Secretary Jewell, Governors of California and Oregon, Tribal Leaders & Water Users to Make Major Announcement on Klamath River Dams, Restoration

Date: April 4, 2016
Contacts: Interior: Interior_press@ios.doi.gov
NOAA: Jim Milbury, (562) 980‐4006
Oregon: Chris Pair, (503) 559‐5938, Chris.Pair@oregon.gov
California: Gareth Lacy, (916) 445-4571, Gareth.Lacy@gov.ca.gov
Yurok Tribe: Matt Mais, (707) 954-0976 mmais@yuroktribe.nsn.us
PacifiCorp: Bob Gravely, (503) 813‐7282, bob.gravely@pacificorp.com

KLAMATH, Calif. – On Wednesday, April 6, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Interior Deputy Secretary Michael Connor will join Governor of California Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Governor of Oregon Kate Brown to make a major announcement about environmental restoration, water reliability and hydroelectric dams along the 263-mile Klamath River. Federal, state and Native American tribal leaders, businesses, non-governmental organizations and water users will also join in the announcement, which will further progress toward the largest river restoration project in U.S. history.

Earlier this year, the States of Oregon and California, PacifiCorp and the federal government – through the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce – announced an agreement-in-principle to move forward with amending the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA). Under the agreement-in-principle, the parties to the KHSA would pursue its implementation through the administrative process governed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), using existing funding and on the same timeline, to develop terms of an amendment to the KHSA to implement its key provisions, including providing for facilities removal. 

Members of the California and Oregon delegations introduced legislation in the past two Congresses to advance the hard-fought KHSA and two related Klamath agreements; however, the U.S. Congress adjourned last year without acting on legislation to authorize them.

Who:

Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Michael L. Connor, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior
Edmund G. Brown Jr., Governor of California
Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon
Jared Huffman, U.S. House of Representatives, California
Stefan Bird, Pacific Power President and CEO 
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA Administrator 
Native American Tribes
Non-Governmental Organizations
Klamath Basin Water Users

What:

Major announcement about water supply reliability, environmental restoration and hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River

When:

Wednesday, April 6, 2016 
9:45 a.m. PDT – Media check-in
10:00 a.m. PDT – Meeting begins

Where:

Requa Resort Boat Ramp
Yurok Reservation
Klamath, California 95548

Directions: From 101 North make a left onto Requa Road. At the Requa Inn make 
a slight left onto Mouth of Klamath Road. Mouth of Klamath Road runs directly 
into the Boat Ramp parking area.

Media:

Credentialed members of the media are encouraged to RSVP here. 

Media Note:

Members of the media unable to attend may call 1-800-369-2012 and enter the passcode 1003775.