuring the societal, non-economic value of removing four privately owned dams on the Klamath River in Oregon and California...an estimated 10,400 households were contacted about the survey...the survey in question cost over $850,000."

Hoopa Tribe petitions feds to speed up dam removal, H&N 5/31/12.

Klamath dam survey inspires bill amendment, Siskiyou Daily News 6/12/12.

Mallams: Election win sends message, Republican nominee is opponent of KBRA, H&N 5/17/12. "The Republican who ousted longtime Klamath County commissioner Al Switzer said his win in Tuesday’s primary election sends a clear message: Voters do not agree with the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. Tom Mallams, a Beatty-area rancher and outspoken opponent of the KBRA, bested Switzer in Tuesday’s primary election, taking 43 percent of the vote in a four-way race...."

< James Bellet, Doug and Gail Whitsett, Tom Mallams, and Dennis Jefcoat.
5/16/12, updated 12:59 a.m. 100% of the votes are in. - Oregon Election Night Results, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN against the KBRA and dam removal! Congratulations!
Opponents of the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (which includes Klamath dam removal) won the votes of the people, in spite of the smear ads and big bucks paid to destroy them.
State Senate District 28:
Incumbent Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 6685 votes, with 71.77% of the votes. Opposes KBRA
Karl Scronce 2622 votes, 28.15% of votes. Pro KBRA
State Representative District 56
Gail Whitsett 4463 votes, 52.48% of the votes. Opposes KBRA
Tracey Liskey 4033, 47.42% of the votes. Pro KBRA
Klamath County Commissioner Position 1
Tom Mallams, 4128 votes, 43.36% of the votes. Opposes KBRA
Incumbent All Switzer CORRECTED > 1756 votes, 18.5% of the vote. Pro KBRA
Klamath County Commissioner Position 3
James Bellet, 4013 votes, 42.45% of vote Opposes KBRA
Dennis Jefcoat 1526 votes, 16.14% of votes Opposes KBRA
Incumbent Cheryl HuKill 1690 votes, 17.88% of vote Pro KBRA

(Pro KBRA) INCUMBENTS OUSTED
for Klamath County Commissioners 5/16/12
Tom Mallams beats Al Switzer, H&N 5/16/12.
Jim Bellet bests Cheryl Hukill, H&N 5/16/12.

Columns on top federal scientist whistleblower's, Dr. Paul Houser's, meeting with the Board of Supervisors, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, District 5. Column 5/15/12. "He said that he believed that removing the dams was at best – risky, and at worst – tragic." Column 5/22/12 "It was decision-makers higher up that were trying to change the science to match their political agenda. Houser also expressed some concern about the peer reviewers selected to review the science. In one case, a dam removal engineer was selected as a reviewer – bringing a possible predetermined bias and conflict of interest."

* Fish or Foul on the Klamath River? Commentary by Frank Galusha 4/25/12. VIDEO is produced by American's For Prospertity. "Salmon never made it that far," "More water reaches the Klamath today," "Then why was so little water available on Lower Klamath?" "Dams provide some flood control and critical flow control ."

KBRA provides real protection for irrigators, H&N Letter to the Editor 4/17/12 by Greg Addington (director of KWUA / Klamath Water Users Association). "the KBRA states that the County would receive $500,000 “to undertake a study and projects for economic development associated with the restoration of the Klamath River ... and ...how the agreement (and parties) will support and secure up to $3.2 million (as described in the KBRA Budget) for any lost property taxes."
KBC EDITOR: The following may explain why tax $ will need to compensate for lost property taxes, pages 5-6 in KBRA settlement summary: "conservation easements, forbearance agreements, conjunctive use programs, efficiency measures, land acquisitions, water acquisitions, groundwater development, groundwater substitution, other voluntary transactions, water storage, and any other applicable measures."

Siskiyou Under Siege; The Cast of Characters, KSYC Radio News 4/13/12:
Black Bear Commune
Karuk Leaf Hillman
Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker
Klamath Riverkeepers: many Karuk board members and officers
Peter Brucker
Toz Soto, Karuk biologist
Diana Rose Colgrove: Board member of the River keepers also represents a group called the Klamath Justice Coalition.
Klamath Justice Coalition: This is also a front for the Karuk Tribe.
Water Keepers Alliance

Water issues dominate Merkley town hall, Senator speaks at high school Tuesday in Merrill, H&N 4/5/12. "Merkley introduced legislation to move aspects of the KBRA forward, including removing dams. This year, Merkley is pursuing hearings on the legislation, but has said in the meantime he plans to push portions of the agreement that don’t require legislation, such as finding funding in the federal budget." “You’re on the wrong side of the KBRA,” said Bill Adams, Klamath Falls City Council member. “It does not guarantee water. It does nothing to stop (the Endangered Species Act) from interrupting natural resource-based businesses.” Mike King, a Klamath Falls farmer, said the majority of farmers were against the KBRA. He referenced a public hearing where he said 70 percent of the testimony was against the agreement. 'This is a no-win situation for everybody,' he said"

