KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
Letters, Opinions, Speeches of The People
2012

 KBRA PAGE includes links to previous year's
letters, opinions and speeches of the The People
 
   
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."
Public Comments on KBRA proposed amendments, by Tom Mallams 11/20/12. "1. Protection from the endangered Species act and Biological Opinions. 2. Guaranteed delivery of irrigation water. 3. Affordable power for irrigators.Within the KHSA and KBRA documents consider the following: 1. There is absolutely no protection from the Endangered Species Act or Biological Opinions. 2. There is absolutely no guarantee of irrigation water deliveries. 3. There is absolutely no affordable power rate for irrigators.
* First Amendment to the KBRA/Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, released 10/12/12. Will be voted on at your irrigation district meetings, on 11/13 at TID. Read very carefully, 21 pages. Were you irrigators sent a copies? Did you help form your new laws, or have a vote?
*
If I read this correctly, the following are among the Impacts of changes under the ‘FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE KLAMATH BASIN RESTORATION AGREEMENT FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF PUBLIC AND TRUST RESOURCES AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES,’ by Rex Cozzalio, posted to KBC 11/16/12.
Ten years after fish kill, California and Oregon must make salmon a priority, Sac Bee letter by Hoopa tribal chairman, posted to KBC 11/14/12. "...after the 2002 fish kill that a 30-year struggle for the Trinity's water was resolved and 48 percent of historical flows were returned to the river. Up to 90 percent of the river had been diverted south...This year, as a result of good ocean conditions, an estimated 378,000 salmon returned to the Klamath...It is also essential to salmon survival that PacifiCorp stand by its promise to take out the Klamath dams..." KBC translation: Fish died in 2002 for many reasons, including huge Trinity diversions, poor ocean conditions, tribes demanding lethally warm water be sent down Klamath River, and meth lab dumps in the river. Ocean conditions improved and Trinity diverts less and we have a record run this year of salmon. Despite our present huge salmon run, tribes and environmental groups claim that fish will go extinct if we don't tear out 4 hydro dams, an event which will dump more than 20 million cubic yards of sediment in the Klamath River.
KBRA sparks dam removal debate, H&N opinions, posted to KBC 10/20/12. "There are no compromises and no assured water supplies — that is all misinformation put forward by those who want to sell their water. KBRA does provide millions in taxpayer-funded water marketing cash to retire agricultural land..." Impacts of Klamath River Dam Removal by Dr. Richard Gierak, for 9/1/12
Reply to Erica Terence article in the Huffington Post Razing Dams From the River That Raised Me by Mark Baird, Scott Valley Protect Our Water, posted to KBC 8/29/12, followed by Huffington Post article. "Erica Terence is a product of the Black Bear Commune. She is not a scientist nor is she trained in Biology. Erica is the spokesperson for a group which is a front organization of the Karuk Tribe."

Rebuttal to Erica Terence's letter to the editor of the Ridgecrest Daily Independent (which follows) by Marcia H. Armstrong, Siskiyou Co. Supervisor October 22, 2012

Attacks Against Rural Counties, from Dr Richard Gierak 8/20/12: Spotted Owl listing, Coho, Dam and hatchery removal, fish kill, Yurok boat dance, water pulse, forestry roads,  mining,...
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..."

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."

Senator Doug LaMalfa, Calif. 4th District, and Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, 2nd District, letter to Calif. PUC objecting to power surcharge to destroy Klamath River hydropower dams even when Klamath Agreement does not have public or congressional support, posted to KBC 7/24/12. 
End PacifiCorp Rate Increase to Destroy Klamath Dams: Congressman McClintock letter to California PUC 7/17/12. "...regarding PacifiCorp's application to accelerate the collection of the $13.76 million Klamath surcharge authorized by the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement. I object to this request to impose another rate increase on PacifiCorp's California customers based upon the unlikelihood that Congress will ever pass the KHSA into law...As chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee I can tell you that sentiment in the House is very much opposed to destroying four hydroelectric dams capable of producing 155 MW of reliable hydroelectricity and the concomitant destruction of the Iron Gate fish hatchery that produces 5 million salmon smolts each year...."

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

An answer for farmers, finally, H&N by Cordy Starr, posted to KBC 6/22/12. "...in an article written about Hollie Cannon, an employee of the Klamath Water and Power agency, said if the KBRA is implemented and “If we are successful with the on project plan, there will be hardly any change for the on-project farmer. Under the KBRA, less water will be allocated to the project, compared to the wettest years now but the irrigators will have the choice to participate in programs that pay them to conserve water and use ground wells.”
Battered Communities, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia H. Armstrong, 6/4/12. "The paper chronicles the relentless series of lawsuits by fishermen, environmentalists and tribes to reduce water available for irrigation in the upper Klamath Basin. It shows the use of the Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to render agriculture a “permitted” activity controlled and curtailed by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. It shows the CA Dept of Fish and Game’s efforts to take water from pre-1914 water right holders through the 1602 streambed alteration agreement, coho incidental take permit and flow studies. Then there are the repeated attempts to create a “basinwide” governance structure, such as the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, where unelected bureaucrats, tribes and environmentalists will write restoration plans, reallocating water from farmers to the environment."

