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Dam decision time line a major step in river talks
Sept. 30 is the best guess, and an optimistic one
Dam removal has become the key stone
in efforts to arrive at an overall solution to
problems on the Klamath River. It’s a huge issue on
which depends most of the other changes that are
part of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.
Thus the fact that state and federal officials expect a decision on the possible removal of PacifiCorp dams on the Klamath River by Sept. 30 is significant. Things are moving, and this is the first time line that has been made public since talks between federal and PacifiCorp officials started in May.
Dam removal has been urged for years by tribes and fisherman and now has been agreed to by many, though by no means all, of the river’s stakeholders.
The tenor of the people involved suggests that a decision on the dams is likely that will move the process toward an overall solution that includes the needs of tribes, irrigators, fishermen and others.
Thus the fact that state and federal officials expect a decision on the possible removal of PacifiCorp dams on the Klamath River by Sept. 30 is significant. Things are moving, and this is the first time line that has been made public since talks between federal and PacifiCorp officials started in May.
Dam removal has been urged for years by tribes and fisherman and now has been agreed to by many, though by no means all, of the river’s stakeholders.
The tenor of the people involved suggests that a decision on the dams is likely that will move the process toward an overall solution that includes the needs of tribes, irrigators, fishermen and others.
We don’t know what that decision will
be. Not much has leaked from the talks between
PacifiCorp and federal officials about the
possibility of moving the dams’ ownership — and
liability — from PacifiCorp to the federal
government.
Company wants protection
PacifiCorp, which has applied to relicense the four dams, has insisted that its customers have to be protected against higher rates if the dams are taken out. It also wants the company protected against liability.
Federal and state officials have sent a letter to the stakeholders who put together the proposed Restoration Agreement saying that meetings with PacifiCorp were positive and: “It is our goal to secure your support for the (agreement in principle) and to afford those parties who support (it) to remain engaged through the development of the final agreement,” the letter states.
PacifiCorp suggested the Sept. 30 date indicated optimism by the government and a spokesman said, “We’ve had productive talk, and we’ve agreed to keep talking.”
There are many things that could draw speculation about the movement — for example, the fact that the Bush administration is coming to a close and has been friendly to the process involving the Restoration Agreement. The Bush administration was new when irrigation water was shut off to the Klamath Reclamation Project in 2001 and how the administration handled that became one of its iconic events.
Whether a desire to move the effort significantly forward before President Bush and many key subordinates leave office has anything to do with how fast the process is moving remains to be seen.
The greatest pressure of all for movement, though, undoubtedly comes from those stakeholders who support the Restoration Agreement and see the Sept. 30 date as a major step forward.
Pat Bushey wrote today’s editorial.
Company wants protection
PacifiCorp, which has applied to relicense the four dams, has insisted that its customers have to be protected against higher rates if the dams are taken out. It also wants the company protected against liability.
Federal and state officials have sent a letter to the stakeholders who put together the proposed Restoration Agreement saying that meetings with PacifiCorp were positive and: “It is our goal to secure your support for the (agreement in principle) and to afford those parties who support (it) to remain engaged through the development of the final agreement,” the letter states.
PacifiCorp suggested the Sept. 30 date indicated optimism by the government and a spokesman said, “We’ve had productive talk, and we’ve agreed to keep talking.”
There are many things that could draw speculation about the movement — for example, the fact that the Bush administration is coming to a close and has been friendly to the process involving the Restoration Agreement. The Bush administration was new when irrigation water was shut off to the Klamath Reclamation Project in 2001 and how the administration handled that became one of its iconic events.
Whether a desire to move the effort significantly forward before President Bush and many key subordinates leave office has anything to do with how fast the process is moving remains to be seen.
The greatest pressure of all for movement, though, undoubtedly comes from those stakeholders who support the Restoration Agreement and see the Sept. 30 date as a major step forward.
Pat Bushey wrote today’s editorial.
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Source: http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2008/07/20/viewpoints/op-ed/doc4883031dce6bf344397137.txt