A full lake is good for fish and farmers; Coordination by federal agencies helps to keep water level up, H&N 3/29/12. "Reclamation officials worked with PacifiCorp, which operates Link River Dam, and the Marine Fisheries Service almost daily to ensure no more water than necessary was sent downstream, Phillips said. Due to reduced outflows, Upper Klamath Lake has about 170,000 acre feet of water more than at the same time in 2010, he said." KBC editor: KBRA signatories Klamath Water Users Association, PacifiCorp, and federal agencies claim they needed the billion dollar+ KBRA to make friends so they would not dump too much water down the Klamath River (which devastated many irrigators in 2010).

Klamath Water Users Association Annual Report, posted to KBC 3/14/12. KBC Editor - a few things to note regarding the KWUA report: the KBRA process was NOT transparent. Only selected groups, mostly environmental groups and government agencies, were allowed in the closed-door meetings. There is no guarantee of "affordable power rates." There is no guarantee of enough water to irrigate. According to MBK engineer at a KWAPA meeting, "water certainty" means, IF the KBRA is funded, in the spring you will be told how much water the KBRA team (which you are not part of) will allow you to have. It is important to remember that the environmental groups who sued to shut down Klamath River mining, that shut down logging, are suing to enforce water quality mandates to insist water leaving farms is cleaner than it historically was at it's source, and suing to list more endangered species and create more habitat for the 10's of thousands of "endangered" suckers, are voting members on the KBRA or are in coalitions with the environmental groups that are voting members with KWUA on the KBRA "stakeholders" team. When KWUA says that groups will not work with them on the KBRA, groups they refer to were not, and are not, allowed at the KBRA table. No group was allowed at the table without agreeing to Interior's pre-destined agenda of destroying the Klamath hydro dams, giving land to the Klamath Tribes that they previously sold, planting endangered fish species in the Klamath Basin, controlling all groundwater use, downsizing agriculture, and giving away water rights such as to US Fish and Wildlife. For more information, see the KBRA Page. READ the KBRA. Read the letters and documents. Take no one's word for what the KBRA says. Below is the audio and some quotes from the Tulelake meeting:
AUDIO 9/28/11 - Klamath Basin "Power for Water Agreement" Holly Cannon, KWAPA / Klamath Water and Power Agency (power part of the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement), Executive Director, held meeting in Tulelake to urge irrigators to sign onto the "low-cost power for water" agreement..."...that's what the KBRA is about, is bringing "low-cost power..."
Cannon: "What you're giving up is water to get affordable power."
Q "What is the acre feet that we're giving away for this cheaper power rate?"
A Cannon: "I'd say 20-25%, but it varies year to year.....What you're giving up is water to get affordable power...KWAPA is doing an On-Project plan that is designing how you're going to give up water..."
Q "What happens if we find out with the program it looks good, then all of a sudden it could be higher than the tariff rate? You can't guarantee what that rate's going to be."
Cannon, "We can't guarantee it."
Q "It might not be that golden egg ...and the landlord says, 'no I don't want this,' and then he's stuck with it... and then it could be a liability problem too."
Cannon, "it could be,"
Q "and then he comes back on whoever signs the contract."
Cannon, "yeah."

Dam removal on hold, supporters believe setback is minor, Mt. Shasta Herald, posted 3/15/12. ("Yurok Tribe director Troy Fletcher) believes taking out the dams is imperative to improve the health of the river and the fishery,...")
KBC NOTE: Former top Bureau of Reclamation scientist Dr. Paul Houser believes differently..HERE. "The summary states that dam removal will likely reduce salmon disease, but does not properly state its uncertainty. Whereas the June 12, 2011 Klamath River Expert Panel Final Report: Scientific Assessment of Two Dam Removal Alternatives on Chinook Salmon report states “Although several aspects of the Proposed Action could lead to a reduction in disease-related mortality, uncertainty about these aspects is very high”.

Panel: Dam report is reliable, H&N, posted to KBC 3/18/12

Candidates agree the KBRA is too divisive, Jobs, the economy also at the forefront in candidate debate, H&N 3/11/12.

Supervisors to Gov. Jerry Brown: Withdraw from KBRA, KHSA, Siskiyou Daily 3/8/12. "the board issued a press release demanding that California Gov. Jerry Brown officially withdraw from the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) and the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA)...'In a time of over 18 percent unemployment and plunging real estate markets, the focus needs to be on helping the people of Siskiyou County.' ”

(Siskiyou) Supervisors in the capitol by John Bowman, Siskiyou Daily News 3/7/12

Interior to signal preference on Klamath dams, Capital Press 3/7/12

Senator: KBRA a hard sell; Sen. Ron Wyden talks to town hall audience, H&N 3/6/12.

