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Klamath Riverkeeper Endorses Mike Thompson for Interior Secretary
by Dan BacherDecember 10, 2008
The Klamath Riverkeeper today joined the Karuk Tribe, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA) and the nation's leading fish and wildlife conservation organizations in supporting the appointment of Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) as the new Secretary of Interior.
"Congressman Mike Thompson has been deeply committed to helping Klamath communities work toward solutions to the Klamath Crisis," according to a letter to Obama signed by Erica Terence, Riverkeeper, Scott Harding, Executive Director, and Malena Marvin, Outreach & Science Director. "He was instrumental in bringing the Klamath into the national spotlight, and he has continued to actively support efforts to restore the river. Congressman Thompson has exemplified this leadership style by bringing a few of the 70,000 salmon killed in the Bush Administration’s now-infamous 2001 Klamath fish kill back to Washington D.C. to show lawmakers the actual impacts of the Department of the Interior’s actions."
The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon system in the lower 48 states, just after the Columbia and Sacramento rivers. Now, due in large part to PacifiCorp's fish-killing dams that block passage to 300 miles of upstream habitat, the Klamath has just 10% of its historic runs of ocean-going salmon. This has resulted in increasing fishing closures and economic hardship for coastal, river and tribal communities in recent years.
"Urgent action is needed to solve the 'Klamath Crisis' and restore the river that supports tribes, commercial fishing families, and rural communities in southern Oregon and northern California," the letter continued. "Many stakeholders are working hard to find solutions, and we need top-level environmental leadership that can hit the ground running on this issue. We heartily urge you to appoint Congressman Thompson as your new Secretary of the Interior."
California Representatives George Miller and Anna Eshoo are also backing Thompson for the Interior post. The Interior Secretary is one of the nation's key environmental posts, since he/she is charged with overseeing the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey and National Parks Service.
Other conservation organizations are supporting the appointment of Representative Raul Grijalva (D-Z) for the Interior post. A support letter signed by representatives of 106 groups from throughout the U.S. was sent to President-elect Obama and released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) on Monday. Rep. Grijalva now chairs the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands that has jurisdiction over Interior Department matters. Scientists, Indian Tribes and Latino organizations are also backing Grijalva.
According to an article by Thadeus Greenson in today's Eureka Times Standard, Thompson is still the "top contender" for the Secretary Position. "The Oregonian reported Monday that the rumor mill was 'humming' that Obama would pick Thompson for interior secretary, while the Associated Press had only Thompson and Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva on its list of candidates for the position," the article stated. "Speculation seems to be mounting, according to a number of papers, that Obama will name his energy and environmental teams by the end of the week."
For more information about the Klamath Riverkeeper, go to http://www.klamathriver.org
Here is the
Klamath Riverkeeper's letter
to Obama:
December 10, 2008
Dear President-elect Obama,
We write to you from the heart of the effort to restore the Klamath River, wild Pacific salmon, and communities that rely on these amazing resources. We are a grassroots organization with a mission to restore fisheries and water quality in the Klamath River watershed, bringing vitality and abundance back to the river and its people. We have an active membership of passionate supporters from the Klamath and throughout the West Coast.
The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon system in the lower 48, just after the Columbia and Sacramento Rivers. Now, due in large part to fish-killing dams that block passage to 300 miles of habitat, the Klamath has just 10% of its historic runs of ocean-going salmon.
This tragic loss of an iconic species has devastated Klamath indigenous communities who rely on salmon culturally, nutritionally, and economically. The Klamath Watershed is home to California’s three largest native tribes (the Karuk, Yurok, and Hoopa Valley Tribes), as well as Oregon’s largest native tribe (the Klamath Tribes). Also, because the Pacific salmon fishery is federally regulated based in part on salmon returns to the Klamath River, commercial fishing communities throughout Oregon and California are put out of work when these returns plummet (note that the federal government was forced to bailout these communities after Klamath-caused federally-designated fishery closures in 2006 and 2007).
