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This Website is Dedicated to Alvin Alexander Cheyne January 10, 1921 - June 17, 2005 |
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" A settlement with all of the affected
landowner parties and the citizens who will pay the billions
for the agreement, would have worked better. " The majority of citizen voters of all
parties in Klamath County are opposed to the secretly
derived KBRA and its primary component of dam removal. What is so hard to understand about that? Stop listening to the little group you
have surrounded yourself with down in Merrill and Tulelake
and on the KWUA board, and go hear what the public really
thinks of the KBRA "secret" plan. " Restoration agreement is only
plan in the works
Agricultural interests are vital to the economy of
Klamath County.
Following the financial and environmental devastation of
the 2001 water cutoff, the need for stability in our water
delivery became a priority for all.
Currently, the restoration agreement is the only plan
developed by means of extensive debate but peaceful
consensus that is pro-agriculture and will provide for
certainty in our vital water delivery.
It is extremely frustrating that the Klamath County
Republican Central Committee would make a resolution against
the project irrigators and their fight for water stability
in the Basin.
I am bewildered as to why our local committee has chosen
this divisive road against the majority of farmers and
irrigators who provide essential support for the Basin
economy.
Additionally, I am greatly disturbed by the opposition
to the settlement from our elected state Republican
representatives. They are eager to block the agreement, but
yet have no plan of their own. Their actions disregarding
the majority are harmful and misguided.
Agribusiness is not only an economic force, but also
contributes greatly to the local quality of life that we all
seek here in Southern Oregon. It is time to seek solutions
that will benefit us all.
I join the Klamath Water Users Association, numerous
well-informed community leaders and groups and a multitude
of concerned, educated citizens who support the
pro-agriculture restoration agreement.
Patsy Gasser
Merrill
Reader Comments
Give me a break with all the convaluted
conspiracy theories about secret meetings! Most
major policy that becomes reality is first
worked out privately. Seems to me it would be
foolish for Project irrigators, PacifiCorp and
others to talk publicly about issues that are
subject to litigation (Adjudication and
Relicensing). The fact is anything that takes
public funding, state or federal approval is and
will be very public. From what I see, Counties
were represented, the states of Oregon and CA
were represended, groups with most to lose or
gain were represented... and now there is public
debate, very uniinformed public debate but it is
happening.
The way that some people here twist the facts
and blow things out of porportion, I can see why
parties wanted the door shut until they had
something developed.
Seems convenient to be for the farmers as long
as they keep the ESA/Tribal bullseye squarely on
their backs... but God forbid they try and do
something to better their situation.
Long Lake could have been built, but it hasn't
been. That is the reality. Even if it was built,
the reality is that it has to work for tribes up
and down the river, fishermen and other groups
who are involved in the process. That's the
truth, if they aren't on board, it isn't going
to happen. REALITY FOLKS. The chances that Long
Lake would be the silver bullet for farmers is a
fairy tale. Given the current Biological
Opinions, most years there would not be "excess"
water available to store. At least the KBRA
deals with mulitple issues including the BO's,
Restoration, conservation plans, water
allocation... I think it is the only way you are
going to get an agreement with other parties.
you may not agree with it. but that is reality.
A federal irrigation Project, 4 Indian Tribes,
two listed fish species, two states and mulitple
counites.... all operating in a Democratic
controlled congress, with a liberal Democrat in
the White House and dems in charge of the two
states. THAT is REALITY.
The local repbulicans have stepped in it. They
should be concerned about getting quality people
elected to office, not splitting up the party by
taking on issues like this. Just stupid and
typical (and I am one).
As for the money, yeah it is too much and there
is too much government involved. But, look at
the amount of money that is spent by the feds in
this basin today, it is staggering. The federal
government just spent a Trillion dollars in
stimulus.... I would rather see money go to
something like this as opposed to building
bathrooms at a refuge, or funding groups like
ACORN.
The people who think this agreement will be the
end of the world are over doing it in my
opinion.
I have talked to a lot of Project irrigators who
aren't part of the kwua. they seem pretty
supportive and all say that something needs to
be done. They are probably right. "
Please don't tell us there were or ARE no other
options. "
The KBRA stakeholder group is dominated by US Dep't of
Interior agents acting on behalf of all their agencies,
ultra preservationist groups and federal refuge farmers
calling the shots.
The KBRA is not a reasonable solution as it will destroy a
great deal of farming and ranching outside of the federal
project and when the commissioners and other elected
officials step forward and ask for water storage to be
included, they are chided.
The present agreement was done in secret and continues to be
secret and the public doesn't like "secret" .
If this is such a good deal why are Wyden, Merkley, Walden
and the entire County Commission of Klamath afraid to step
forward and put their Official "seal of approval" on it?
Because they know the public is opposed to it and they don't
want the voters to be reminded at voting time that they
supported this secret deal and stuck the taxpayers with the
multi-billion dollar bill for it. "
The Republican Central Committee has over whlemingly voted
to pass that information along to the few supporters of the
KBRA.
Many of the Central Committee that voted against the KBRA/dam
removal are in fact KWUA members
Most KWUA farmers DO NOT support the agreement - they are
afraid of being singled out and marginalized by the board of
KWUA and perhaps having this year's water cut off by the
board and the feds due to retribution for speaking out
against the KBRA.
The writer needs to call EACH and EVERY one of the KWUA
members and get their take on their support - it simply does
not exist to remove the dams and impose the KBRA and the
tribal demands on them.
The citizens are NOT against the farmers, but they recognize
that the KBRA and dam removal are not in the best interest
of anyone but a few national refuge farmers in California
and Oregon (and their supporters) and a bunch of really
rabid environmentalists who wish to destroy the
infrastructure of the US.
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Stop disseminating disinformation.
The KBRA and dam removal agreement in principle (AIP) documents were created by 'an invitation only group, hand selected by the US Dep't of Interior.
Earlier this month, like dozens of other times, another 'by invitation only' meeting was held in Sacramento.
Call the KBRA and dam removal meetings what you want, but one thing the process is not, is public.
Since they are closed to the public, and publicly funded decisions are being made by private parties in private - it is then "secret".
Please note:
The ' project irrigators' you refer to, comprise the federal BOR project, who in fact are represented by the Klamath Water Users Association. The rank and file KWUA are very opposed to dam removal. "