< 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 votesPro 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 votePro 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

Vote for those against the KBRA, H&N letter to the editor by Shirley Kerns, Klamath Falls, posted to KBC 5/13/12. Hanky-Panky harms Klamath River Watershed, Dr. John Menke, posted to KBC 5/13/12
In the First Congressional District of California, Doug LaMalfa will make the best representative in congress to serve all the people of the district, Fred Kelly Grant, posted to KBC 5/11/12. "From day one of the issue, LaMalfa has opposed the (Klamath Dam)  destruction."

The Essence of This Year's Election: KBRA, by G.W. Washington, Klamath News 5/11/12
Where is the water going to come from? Agreement doesn't promise more water, by farmer Bob King, Klamath Falls, H&N letter, posted to KBC 5/5/12.

Rancher, farmer and Christian Tom Mallams is running for Klamath County Commissioner. He supports transparency and a balanced budget. Tom opposes the KBRA and destruction of Klamath River hydroelectric dams.
* Here is his short video message for you.

* Here is Tom Mallams' website
* Here is a group that supports dam destruction and the KBRA which permanently downsizes agriculture 10's of thousands of acres, Classic PAC.

CLASSIC PAC
is spending $10's of thousands for negative attack ads against Senator Doug Whitsett and
Tom Mallams, conservative Christian candidates who all oppose destruction of Klamath River hydroelectric dams. PAC paid $22,430 to PR firm Pyramid Communications to defeat KBRA opponents and candidates Whitsett and Mallams.
HERE FOR RESPONSE AD and contributors to Classic PAC.
Directors of PAC : Becky Hyde, Steve Kandra, John Snider, former field rep for Oregon U.S. Congressman Greg Walden, and Lynn Lundquest.
Pyramid Communications has worked for "environmental" causes supporting more "wilderness areas,"  endangered species "habitat," "climate change" regulations, ....Some of their clients are Earthjustice (funded partially by George Soros) which is a litigant for most of the "environmental" groups signed as "stakeholders" in the KBRA, Sustainable NWThe Nature Conservancy, Save our Wild Salmon (PCFFA Glen Spain, Eugene Attorney and KBRA voting member, is board member of this group focused on removing Snake and Columbia River dams), Greenpeace, Wilderness Society, Sierra Club, etc...
Consider the KBRA when you fill out your ballot, H&N letter by retired Klamath County Assessor Reg LeQuieu 5/2/12. "Under the agreement, 25,000 irrigated acres will be permanently idled in the Upper Basin and 20,000 irrigated acres permanently idled in the Lower Basin. Based on the Farm-Use Study conducted for this year by the Klamath County Assessor’s Office, that will reduce property taxes by another $100,000" ".....That adds up to over $647,349 in lost property tax revenue for county services offset by just $213,333 from the KBRA for a net loss of $434,016 annually. And then, after 15 years, there would be no offset."
Let’s take back our county, H&N letter by Tom Mallams, candidate for Klamath Count Commissioner, Beatty 5/4/12. "I will listen to the people. I will continue to oppose Klamath River dam removal. I pledge to not raise taxes during my term..." Don’t need to be a scientist to know it’s bogus, H&N letter to the editor by Jerry Anderson, Klamath Falls 4/29/12. "The official EIR/EIS Klamath dam removal document) is full of such “bogus” science; hence Dr. Paul Houser, whistleblower."
Mallams understands threat of the KBRA, H&N letter by Edward Bartell 4/17/12. "As for the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement guaranteeing 330,000 acre-feet for project farmers, KBRA says no such thing. The trigger for the environmentalists or Tribes to go after more Endangered Species Act water from Project farmers, beyond the 330,000 acre feet is they have to “believe” irrigation diversions “may” jeopardize endangered species (KBRA21.3.1.B.iv.e"  *  KBRA Myth Versus Fact 
*  Economic  Impacts of Dam Removal;
I'm afraid you have been misled.
* Stopping global warming
by Steve Rapalya, Chiloquin 4/17/12.
The truth about the KBRA, by Bob King, charter board member of Klamath Bucket Brigade, and farmer in Klamath and Lake countie 4/17/12. "Keppen and Addington have been lying to this community all for a position in the new world order at the cost to our community and children's future. The KBRA/KHSA settlement agreement might as well been written by Hitler, Gorbachev and Stalin. Ask Keppen and Addington what page what paragraph and what line in the KBRA it promises water for the farmers and don't let them beat around the bush, hold their feet to fire. They will not show you because it's not there."
HERE for YouTube video of DOI facilitator
forcing Bob King (in wheelchair) to give up mic before his allotted time was up.
Chairmen Question Obama Admin. on Mailing Out $$$$$$$; $2 bills randomly sent in envelopes as incentive to complete (Klamath dam) surveys, Natural Resources Committee 3/22/12. "...the Bureau of Reclamation was unable to provide an accounting of how much had been spent on this survey." "The Obama Administration literally mailed cash to random citizens across the country to find out their feelings on tearing down four dams that they’ve likely never heard of." "Using taxpayer dollars on a slanted survey and the muzzling and eventual firing of its own scientist who disagreed with the Interior Department proves what many have been saying: dam removal is a pre-determined conclusion from this Administration."
* Letter to Michael Connor, Commissioner Bureau of Reclamation from U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources posted to KBC 3/20/12, requesting information on Klamath Dam Survey
* Letter to Victoria Haynes, Office of Management and Budget, from U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, posted to KBC 3/22,12, requesting information on Interiors Klamath Dam Survey.
* KBRA agenda part of the new world order, H&N letter by Bob King, Klamath Falls farmer, posted to KBC 3/21/12
* Bob King one year ago:  3/16/11, YouTube: Dept of Interior meets with Klamath public on hydro dam destruction science, 6 1/2 minute clip. Government officials were to allow input from the public on their predetermined solution of dam removal. Elderly farmer in the wheelchair, Bob King, did not agree with their agenda, so you watch him constantly interrupted by the feds, then the facilitator pried the mic from his hands.
  (Klamath) Coho recovery plan is no good, by Dr. Richard Gierak, Yreka, letter to the editor of Herald and News 2/18/12.
Dam removal could hurt resort expansion plans, H&N, posted to KBC 3/1/12. "But if four dams on the Klamath River are removed — one of them is Copco 2 — his property will be in a flood zone. And there won’t be a nearby lake. Economically, (dam removal) will kill this project,” Burney said. “We’ve already been hammered awful hard (by the recession). This will just kill us.” Regarding the NOAA Coho Recovery Plan, by Dr. Richard Gierak 3/6/12. "Should the (Klamath) dam be breached the Yellow Perch will decimate any and all salmon eggs and fingerlings to feed their ravenous appetites."

