Siskiyou County — The processes associated with two agreements on the Klamath River are continuing to move, with the United States Forest Service sending out a call Nov. 22 for a biologist to fill a position to work within the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement structures.

According to the job listing on usajobs.gov, the position would deal directly with the processes under the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) and Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA), serving “as the Forest Service lead as a ‘Cooperating Agency’ in the Department of Interior’s analysis for the Secretarial Determination on dam removal” as well as participating in the development of a number of plans under the KBRA.

The position will also serve as the Forest Service representative in the KBRA-created Klamath Basin Coordinating Council (KBCC) and Technical Advisory Team (TAT).

The KBCC is a group tasked with oversight of the “efficient and effective implementation of” the KBRA, according to that agreement, which also states that all parties to the agreement will be members of the KBCC, including the Forest Service.

The TAT, on the other hand, is slated to “utilize the technical expertise of the Parties and others with interest and expertise in water management and fisheries to inform the implementation of the Agreement as it relates to Managed Environmental Water and other aquatic resource issues.”

In October, the County of Siskiyou issued a letter to John Bezdek of the United States Department of the Interior alleging that the Interior has been inappropriately taking part in KBRA and KBCC activities without legislation authorizing the department to become a party to the KBRA.

Both agreements require legislation for any federal agency to officially become a party, however, the agreements allow those agencies to take actions consistent with the agreements “to the extent such actions are consistent with the agency’s existing legal authorities and appropriations are available for such purpose.”

The county, in its letter, also requested the dollar amounts spent by federal agencies for KBRA and KBCC processes.

According to the job listing, the position would pay $96,690-$125,695 for participation in the agreements’ processes, among other tasks.

As yet, there has been no official response detailing whether or not the actions of federal agencies thus far constitute actions of parties to the agreements or actions within their existing legal authorities.

It was unknown as of press time whether or not the county has received a response to its inquiry.