Voting yes on Ballot Measure 76 is in the best interest of Klamath County. Measure 76 will preserve state funding for habitat restoration. Restoring spawning habitat for sucker fish is critical to getting them off the endangered species list. Restoring habitat is also critical to improving runs of endangered wild salmon.

   Water use regulations to save these endangered fish are in large part responsible for water problems the Basin agricultural community is facing. Any hope for delisting these endangered fish is dependent on habitat restoration to improve their numbers.

   The Oregon Water Enhancement Board currently gets a large part of its funding from the money Measure 76 will preserve. Most of the restoration projects that have taken place in the Basin use OWEB grants as a part of the funding mix. In many cases, OWEB funds provide the required matching funds needed to qualify for funds from federal sources.

   Voting yes on 76 is in the best interest of the agriculture community and our local economy.

   Dwight Long

   Klamath Falls