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Klamath Water Users Association
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
Phone: (541) 883-6100
Fax: (541) 883-8893
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Hollie Cannon – (541) 850-2503
Funding from Supplemental Spending Bill Likely to Assist Farmers and the Local Economy
July 28, 2010 - A supplemental spending bill which includes $10 million for Western States Emergency Drought funding cleared Congress late yesterday when House lawmakers voted to accept a previously passed Senate version of the bill. The legislation HR 4899, titled the “War and Disaster Supplemental Bill” will now be sent to President Obama for his signature. Some portion of this funding is expected to end up in Oregon and specifically the Klamath Basin to help further assist with this year’s poor water supply conditions.
In May Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley spearheaded the effort to seek disaster assistance for Klamath irrigators. He was joined and supported by Senator’s Wyden, Boxer and Feinstein. Merkley successfully amended a Senate emergency bill to include $10 million in drought relief for farmers and ranchers in the Western United States. Congressman Greg Walden aided the effort by joining Merkley and Wyden on the Senate floor to encourage Members to adopt the amendment. It is unknown how much of the funding may be directed to Klamath should the President sign the bill.
Greg Addington, Klamath Water Users Association’s (KWUA) Executive Director said that while the optimal solution would have been different management choices leading to an adequate supply of surface water, the funding can help farmers, ranchers and others get through this very hard year. Even as the amount of funding that may come to the Klamath Basin is still unknown, KWUA, KWAPA and others will be seeking to maximize the use of this funding. “Our direction is to find the most equitable way to take care of people and mitigate for everyone who is experiencing an impact this year.”
Hollie Cannon, Executive Director of the Klamath Water and Power Agency (KWAPA) said his organization and KWUA are pushing for maximum flexibility regarding the use of these funds. “We want to know if there would be an ability to use any funding not only to help landowners who have been most impacted, but also to address third party impacts that occur in a year like this. We just don’t know if we can do all of that yet.” Cannon went on to say that the additional funding would not be used for pumping additional groundwater.
It is expected that KWAPA will soon be receiving official notice of how much funding may be available, along with clarifications on how the funding is authorized and for what programs funds may be used. For updates, please contact KWAPA at (541) 850-2503 or visit the KWAPA page on KWUA’s website, www.kwua.org .
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