Wise decision by supervisors

Letter to the Editor

March 28, 2008  

Re “County's OK of Klamath settlement misguided,” My Word, March 26:  

I represent the Karuk Tribe in the Klamath settlement negotiations. We, in collaboration with the Yurok and Klamath tribes, NGOs and agencies, spent over a year analyzing the instream flow impacts that would result from the proposed deal. We have determined that the Klamath Restoration Agreement would not only assure dam removal, but put more water in the Klamath River and allow for recovery of salmon.

The tribes' fisheries departments are made up of the most talented and knowledgeable scientists on the river. Furthermore, dam removal is far from assured without such a deal. In fact, no dams have ever been removed in America without a negotiated settlement agreement.

Our goal is to pull of the largest dam removal in history. We believe success hinges on the support of local farmers. The politically savvy Humboldt supervisors understand that as well.

Felice Pace's analysis is poorly informed and his assertions unrealistic. Although the deal is not perfect, its better than the alternative -- more litigation, decades of fighting water rights adjudications, and fewer and fewer fish. We prefer to settle the issue ourselves through bipartisan collaboration rather than leave it up to federal court judges.

With the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting approaching, now is the time that tribes need environmentalists to help us focus attention on the real problem in the Klamath: Warren Buffett's dams.

Kudos to the Humboldt supervisors for making a wise decision and continuing to support fisheries restoration.

Craig Tucker

Orleans

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Source:  http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/ci_8726026