We are dealing with acute environmental and environmental justice problems on the Klamath, and we need nothing less than leaders who exemplify an action-oriented approach to addressing these problems.
Congressman Mike Thompson has been deeply committed to helping Klamath communities work toward solutions to the Klamath Crisis. He was instrumental in bringing the Klamath into the national spotlight, and he has continued to actively support efforts to restore the river. Congressman Thompson has exemplified this leadership style by bringing a few of the 70,000 salmon killed in the Bush Administration’s now-infamous 2001 Klamath fish kill back to Washington D.C. to show lawmakers the actual impacts of the Department of the Interior’s actions.
Urgent action is needed to solve the “Klamath Crisis” and restore the river that supports tribes, commercial fishing families, and rural communities in southern Oregon and northern California. Many stakeholders are working hard to find solutions, and we need top-level environmental leadership that can hit the ground running on this issue. We heartily urge you to appoint Congressman Thompson as your new Secretary of the Interior.
You’re welcome to call us anytime to learn more about this issue. The Obamas also have a standing invitation to come rafting with us and tour one of America’s last great wild places! We’re sure you would enjoy meeting with the people in our watershed – including Tribal members, fishermen and others – who are ultimately impacted by the Interior Secretary’s actions.
Sincerely,
Erica Terence, Riverkeeper
Scott Harding, Executive Director
Malena Marvin, Outreach & Science Director
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
December 10, 2008
Dear President-elect Obama,
We write to you from the heart of the effort to restore the Klamath River, wild Pacific salmon, and communities that rely on these amazing resources. We are a grassroots organization with a mission to restore fisheries and water quality in the Klamath River watershed, bringing vitality and abundance back to the river and its people. We have an active membership of passionate supporters from the Klamath and throughout the West Coast.
The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon system in the lower 48, just after the Columbia and Sacramento Rivers. Now, due in large part to fish-killing dams that block passage to 300 miles of habitat, the Klamath has just 10% of its historic runs of ocean-going salmon.
This tragic loss of an iconic species has devastated Klamath indigenous communities who rely on salmon culturally, nutritionally, and economically. The Klamath Watershed is home to California’s three largest native tribes (the Karuk, Yurok, and Hoopa Valley Tribes), as well as Oregon’s largest native tribe (the Klamath Tribes). Also, because the Pacific salmon fishery is federally regulated based in part on salmon returns to the Klamath River, commercial fishing communities throughout Oregon and California are put out of work when these returns plummet (note that the federal government was forced to bailout these communities after Klamath-caused federally-designated fishery closures in 2006 and 2007).
We are dealing with acute environmental and environmental justice problems on the Klamath, and we need nothing less than leaders who exemplify an action-oriented approach to addressing these problems.
Congressman Mike Thompson has been deeply committed to helping Klamath communities work toward solutions to the Klamath Crisis. He was instrumental in bringing the Klamath into the national spotlight, and he has continued to actively support efforts to restore the river. Congressman Thompson has exemplified this leadership style by bringing a few of the 70,000 salmon killed in the Bush Administration’s now-infamous 2001 Klamath fish kill back to Washington D.C. to show lawmakers the actual impacts of the Department of the Interior’s actions.
Urgent action is needed to solve the “Klamath Crisis” and restore the river that supports tribes, commercial fishing families, and rural communities in southern Oregon and northern California. Many stakeholders are working hard to find solutions, and we need top-level environmental leadership that can hit the ground running on this issue. We heartily urge you to appoint Congressman Thompson as your new Secretary of the Interior.
You’re welcome to call us anytime to learn more about this issue. The Obamas also have a standing invitation to come rafting with us and tour one of America’s last great wild places! We’re sure you would enjoy meeting with the people in our watershed – including Tribal members, fishermen and others – who are ultimately impacted by the Interior Secretary’s actions.
Sincerely,
Erica Terence, Riverkeeper
Scott Harding, Executive Director
Malena Marvin, Outreach & Science Director
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml