Representative Rahall Invites Dick Cheney to Testify on Klamath Salmon Kill

Dan Bacher  author's email 

July 24, 2007

In the latest episode of the “Klamathgate” scandal now rocking the White House, Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, has invited Vice President Dick Cheney to testify at a July 31 oversight hearing on his apparent role in influencing scientific and policy decisions at the Department of the Interior.

“As reported in The Washington Post on June 27, 2007 , Cheney’s intervention in the development of a 10-year water plan for the Klamath River resulted in the 2002 die-off of an estimated 77,000 salmon near the California-Oregon border – and the subsequent collapse of the West Coast salmon-fishing industry,” said Rahall in a press release on July 17.

Rahall said the hearing will seek to examine the causes and consequences of political intervention in the decision-making process at the Interior Department. He said the hearing occurs within the context of “an alarming trend” the Committee began exploring at a May 9 hearing that delved into the role of the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks in politicizing the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

In a letter to Cheney on Jul 12, Rahall said, “The Committee on Natural Resources will hold a hearing on July 31, 2007, to examine the role that elected officials and political appointees within the Administration have played in the scientific decision making processes under the Endangered Species Act and other laws governing the conservation and management of our nation's natural resources. I cordially invite you to testify at this hearing.”

Referring to the Washington Post piece, Rahall said, “The article alleges that your intervention in the development of a 10-year water plan for the Klamath River resulted in a 2002 die-off of around 70,000 salmon near the California-Oregon border - the largest adult salmon kill in the history of the West. We invite you, as a former member of this Committee, to offer your views on these reports and explain your role in this and other decisions.”

Rahall asked Cheney’s staff to submit electronicallv statements of proposed testimony to Nancy Locke, Chief Clerk, no later than Friday, July 27, 2007 .

“Your oral testimony should not exceed five minutes and should summarize your written remarks,” stated Rahall. “You may introduce into the record any other supporting documentation you wish to present in accordance with the enclosed guidelines.”

Earthjustice attorney Kristen Boyles said she supports Rep. Nick Rahall's invitation to Cheney to testify to the Committee on the role he played in orchestrating Klamath River diversions. These water diversions devastated the river’s salmon runs and deeply hurt the fishermen and Indian Tribes that depend on them, causing over $60 million in damages to coastal economies.

"Chinook salmon are the mainstay of west coast salmon fishing and provide the economic underpinnings of coastal communities from central California to the Canadian border,” said Boyles. “ Klamath River salmon were lost in 2002 and in the subsequent years under the Cheney water diversion plan until it was struck down by a lawsuit brought by Earthjustice on behalf of commercial fishermen and conservationists. The loss of this renewable natural resource that provides high quality, natural food was totally avoidable and hurt many of the people living on the West Coast.”

Boyle also encouraged Rahall to invite Jim Lecky of NOAA Fisheries to testify and explain why he overrode the expert scientific opinion of his own head Klamath scientist, Michael Kelly, who had warned that the Cheney plan posed danger to salmon.

Rahall called for the hearing on June 28, the day after Representative Mike Thompson, (D-St. Helena) and 35 other House Democrats from California and Oregon requested the investigation.

It will be interesting to see if Cheney accepts Rahall’s invitation to testify before the House Natural Resources Committee. Regardless of whether Cheney does or not, it is crucial to the future of the Klamath River and the country’s environment that this oversight hearing results in a thorough and relentless investigation of the alleged manipulation of science for political purposes by Cheney and other Administration officials.

If the Washington Post’s allegations are indeed true, Cheney and other officials must be held accountable for the damage they have caused to the Klamath River fisheries and the thousands of lives that depend upon the river for their survival.

References:

"Leaving No Tracks" Washington Post (6/27/07) http://blog.washingtonpost.com/cheney/chapters/leaving_no_tracks/index.html

"Federal whistleblower quits, alleges politicization of science" - AP (5/19/04) http://foi.missouri.edu/whistleblowing/fedwquits.html

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Source:  http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=33062