Last water vote

Klamath County last party to take position on settlement

By TY BEAVER
H&N Staff Writer

April 7, 2008

    Klamath County is the only remaining stakeholder in the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement to take an official position on the water settlement, and proponents say the clock is ticking. 

   The county is still reviewing the proposal and negotiations are ongoing with PacifiCorp regarding the removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River . 

   Nevertheless, proponents said they are looking to start a federal legislative campaign before the November general election, adding that time is running out and there is already strong support to move ahead. 

   “We think we have critical mass now,” said Craig Tucker, spokesman for the Karuk Tribe. 

   Twenty-six stakeholders representing agricultural, environmental, tribal, fishing and government interests spent two-and-a-half years crafting the 256-page agreement in closed-door meetings. 

   They released the document Jan. 15 to the public. It calls for a variety of steps to allocate water among Basin communities, including dam removal, money to help buy private land for the Klamath Tribes and a stable power rate for irrigators. 

   The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted last week to not sign the agreement, primarily because it would require dam removal. 

   Public hearings 

   The Klamath County Board of Commissioners sponsored public hearings on the issue but has yet to make a decision. Commissioners are arranging a facilitated meeting with irrigators on and off the Klamath Reclamation Project and the Klamath Tribes to work out conflicts. 

   Klamath tribal leaders have yet to commit to a date for that meeting but Commissioner John Elliott said he was hopeful that they could still be involved and that the county could move ahead in forming a decision. 

   “We’re hoping we have some indication by May 1,” he said. 

   Dam removal

   While disappointed in Siskiyou County ’s decision and eager to encourage Klamath County to embrace the agreement, proponents said they are ready to move forward even though an agreement has yet to be reached with PacifiCorp regarding dam removal. 

   An agreement with the Portland-based utility would be needed before dams are relicensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is expected to take another one-and-a-half to two years. 

   “It remains as it always has been,” said Greg Addington, executive director of Klamath Water Users Association. “ It comes down to an economic decision the company will have to make.” 

   Support in D.C. 

   Moving forward also will take advantage of the current political situation in Washington , D.C.  

   The Bush administration and other federal lawmakers are supportive of the agreement. The longer the agreement sits, the more politics and the upcoming presidential election will interfere with its success and funding, supporters say. 

   “It certainly gets tighter as time passes, but it’s still possible,” said Bud Ullman, attorney for the Klamath Tribes.  

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