August 21, 2010

   “Watershed issues have plagued us for years, and this is finally a solution,” Stewart said. “We have to tell the community about why this is important and why they should care about the agreement.”

   Volunteers have manned information booths, marked with a bright yellow “KBRA = JOBS” banner, at the Klamath County Fair and Third Thursday events in downtown Klamath Falls. Stewart said foot traffic has been consistent — they’ve given away all 1,000 yellow “KBRA = JOBS” balloons — and people have seemed interested, asking about what KBRA stands for and how it equals jobs.  

   The KBRA, signed in February, aims to establish sustainable water supplies and affordable power rates for irrigators, fund habitat restoration and economic development in the Klamath Project area, and help the Klamath Tribes acquire a 92,000-acre parcel of private   timberland. It would cost about $1.5 billion to implement all aspects of the agreement.  

   Little understanding

   Despite the high emotions among those directly affected by the agreement, it seems the general public doesn’t understand what it is, Stewart said.

   Farmers, ranchers, tribal representatives and politicians have volunteered to man the booth and answer questions, pushing four slogans: “KBRA = jobs,” “collaborative solutions,” “a healthy local economy” and “our children’s future.”  

   The slogans represent some key points to the agreement that supporters say have been lost in the quarreling between groups involved.

   According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, family farms contribute $300 million and 4,500 jobs to the Basin economy. KBRA supporters say the agreement will help develop renewable energy, grow the local economy and stop feuding over water so more resources are invested locally.

   Campaign organizers are attracting people to their booth with a raffle to win an iPod touch.   The raffle entry polls how many people want to learn more about KBRA. Before Thursday’s entries were tallied, there were 356 raffle entries; of those, 132 have said they want more information.

   “It's been a great response,” Stewart said. “Better than we ever expected.”