we must stand against over regulation brandon criss 011812

Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/opinions/letters_to_the_editor/x713191610/We-must-stand-against-over-regulation

We must stand against over-regulation

by Brandon Criss, Siskiyou Daily News Letter to the Editor January 16, 2012

Macdoel, Calif. — The California Department of Fish & Game (DFG) is forming a “stakeholder” group to study in-stream water flows for the Scott and Shasta rivers. At the Nov. 1, 2011 Board of Supervisors’ meeting when asked about the 1930 Shasta River 80,000 Chinook salmon return, their reply stated “that batch of Chinook came about before Dwinnell Dam effected Chinook habitat.”

The DFG’s off-the-cuff remark proved it’s a pre-determined study. Siskiyou County was correct not to legitimize the process by being another stakeholder.

If Siskiyou County isn’t at the table, then does it have a voice?

When facing off against state bureaucracies, it’s vital to negotiate from a position of strength. Siskiyou County should demand “coordination” with the DFG. This will move the county beyond the “stakeholder” status to an equal status at the table. Under the California Environmental Quality Act, bureaucracies are required by law to do a study “in the most efficient manner ... to conserve available financial resources ...” so that the funds can be “applied toward” mitigating any problems.

Siskiyou County should demand that the many already unbiased studies be used, not the new study with new stakeholders to be used by a Fish & Game already speaking negatively of Dwinnell Dam.

The Siskiyou County Flood and Water Control District was created under Appendix B to the Klamath River Compact signed by President Eisenhower and ratified by Oregon and California.

It’s a separate body composed of the Board of Supervisors as members and by itself according to that compact has the “powers” ... to declare the rights in natural flow of any stream or surface or subterranean supply of waters used or useful for any purpose of the district ...”

From these positions of strength we can be more successful against any state bureaucracy’s attempts to over-regulate our water.