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Proposed Klamath agreement doesn’t make much sense
Herald and News 7/23/08, letter by Murl Metz, Klamath Falls
I am having difficulty understanding the rationale put forth in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.
We’re going go blow up the dams that produce environment-friendly power. We already know building a natural gas power generation facility is a tough sell. They could build a coal-burning plant near the rail yard along Lower Klamath Lake. The pollutants could fall in the lake and wash unimpeded down the river into the ocean.
PacifiCorp says, if the dams have to be destroyed, it wants to give them to the government so “they” can absorb the cost.
I believe “they” is “us.” I think I read where, in short water years, they will pay damages to farmers. The “they” will be us.
The agreement calls for a stable power rate for irrigators. I would think that would be little comfort to a farmer who has no water.
“One dam down and four to go” was a recent statement by one individual. It’s so heartwarming to hear such compassion for our farmers.
Greg Addington, executive director of the Klamath Basin Water Users Association, says he thinks that everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop or not drop. Klamath County Commissioner John Elliott says he doesn’t think the agreement is stalled. Perhaps he is waiting for that shoe drop, whatever that means.
My knowledge about this proposal is limited to what I have read in the newspaper and some folks may say all of the above has no relevancy to the issue at hand. While that may well be true, I have not heard anything thus far that would warrant the removal of these dams.
I sincerely believe that, if these folks are able to sell this proposal to the public, suckerfish will not be the only suckers left in the Klamath Basin.
Murl Metz Klamath Falls