Upcoming election most important yet, H&N letter by Tom Mallams, posted to KBC 3/1/12.

Siskiyou Water  Users Assoc. sends letter to DOI Sec. Ken Salazar, PienPolitics, posted to KBC 2/19/12 Klamath dam removal is against Congressional Laws and  the Constitution, letter by Dr. Richard Gierak, PienPolitics, posted to KBC 2/19/12
Dams and a monument: ‘We feel squeezed here’, H&N by Shirley Fisher 2/17/12. "It was  a great life in those days and things were busy along the river — there were  miners and loggers, everyone seemed to have a job, city folk had summer homes in  the area.”..."The Siskiyou Monument proposal, if passed, would  set aside more than 500,000 acres of land between the Klamath River and Siskiyou  Crest, limiting access"..."Fisher is concerned about the possibility of greater  frequency of flooding if the dams come out.  With the prospect of dam removal and the proposed  500,000-acre Siskiyou Monument, she wonders what the future holds."
Klamath Off Project Water Users Association comments to Secretary Salazar on Klamath Overview Report 020512 2/5/12. "I and many others have responded as required numerous times to the never ending reports and reports on the reports. To date, our extensive, valid pages of concerns have been completely ignored. So my question still remains, “How many times must we respond with our public comments?  ...  Upper Basin irrigators requested three things:  reasonable power rates, assurances that endangered species would not further threaten irrigation water supply, and guaranteed water supply to irrigators not included in the water buyout.  It is very obvious that there is no affordable power rate for agriculture, no guarantee of water and absolutely no protection from the ESA or Biological Opinions, in the KHSA and KBRA, Sec 22.5."
* "They have struck again in their movement to silence us. The picture in the attachment is on highway 140 and north Pole Valley road." Mike King. (KBC NOTE: Klamath Basin farmers and ranchers have put up signs saying "Stop the Klamath Dam Scam," to stop the KBRA which most of them oppose and had no voice in the negotiations. Their signs are being destroyed.) Dam removal draft ignores public say, H&N letter by Rex Cozzalio, posted to KBC 2/5/12.

* Letter of Facts regarding KBRA KHSA (Klamath dam removal agreements) by Siskiyou County Water Users Association to Secretary Salazar, Gov't agencies and reps, posted to KBC 1/30/12

Rerun: Can we really say jobs are being created? H&N letter by Mark Slezak 9/25/11. "Oh great. We are going to “create” 4,600 jobs by tearing out the dams on Klamath River. First, I don’t believe the number, but more importantly, let’s expand the logic..."
Attacks on (Klamath) Upper Basin irrigators are unfounded, H&N Letter by Garrett Roseberry, posted to KBC 1/27/12 Violation of the "Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, by Dr. Richard Gierak 1/26/12
We must stand against over-regulation, by Brandon Criss, Siskiyou Daily, posted to KBC 1/18/12. "Siskiyou County should demand “coordination” with the DFG." Dan Walters: Warren Buffett and Oregon farmers could get a gift from California taxpayers, Sacramento Bee 1/7/12
Home Contact

 

              Page Updated: Sunday March 03, 2013 11:52 PM  Pacific


             Copyright © klamathbasincrisis.org, 2009, All Rights Reserved