NOAA issues Klamath dam coho conservation permit; PacifiCorp to pay $510,000 annually for projects, NOAA, posted to KBC 2/29/12

Salazar Praises Work of Klamath Agreements Parties, (decision on Klamath dam deal delayed,) DOI, posted to KBC 2/29/12. "Secretary Salazar. “I am proud of the work of our team of experts who have completed more than 50 new studies and reports that are providing significant new information on the potential effects of Klamath River dam removal as part of a transparent, science-based process.”
* Klamath KBRA scientist, Dr. Paul Houser, whistleblower letter to Siskiyou County Supervisors, posted to KBC 2/7/12

* Allegation of scientific and scholarly misconduct and reprisal for a disclosure concerning the biased summarization of key scientific conclusions for the Klamath River dam removal Secretarial determination process, from Dr. Paul R. Houser, Science Advisor and Scientific Integrity Officer, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington D.C., to Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs, Department of the Interior, posted to KBC 2/27/12. "This Klamath dam removal Secretarial determination is reported to have a cost to the public (taxpayers and ratepayers) in excess of $1B, so a misinformed or premeditated decision could be a gross waste of funds."

Climate Change Weekly: Fakegate Illustrates Collapsing Global Warming Alarmism, Heartland, posted to KBC 2/26/12. "People with sound science on their side do not need to forge documents to validate their arguments or make the other side look bad. Also, people who are so desperate as to forge documents in an attempt to frame their rivals are clearly not above forging scientific data, studies, and facts to similarly further their cause..." (KBC NOTE: in the KBRA, water deliveries to irrigators is based dependant on outcome of Klamath "climate change" studies.)

* DOI Secretary Ken Salazar’s decision on the KBRA and Klamath dam destruction delayed by the legal coordination process, 2/27/12, PienPolitics Press Release. "This definitely puts a crack in the armor of the KBRA, Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, which decrees the four well-maintained, functioning hydro-electric dams are destroyed."

KBRA/Klamath Dam Removal: The science: Scientists say they have no agenda, H&N, posted to KBC 2/24/12. Included by KBC are reports by scientists David Vogel, Dr Ken Rykbost, Dr. John Menke, and also Klamath Water Users Association, exposing the unethical unscientific agenda-driven "scientists"

We must use coordination powers, Siskiyou Daily News, Letter to the Editor, February 24. 2012 by Brandon Criss, candidate, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 1. "The Tulelake Basin stood up against that blackmail attempt and voted 77 percent against dam removal...The Siskiyou County government has no choice but to fight intelligently and effectively for the Tulelake Basin. We have to do this in order to keep that unity in Siskiyou County."

Salazar will discuss restoration project (in Medford), Mail Tribune 2/16/12

(Siskiyou) County intends to challenge Klamath dam decision in federal court, Siskiyou Daily News 2/10/12

Interior Issues Draft Overview Report on Klamath Dam Removal Studies, Department of Interior 1/24/12. You are allowed until Feb 5th, 12 days to comment on this 312 page document with dozens of attached studies.
* Comments to Overview Report on Klamath Dam removal studies from Siskiyou County to Secretary Salazar 1/31/12.
* REVIEW DRAFT: Proposed “First Amendment” to the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement 12/22/11
* Draft Agenda, Klamath Basin Coordinating Council conference call 2/10/12. "Potential Action by the KBCC to initiate amendments to the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement." Public meetings in Klamath Falls, Yreka and Arcata

Klamath River dam removals should go forth, SFGate 1/30/12. Followed by COMMENTS

Report: Klamath dam removal will help fish, farms, Sacramento Bee 1/24/12, followed by comments.

Merkley visits Basin; talks funding, policy, H&N, posted to KBC 1/22/12. “There are people locally saying scrap the (Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement), we don’t need it,” said Dan Keppen, executive director of Family Farm Alliance. “Get rid of federal laws like the ESA and all our problems will go away.” KBC NOTE: Family Farm Alliance Executive Director Dan Keppen, formerly worked for the Bureau of Reclamation then was Klamath Water Users Association/KWUA Executive Director. He is currently employed as an engineer and "communication consultant" to support the On Project Plan, part of the KBRA, as well as Family Farm Alliance director. Contrary to Keppen's characterization of Klamath irrigators, we do not advocate throwing out federal laws and endangering species, but have long advocated amending those laws that do not work, using unbiased science. The KBRA significantly downsizes agriculture, destroys 4 hydroelectric dams, gives land to the tribes, and plants endangered fish in our warm shallow lakes.

(Klamath) Dam removal charge on bills, H&N 1/20/12 "By 2020, when dam removal could begin, Oregon customers will have provided $184 million and California customers $16 million."

Nearly 2,700 unique comments sent on Klamath dams, Capital Press 1/6/12